The Container
Blog.
Buyer's guides, honest comparisons, use-case spotlights, and reference material for anyone researching a shipping container.
Buying a Shipping Container in Houston After Hurricane Season
Hurricane season ends Nov 30. Here's how to buy a used container in Houston in the calm months: where to set it, what we stock, and which rules to check.
20ft vs 40ft Shipping Container: Do You Really Need the 20ft?
A 40ft container gives you about twice the floor space of a 20ft for well under twice the price, and 20fts are getting harder to find. Here's when the 20ft is still the right call.
The Rent-to-Own Down Payment Drops September 1: What Actually Changes
My Container Rental resets the rent-to-own down payment on standard containers from September 1, 2026. What changes, what does not, and which tier applies.
The Contractor Who Stopped Losing Tools
A Field Story: a Dayton-area contractor lost tools to theft twice in one summer. He fixed it with one locked steel container, right on the job.
The Cheap Container That Wasn't
A Field Story: a buyer found a container for eight or nine hundred dollars, then learned the price didn't include delivery. The one question that protects you.
Check a Used Container's Identity for Free: 4 Lookups and What They Cannot Tell You
Four free BIC lookups verify a used container's number, prefix owner, theft alerts and ACEP record before you pay. What each proves, and what none of them can.
How Do I Get a Used Shipping Container Certified for Shipping?
The step-by-step path to getting a used container recertified for ocean shipping: what to check, who can survey it, published costs, and when to skip it.
12 Things You Should Never Store in a Shipping Container
A shipping container keeps out rain but not heat or cold. Here are 12 things that don't belong inside one, and what to do instead.
How to Read a Container's ID Number & Size/Type Code (ISO 6346)
How to decode a shipping container's 11-character ISO 6346 ID number, check digit, and 4-character size/type code, walked through on a real, verified example.
Shipping Container Dimensions: The Complete Size Chart (8ft to 53ft)
See the exact inside and outside measurements for every common shipping container size, 8ft to 53ft, plus which sizes Steel Box Direct sells.
Why Does My Shipping Container "Rain" Inside? Condensation and What Helps
Ceiling drips in a closed container are usually condensation, not a leak. Why steel sweats, how to load dry, and when to call a vent pro.
Wind & Water Tight Explained: What "WWT" Actually Means
"Wind & Water Tight" is the container grade Steel Box Direct stocks. Here's what WWT really promises, what it doesn't, and how to check it yourself.
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