10 · 20 · 40 ft on the ground
Storage Container Sizes
For on-site storage the question is not TEU maths but floor area, door clearance and what actually fits. Here is the honest sizing guide, using the same ISO boxes described across this site.
What fits in each size
10 ft (7.3 m²): one room’s furniture, 40–50 medium boxes, a motorcycle plus shelving, garden equipment.
20 ft (13.9 m²): a 2–3 bedroom home’s contents, a car with room to spare, ~200 medium boxes, a market-stall inventory.
40 ft (28.3 m²): a 4–5 bedroom home including garage, workshop racking with aisle, palletised stock for a small business.
Door opening on all standard units is 2.34 m wide × 2.28 m high — wide enough for a car, a large sofa or a forklift with a EUR pallet.
Ground requirements
A container needs a firm, level surface bearing at its four corners: compacted gravel, paving slabs or railway sleepers under the castings are all standard. Allow the delivery truck a straight run — a 40 ft delivery on a tilt-bed needs roughly 30 m of clear approach.
Security and ventilation
A padlock alone is bolt-cropper work; a lockbox — the welded steel shroud covering the padlock from above — is the standard upgrade and often an insurance requirement. For long-term storage add ventilation against condensation: a whirlybird (turbine vent) on the roof or louvre vents in the top corrugations keep air moving, so temperature swings don’t rain onto your stored goods.
Frequently asked questions
What sizes do storage containers come in?
The rental and resale market standardises on 10, 20 and 40 ft lengths (plus 40 ft high cube). Some suppliers cut 6 ft and 8 ft units for tight sites; 45–53 ft units exist but are rare in storage service.
Will a car fit in a shipping container?
Yes — a 20 ft container takes one standard car (door opening 2.34 m wide, interior 2.35 m); a 40 ft takes two smaller vehicles nose-to-tail. Low sports cars need ramps rated for the approach angle.
How much ground space does a 20 ft container need?
The footprint is 6.06 × 2.44 m — about 15 m² including working clearance. Add swing room for the doors (~2.3 m) and the truck’s delivery approach.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy a storage container?
Renting a 20 ft unit typically runs $75–150 per month; buying a used WWT one costs roughly $1,500–2,500 plus delivery. Buying pays for itself in about 18–30 months — rent for short projects, buy for anything measured in years.