Semi trailer box

JimS · Nov 19, 2016

I am thinking about purchasing a used box or van type semi trailer to store some things in. I think it will prove cheaper than a
regular storage unit. What should I look for? How does one avoid getting bad deal on one of these?

JD Seller · Nov 19, 2016

Buy a shipping container. Then you do not have to deal with the axles/tires/dollies on the semi trailer.

markct · Nov 19, 2016

Good advice, plus a shipping container takes snowload much better, and also less likely to leak, and if it does leak weld it up, a semi trailer needs tin and pop rivets and a mess of goo to try and keep it sealed up

JayinNY · Nov 19, 2016

I agree with a shipping container, plus you don't have to climb up into one like you do with a trailer. Loading and unloading will be much eaiser from ground level.

LAA · Nov 19, 2016

My FIL had two of them for years, still one left out at his place, what I noticed about them is they are long, narrow and dark, whatever you want out of it will always be at the back so you will have to move half the stored crap to get to what your after. The first thing you have to do is set them on blocks or a base and level them up, then build a ramp or access to conveniently get whatever you are storing in and out, it seems like he always had a leak in the roof and the roll up door on one was a royal PITA while the swinging doors on the other were awkward to work because of the height of the box. To each his own but with the low cost of structural steel and sheet metal panels these days you can build a shed on a slab just as cheap and do it exactly the way you want it.

TomR Ont · Nov 19, 2016

Here in a small town in Ontario, the powers to be have put an article in the paper,
saying to have a container you will have to have the town approve it,
size, lot lines, set backs must be observed.

If you have one now you must have it approved, and brought up to new rules no grandfathering.

I guess taxing it is next.

MtMan · Nov 19, 2016

I have been using a storage container for years now. Some of the good points are the wood floor has been treated for rodents, and I have no problem with insect pest. This unit was so air tight, that with a tractor inside, you would smell fumes from the gas and oil. I put 4 small air vents in the sides and that eliminated that. You do have to watch for rust on the roof as it is not flat and water can lay in parts of the roof. Its easy to put a roof over.

Olliejunkie · Nov 19, 2016

I have a old moving trailer. It's a couple feet off the ground and has doors on the back and both sides. The doors are in pretty poor shape as they're wood lined but it does not leak.

Olliejunkie · Nov 19, 2016

(quoted from post at 21:23:00 11/19/16)
I have a old moving trailer. It's a couple feet off the ground and has doors on the back and both sides. The doors are in pretty poor shape as they're wood lined but it does not leak.

I also thought an old beverage truck with doors all the way down the sides might be nice but never have looked at one.

D beatty · Nov 20, 2016

If I was to ever build another building I would like one like this with containers . I would take one of them and make a office and machining area out of it.

Geo-TH,In · Nov 20, 2016

Around Terre Haute, the price of two large shipping containers delivered is close to a complete pole barn package at Menards.

Not to mention, using shipping containers, you still have to put roof and ends on it.

Then if you live where I do, good luck
Getting a permit and past the building inspector.

D beatty · Nov 20, 2016

It might cost more but a building like this would last a life time compared to a Menards pole barn. If the containers are set and fastened on a good base you would have a sound building and put a steel roof with hidden fasteners that will with stand high winds . In this area heavy snows bring down down pole barns and high winds rip them apart.

Cory Schmidt · Nov 20, 2016

They work fairly well, however they will fall apart overtime(especially with wheels off).Try and find one that's fairly solid yet(for longer life). Shipping containers are built heavier(and therefore last longer), and can be found easily if near a port. Shipping them to your location will be the hard part(unless seller offers to do it), mainly because of the size and roadworthy problems. once on yard can horse around empty with tractors.

Have 4 trailers around here, they work good. Two of them are on wheels and two are off. The ones without wheels were around for 30-35 years or so. One is shot(floor is GONE in sections, roof braces are caving and the wall/doors are rotting away), other one I haven't been able to get in all the way in years to check it over. The ones on wheels, that we had for around 10 years, are harder to get in, yet seem to be holding up for now.

Zachary Hoyt · Nov 20, 2016

Had a 40' high cube shipping container for 14 years, it was here when we moved in. One of the happier days of my life was seeing that long dark tunnel of misery getting hauled away to the buyer's place. I built a real building with footers to replace the pole barn with the container under it and the real building is much handier to use, lighter (with several windows) and it has a loft where all of the smaller things can go. Containers are fast and easy to put in, but that's about the only good thing I can think of about them.
Zach

Geo-TH,In · Nov 20, 2016

D beatty,
At my age, if I were to build one, a lifetime wouldn't be that long.

I put up a pole barn, not Menards, and building inspector even wanted my posts to be 4 ft deep. All Header across overhead door and top plates had to be two 2x12's, one on each side of 4x6 posts. How would you get a shipping container to pass inspection? How would you anchor roof to shipping container? Anchor container to ground?

I don't see any cost savings paying big bucks for container and then making it to code.
geo

504 · Nov 20, 2016

BIL had a 20ft and traded it for a 40FT. The 40 was a real pain,every time you wanted something you had to unload the whole thing to get what you wanted,the 20 did not collect so much stuff. Around here they go for about 1800.00ea. Now if you could find the 42ft open side, then you would have a storage unit that you could use. Of course you can expect to pay 3500.00 for one.

D beatty · Nov 20, 2016

When I build I don't look at cost as much as a build that is tough.You could fabercate brackest that would bolt or be welded to container to hold roof. You could do the same to bolt container concrete piers.

JD Seller · Nov 20, 2016

My brother used the storage containers. He takes the doors off and installs overhead garage doors on the back and then cuts a new hole in the front and add one there too. So you can access each end. He frames the door opening up with treated lumber and uses a 7x9 overhead door.

Geo-TH,In · Nov 21, 2016

How do you get building inspector to approve it?

I had to have 4x6 posts 4 feet deep and two 2 x 12 for top plate to attach rafters.

Don't think I'll ever see anything like that where I live.

Area planning has put an end to many things.

Thousands of single wide trailers, mobile homes, have been demolished in my country. You can't move them. No new ones are allowed on your property.

Area planning tells you what you can and can't do on your property.

BarnyardEngineering · Nov 21, 2016

I don't see any cost savings paying big bucks for container and then making it to code.

The whole point of the shipping container is that you don't HAVE make it to code, because it's not a building.

Some towns are getting wise to this and are changing the rules, it seems.

Frank 41 · Nov 21, 2016

I bought a 53 x 102 for $2500 with swing doors.

Semi trailer box

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