Considering the size of shipping containers, the thing that you should think about before making your purchase is how wide are these items. This is a common question you should never forget to ask the manufacturer because it will help you understand better the proportions of the property you are shipping or storing as well.
Though 8ft is standardised ISO width for sea containers, some manufacturers will also produce models 9, 10 and 12ft wide. You can also ask for a modification of the sort and create more space for your product. If you don’t know who to turn to and learn more about this, the Container Options representatives stand at your disposal.
Increasing the Width of Sea Containers
Containers are commonly used for overseas shipments, yet when they are sold off once they reach their destination. For decades now, people have used them as storage and office spaces, catering, etc. And sometimes 8ft is just not enough.
So, to get the container width modified in a way that will meet your purpose, you can either choose a pallet wide unit, have it custom-built or join two or more units.
Pallet Wide Container
Some of you may say that these containers are still 8ft wide, and this is their external size. However, by buying them you will gain 4 extra inches in comparison to the standard shipping unit, and shouldn’t be neglected.
Custom-Tailored Shipping Container
These containers aren’t manufactured very often since their production demands more time and can be pretty pricey. Still, if you need a product of a certain width, this could be your only option. These are not shipping containers in technical terms. They are built to any width and usually have an additional 2ft. Since they can accommodate a car, some people also use it as a garage.
Joined Up Containers
To make it even wider, you can join up together two or more containers. This is an ideal solution if you are planning to turn them into an office, temporary workspace or even home. The modern architecture supports this notion since it is cheap and practical.
Therefore, instead of one container, you would purchase two or more units and have them merged. The technician hired to do this type of modification would remove unnecessary sides and seal them. This way, you could get a container from 16 to 32ft wide, depending on the number of units you wish to join up.
Decreasing Shipping Containers Width
Sometimes, instead of increasing, you will need to decrease the width of your shipping unit. This is something you would do to fit it into some limited space, and you can do that by picking up flat-pack or slimline containers.
Flat-Pack Containers
These are used in places with hard to reach access and tight spaces. They have a width of 6,8ft and, since they come in a flat-pack, they are montaged on the site. The great thing about them is that each component is portable
Slimline Containers
These are specially made containers that are narrower than the standard container. They are produced to the widths of 7, 6 and 5ft, and some companies even agree to do it in sizes that customer requests. Some of them will also offer to make it longer to compensate for the decrease. They are great for storage in places with limited access as well.
Whether you need a shipping unit with increased or decreased width, or you are perfectly happy with the usual 8ft, to get the best price-quality ratio, we suggest you contact the Container Options team. They will provide you with information about available products as well as potential modifications.