Shipping Container Wood Shed.
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johneh
Minister of Fire
Shipping Containers are sealed you would have to figure out
some way to vent it. But yes it would make a good storage unit.
some way to vent it. But yes it would make a good storage unit.
I was thinking of venting one end down low and the other end up high so it naturally draw a draft.
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SpaceBus
Minister of Fire
I was just thinking of this while reading the thread. Only issue is getting it into place.
Easy Livin’ 3000
Minister of Fire
Love the idea. Would like to do it myself, but $2k seems like a lot for a woodshed. That's what they seem to go for around here.
Simonkenton
Minister of Fire
You have a real winner there. You need air flow but not all that much. Like you said, some holes down low and some holes on the other end up high. I would start with 2 square feet on both ends and see how that goes.
The tremendous heat build up would really dry that wood fast.
The tremendous heat build up would really dry that wood fast.
Airflow is key. I think you could build something for less that would look nicer. However, if wood theft is an issue, a lockable container could be nice.
You can get vented containers as well as sealed containers. The vents are usually about 1’ - 2’ from each end along the top rail on each side, usually one on all four corners. 20’, 40’, 48’ in length & 8’-6” is standard height, they make a high cube I think they are 9’-6”. I entertained the thought of doing exactly what you are thinking. You can get containers with doors on both ends, containers with doors on one side; usually 4 doors, basically 2 doors per 1/2. A lot of folks have been buying them & putting roll up overhead doors in the end & a walk in door on the side & using them for storage sheds & workshops. I was thinking of doors on both ends would great for air flow but the side doors would be easiest to load/unload & keep different types of wood separate. It’s extra handling but you could stuff a container full of dry wood & not have to worry about top covering it to keep it dry.
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A guy I used to work with, had one he put on stands and would use it as a kiln for hardwoods he cut himself doe wood working. Used wood scraps and just had a fire under it. lol
weatherguy
Minister of Fire
I looked into this too, was going to cut vents didn't know they had vented ones. The cost put the brakes on the idea but it would be an easy shed and you could probably fit a ton of wood in one of them. Funny how we all think alike around here.
Woodsplitter67
Minister of Fire
I think it would be difficult to use one as a shed. The only way i see it working is if you left a isle on one side of the container so you could walk down it. If you have to do that its going to cut down alot on the storage capacity by alot.. i cant see anyone filling it completely then empty it then having to re fill it.. unless im missing somthing
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I've saw them with doors on both ends and was thinking of building a two level rack system that would enble me to have a isle down the center and an additional layer of wood up toward the roof. A 53 foot high cube container should hold 3 years worth of wood for my needs. No property tax on a container and I could take it with me if and when I move. I have had people help them selves to my wood pile a time or two.
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Woodsplitter67
Minister of Fire
Thanks for.posting that. I havent see ones with doors in the middle. All of the ones at our shop only have the doors on the one end
They look pretty good.. i could see somthing like that working..
Jan Pijpelink
Minister of Fire
53 foot high? Seems high to me. Cube containers come standard as 9'6" high.
I got first hand, up close & personal experience with shipping containers when I was in the oil patch. The company I worked for rented them out to rigs: the ones with side doors they stored chemicals & some tooling in
The 20’ ones with doors on one end were used for storage & as garbage cans. We were responsible for delivering empties & hauling the full ones to the landfill & emptying. As far as price goes, the more doors they have the higher the price is. I think the 20’ with doors on one end around here is like $3200. Being weather & rodent tight & portable is the big draw.
A large wheel loader with a wide set of forks works best to move them with but that’s not something most folks have. They can be drug/slid around with pickup or tractor, you can jockey them around with a skid loader. Most of the time they are delivered on a tilt trailer & they drop them right were you want them.
No they definitely not as nice looking as a well built wood shed but being portable & weather tight for already dry would be a bonus. It seems a bit pricey for 6-7 cord of wood storage but whatever works for each individual.
The blue circle shows a vent, this container looks to only have 2 vents, the ones we used were 4 vent & those seem most common. I have seen them with 6-8 vents
Different manufacturers make them different ways I guess
The green circle shows where you can hook chains to drag them around if needed. We would hook both end corners with chains to pickup that end to move them with a skid steer.
Rob711
Feeling the Heat
I used a 20’ this last year to store most of the contents of my house during renovation. Appliances, including my wood stove, furniture, clothes, electronics, etc. I did cut 2 10x10 vents into it. One low on the door, one high in back corner. Everything came out fine. This was from October through June. So I’d think firewood would be fine as well. Unless theft is a major issue I’d think I’d prefer to build a shed. I’m hoping to keep mine and use as a shed for lawnmower, quad etc. point is I think it would be a robust wood shed as long as you had some air movement.
Simonkenton
Minister of Fire
The reason I like your idea is because you will get tremendous heat build up in that shipping container.
This is my non-ventilated wood shed. That's right, I even plugged the ridge vent up top with fiberglass. I keep the door shut.
I am getting hickory down to 17 percent moisture in 8 months.
Now, this structure is entirely wood, and the floor is 16 inches above the ground. Massive roof overhang.
Rain rarely hits it but it gets lots of sunshine. Water vapor passes through the walls and floor.
I live near the French Broad River and every other night, my place is enclosed by river fog. It rains a lot here. My firewood misses out on the moisture from rain or river fog.
It heats up but not as much as I had hoped. On a sunny day I pick up about 8 degrees. So if it is 90 degrees, I get 98 in the wood shed. I had hoped I would get more heat than that, but, I am very happy with the performance. This shed is 4 years old.
Of course if it didn't work, pretty easy to add some windows or even fans. But no, this Bad Boy doesn't need ventilation.
Even when I have just loaded it up with green wood, it still remains dry, no hint of mold or mildew. Plus bugs and rats don't like 98 degrees either.
So, your shipping container is going to pick up some serious solar heat and I bet you get 20 degrees above outside temp on a sunny day. Of course you have to have ventilation. But like I said I would like to see you try 2 sq. ft on the bottom of one end, and 2 sq. ft. on the top at the other end. Minimize ventilation, in order to maximize heat.
Or, if you had no ventilation and just a big door, leave that damn door closed on a 90 degree day. At 4 pm open that door and check your interior thermometer, I bet you would see 110 in there and maybe 120. The thing is that, by 4 pm all the wood would be up at 120.
Water vapor is going to be checking out of 120 degree wood.
Just leave that door open for the next 4 hours, what a massive release of very humid air.
This is my non-ventilated wood shed. That's right, I even plugged the ridge vent up top with fiberglass. I keep the door shut.
I am getting hickory down to 17 percent moisture in 8 months.
Now, this structure is entirely wood, and the floor is 16 inches above the ground. Massive roof overhang.
Rain rarely hits it but it gets lots of sunshine. Water vapor passes through the walls and floor.
I live near the French Broad River and every other night, my place is enclosed by river fog. It rains a lot here. My firewood misses out on the moisture from rain or river fog.
It heats up but not as much as I had hoped. On a sunny day I pick up about 8 degrees. So if it is 90 degrees, I get 98 in the wood shed. I had hoped I would get more heat than that, but, I am very happy with the performance. This shed is 4 years old.
Of course if it didn't work, pretty easy to add some windows or even fans. But no, this Bad Boy doesn't need ventilation.
Even when I have just loaded it up with green wood, it still remains dry, no hint of mold or mildew. Plus bugs and rats don't like 98 degrees either.
So, your shipping container is going to pick up some serious solar heat and I bet you get 20 degrees above outside temp on a sunny day. Of course you have to have ventilation. But like I said I would like to see you try 2 sq. ft on the bottom of one end, and 2 sq. ft. on the top at the other end. Minimize ventilation, in order to maximize heat.
Or, if you had no ventilation and just a big door, leave that damn door closed on a 90 degree day. At 4 pm open that door and check your interior thermometer, I bet you would see 110 in there and maybe 120. The thing is that, by 4 pm all the wood would be up at 120.
Water vapor is going to be checking out of 120 degree wood.
Just leave that door open for the next 4 hours, what a massive release of very humid air.
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Not all of it will escape on big one without forced air I bet. Wood sheds should have excellent ventilation. I hope to get one to put things in. Lawnmowers and Such. Pellets I store here.
Highbeam
Minister of Fire
I owned a 20’ container for several years to park a small bulldozer in. The floors are wooden. I drug it around with the dozer.
It worked fine and was easy to sell when I was as done with it. Shed resale value is zip.
You can paint it black for a little extra heat! They are ugly and tend to feel like a long cave.
It worked fine and was easy to sell when I was as done with it. Shed resale value is zip.
You can paint it black for a little extra heat! They are ugly and tend to feel like a long cave.
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I was thinking of some solar powered fans to help move some air. I could strech a canvas or tarp off the shady side and park my tractor and log splitter under it. I was planning to paint it matte black for maximum solar heating. I am less than thrilled with the idea of building a shed because I hate building things out of wood. I generally only like working with materials that I can weld, solder, or braze.
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funny I have been toying with the same / similar idea, more massive scale though 3 40' units in a u shape- build wall to enclose court yard and then add a roof over the whole shebang. would give apx 960 storage area and a 800 work area.
Simonkenton
Minister of Fire
That's funny. You hate to work with wood. I am the wood builder, not just my wood shed, but I built my house of big white pine logs. And I have built 8 log cabins. Love to work with wood.
On the other hand I know nothing of welding. I did work with a blacksmith once to make a slick which I use for log building.
He heated up the drive shaft of a '52 Plymouth, and he put it on the anvil, and he made me swing that big hammer on it. Damn that's a lot of work! We made a real nice slick however. Swinging that big hammer one day is all the metal work I ever have done.
On the other hand I know nothing of welding. I did work with a blacksmith once to make a slick which I use for log building.
He heated up the drive shaft of a '52 Plymouth, and he put it on the anvil, and he made me swing that big hammer on it. Damn that's a lot of work! We made a real nice slick however. Swinging that big hammer one day is all the metal work I ever have done.
