Storage Container
A storage container is a lockable steel box that secures tools, materials and equipment on job sites. Built to freight-container patterns, the class spans 10 ft units through 40 ft boxes and high-cube variants. The catalog lists 106 models from Pac-Van, Toter, Wastequip, Triton, Algeco and Seacube.
How it works
Corrugated steel walls, a wood or steel floor and cargo doors on one end make a weatherproof, theft-resistant enclosure that needs no foundation — just level bearing at the corners. Lockboxes shield padlocks from bolt cutters. External dimensions run up to 53 ft long, with widths around 8 ft and heights 5–53 ft in the catalog data. Internal space is slightly smaller after wall and ceiling thickness. Delivery trucks slide the box onto grade, and the container is ready the same day.
Types & variants
- Standard dry containers
- The base weatherproof box with end doors, available in 10, 20 and 40 ft lengths.
- Double-door and side-door units
- Extra openings for access to material at both ends or along the wall.
- High-security configurations
- Lockbox-equipped and reinforced-door units for high-theft environments.
Key specifications
| Specification | Typical range | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Length | 10, 20, 40 ft | The size driver — catalog bands split the class at 10, 20 and 40 ft (covering up to 53 ft high-cube variants). |
| Load capacity | 992–11,023 lb (450–5,000 kg) | Weight-bearing capacity varies by frame and floor construction. |
| Max height | 5–53 ft (1.5–16.2 m) | Standard freight-container envelope; high-cube variants add interior height. |
How the industry sizes it
Containers are sized by length: 10 ft units fit in one parking stall for tools and small material where there is no room for a full box; 20 ft boxes are the standard, holding one trade's tools and material and delivered by tilt-bed to almost any site; 40 ft units provide full material storage or a whole crew's kit, need room to place and to swing the doors, and the band covers 45 ft high-cube variants too. The estimate starts from what must be stored — racking runs, palletized material, equipment footprints — and then checks the site: a 40 ft box needs a semi-length straight approach to deliver, while smaller units arrive on tilt-beds in tight lots. One larger box usually beats two small ones on cost per cubic foot, but multiple placements can sit closer to the work.
Applications
- Tool and material security on construction sites
- Equipment storage between project phases
- Warehouse and yard overflow storage
- Retail and facility storage during renovations
- Long-term secure storage on industrial sites
Safety & operation
- Containers set on firm, level bearing at the corners — settlement racks the frame and jams the doors.
- Door zones stay graded and clear; heavy cargo doors swinging over uneven ground catch fingers and toes.
- Stored loads are braced against the walls or racked — material stacked loose against the doors falls outward when opened.
- Site fire safety practice (NFPA 241) applies to what goes inside: no unvented fuel or flammable storage in a sealed box.
Standards & certifications
- ISO · 668
- Series 1 freight container classification and dimensions the formats derive from.
- ISO · 1496-1
- Specification and testing for general cargo containers.
- NFPA · 241
- Construction site safeguarding standard covering storage practices.
Frequently asked
What ground preparation does a container need?
What sizes are available?
How does delivery work?
Compare popular models
Find by spec →Normalised to the same units. A dash means the figure was not published.
| Model | Load capacity | Max height |
|---|---|---|
| Pods 12-Foot Portable Storage Container | 4,700 gal | 12 ft (3.7 m) |
| Pods 16-Foot Portable Storage Container | 4,200 gal | 16 ft (4.9 m) |
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Sources
Every specification is verified against the manufacturer's published data, with the source linked for reference.
All models
106 models · Page 1 of 3 · Every spec cited to source
