How to Build a Shipping Container Home in 7 Simple Steps

if you love shipping container homes or you are planning to build a diy container home project then this video is for you in this video we bring you a complete step-by-step guide on how to build a 40-foot shipping container home in seven simple steps that are easy to follow and understand without further ado let's get started the first step is to draw a floor plan for good results keep the design simple with an efficient floor plan layout in this design we are using a 40 foot high cube shipping container the exterior dimensions of a 40 foot high cube container are 40 feet 12.19 meters long eight feet 2.44 meters wide and eight foot six inches 2.99 meters high to have an efficient floor plan reduce indoor circulation by adopting a linear arrangement interior design where all the indoor functions line part of the rear wall creating enough room for open plan living and unobstructed movement to the bathroom and bedrooms there are three layout options when building using a 40-foot container with the following salient features option one is a one bedroom where an open plan living with a kitchen on one end a bathroom in the middle and a bedroom on the far end option two is a two bedroom wear open plan living with a kitchen in the middle a guest bedroom off the living room and a bathroom with a master bedroom on the far end option three is a studio unit where an open plan living with a kitchen on one end a bathroom off the living on one end and bed space tucked in one corner of the far end add a generous outdoor deck stretching the entire length of the container to double up the indoor living space by extending it to the outdoors the second step is to purchase a container a shipping container can be categorized using three parameters the size the type and the condition of the container shipping containers come in four standard lengths of 10 feet 20 feet 40 feet 45 feet 53 foot long either with a standard height of eight feet six feet or nine foot six inch foot high cube the 20 foot and 40 foot containers are the most commonly used to build container homes there are over 10 types of shipping container most of these containers can be used to build a container house in one way or another however standard dry storage containers and high cube shipping containers are the most commonly used to build container homes because they are commonly available lastly shipping containers can be categorized by the state of their condition you can buy a new container a one trip container or a used container a used container has varied goods more than once to various destinations around the globe a one-trip container is used to ship a single cargo of load and sold at their destination a new container has not varied any cargo and can be bought directly at the factory or from a dealer building with a one-trip container is a better choice on both quality and price it is advisable to buy the container locally to cut on delivery costs the third step involves building the foundation and siding the containers the importance of having an appropriate foundation is to elevate the container off the ground away from moisture to avoid rust corrosion and dampness in addition the elevated position provides an ideal height to construct the deck to enlarge the limited indoor living space to the outdoors there are over five different types of foundations used in building shipping container homes these include pier foundation slab raft foundation pile foundation strip trence foundation or alternative foundations appear foundation is the simplest the cheapest and the most diy friendly foundation type commonly used to build container homes size and type of the pier to use are dependent on the load capacity of containers the piers can be placed at each corner of the container with additional piers in the middle the fourth step is to modify the containers shipping containers are water tight steel boxes inherently designed for transporting cargo on ships to transform a shipping container into a habitable space the container walls are out to create fenestrations for interconnections window and door openings to provide adequate daylighting cross-ventilation and unrestricted access modification of containers by cutting out openings weakens their structural integrity the structure is reinforced by welding additional steel around the openings to offset the removed metal avoid over modification to make the transformation process less expensive the steel frame welded around all the openings increases the surface area for easy anchorage of door and window frames fix all the window and door shutters to make the house watertight ready for internal works apply silicone or metal filler to seal off any gaps around the welded frames to make the openings more watertight remember to add a water barrier above all the window and door openings a water barrier is a flat steel bar that is welded on the top edge window or door frame to divert rain water coming down the side of the shipping container after making the shell water tight the next step is framing and insulation framing inside a shipping container house is quite different from a stick built house shipping containers are made from cord and steel and therefore it's not possible to attach plasterboards directly onto the corrugated steel walls furthermore it's not advisable to screw the boards directly onto the container wall in order to keep the shipping container watertight pre-treated 2x2 timber studs are used to frame out the container walls and install interior partitions to dimicate all the indoor spaces remember to observe optimum spacing and add noggins between the studs for additional support remember to install headers above the windows and doorways to reinforce the openings electrical wiring and plumbing once the wall framing is complete the next step is to install the electrical and mechanical services electrical and mechanical services are the most technical works to undertake on a container house project it entails the installation of all the plumbing electrical wiring air conditioning and all the cabling before putting insulation it's advisable to hire a qualified services engineer to execute each task professionally to avoid any possible disasters and to make it easy to obtain an occupation certificate once the project is complete from a design standpoint you are advised to maintain the water tightness of the container at all times instead of cutting through the roof and the plywood floors of the container to install plumbing for the kitchen and bathrooms the pipe work should pass through the bottom of the wall instead it's cheaper to cut and restore the container wall rather than the roof or the floor if you must use air conditioning use a centralized hvac mini split system for indoor temperature control for ease of use installation and cost effectiveness mount the outdoor ventilation unit outside on the container wall using rust proofed bolts on rubber washers to help reduce noise and vibrations when in use 7. insulation and temperature control insulation and temperature control is the most critical stage when building a shipping container house a container house can be insulated either on the outside on the inside or both depending on many factors most often container homes are framed and insulated on the inside however insulating the house on the outside helps to preserve the limited indoor living space when it comes to the type of insulation to use there is no one size fits all the most common insulation types are rock wool insulation and spray foam insulation the insulation is then lined with plasterboard throughout skimmed and painted ready for internal fittings and finishes when using bat insulation before installing the studs attach a damp proof membrane onto the container wall to serve as a thermal barrier and to mitigate against condensation it's advisable to have sufficient openings for adequate ventilation to avoid condensation which can cause corrosion or become a health hazard if not controlled at this stage the house is ready for fittings and finishes both on the inside and outside if you love industrial finishes retain the original container plywood floors and the exterior colors and markings to celebrate the marine history and the industrial charm of the container nevertheless if the industrial finishes raw container walls are not that appealing insulating the house on the outside and lining the exterior with appropriate siding is the alternative add some soft landscaping to tamper the external industrial finishes on the design what else are you waiting for move into your container house make it a home and live happy if you have any questions feel free to ask by posting in the comment section below if you want to learn more on shipping container living kindly subscribe to our youtube channel for all information on shipping container living if you like our content give us a thumbs up and feel free to share the video thank you for watching all photo credits belong to their respective owners [Music] you

Channel: ShelterMode

Views: 246,340

Keywords: how to build a shipping container house step by step guide, how to build a shipping container home the complete guide, how to build a shipping container home a step by step process, how to build a container home floor plans, shipping container homes building guide, container house, shipping container, shipping container homes, shipping container home floor plans, house, home, how to build a house, how-to build, container home, tiny house, how to build a shipping container home, build

Id: NS-thd1A-C0

Length: 9min 0sec (540 seconds)

Published: Sun Jan 17 2021