Burying conex

[trimguy]

Does anybody have any experience burying a conex ? I'm thinking of burying 2 about 15 - 20 ft apart in a bank leaving the doors exposed. I would put a roof between them ( also buried) for open storage. Would they hold up ? Would they hold the weight of the dirt , roughly about 3-4 ft at the back to about 6" in the front ? I'm thinking the 20' conex. I might decide to go with the 40' before I do it. Any experiences and all thoughts will be appreciated.

[trimguy]

Also if I do go with the 40' it would mean more dirt on top at the back.

[Sedgehammer]

The roof/ceiling can handle about 330 lbs per sq ft. The sides  can handle much, much more, but the centers are much weaker. 

[farmfromkansas]

If you are really going to bury a container, would consider using crushed rock to backfill the thing, if you were to level the ground under the container, with a little slope so water could drain away, and then put rock against the container and on top, the water would be able to get away from the container and you should get some life from it.  Would consider painting it with basement waterproofing as well.

[Southside]

I don't know. Corten steel that containers are made from is designed to rust so the sea floor isn't covered with them.  I have two 40' HC refrigerated shipping containers, one is my kiln.  Those are aluminum cladded with stainless walls, so better weather resistance. 

[florida]

I think they would rust out pretty quickly. I've had them rust out and the roofs fall in from condensation here in south Florida in just 4 or 5 years. They are built to make one y day trip across the Pacific and that's pretty much it. 

[Patrick NC]

I wonder if you're painted the containers with Rhino liner like they use on truck beds if it would help keep them from rusting out?

[trimguy]

I can do the drain stone. I can do the tar waterproofing. I'll have to check on Rhino lining , that might get expensive. if I do the water proofing, whats everyones thought about doing the bottom ? that might get a little tricky

[charles mann]

A guy down the road from meA, in central tx, buried a couple for storm/storage/inlaws and after 5 yrs, the roof collapsed due to rusting out. 

What is your end goal for being underground? 

[Ljohnsaw]

If you can get them cheap enough, use it as a concrete form?  Pour a slab, set the box, erect the "outside" form and fill with concrete?  Then it wouldn't matter if/when it rusts out.

[charles mann]

If you can get them cheap enough, use it as a concrete form?  Pour a slab, set the box, erect the "outside" form and fill with concrete?  Then it wouldn't matter if/when it rusts out.

That is what i was thinking too. Instead of using the conex as an inner form, just earth form the walls and pour 4, preferably, 6 in thick and ensure to leave a 2x4" lip on the floor, for tar strips and same for the ceiling to help make it more water tight. 
Yes, mud and rebar is more expensive, but better longevity. 

[Al_Smith]

They don't recommend to bury them --just saying .I've got a 40 footer but it's above ground .It's got about 4 gallons of Rust-Oleum on it and should last me the rest of my life .

[trimguy]

My end goal——-
I have 3 1/2 acres and it's all sloped up hill to the back of the property. I need more storage than I have, which is already 800 so ft than the " genius commissioners of my city/ county " think you Should have. Their rule is " no more than 5% of the property or no larger than 1200 sq ft. When I was doing some work for an inspector , he said a farmer was taking them to court over this. He has 52 acres and they wouldn't give him a permit to build a barn, ( I don't know the sq ft but over 1200) So with having the bank I cut out  up by my shop and the county doing satellite pictures I thought this might be the best way.

[Southside]

Sounds like you need to go help the farmer win his case, then send some of those County folks to the unemployment line.  

[YellowHammer]

I don't think it's a good idea to use a container whose metal is designed to rust as a below ground shelter.  

I've seen many Connex rust out in the open air, and too many iron water pipes rust out underground.



  

 

[Al_Smith]

I'm certainly no expert on Corten steel but I think the secret with any metal is keep it from ground contact .To add to that these shipping boxes have been around for a long but when they started using weathering type steel who actually knows .The floors are treated marine plywood so they should last almost  forever. I've heard they can float on the Pacific ocean about a month full of cell phones before they sink which says a lot about the door seals .
For the math 3.5 acres is 140,480 sq feet .A forty foot shipping box is 320 square feet .

[trimguy]

I didn't realize they were design to rust . I hadn't thought about steel water pipes , I've had to dig up and replace more than my share. Yes if it was up to me , I'd get rid of all our commissioners, they are all crooks and I know some stories to prove it .About the sq ft , I already have a 40' x  40'  shop and a 20' x 20' pavilion. Equal to 2000 sq ft. If the metal was protected with foundation water proofing do you think that might hold up ? 

[Al_Smith]

It's not the rusting out from being wet .It's the fact nearly any bare metal will eat away by galvantic reaction in soil .Blue clay is the worst .It might take a long while though depending .
Logically thinking even if you could bury it you'd have  more time and energy ,not to mention the cost involved to do so than the taxes .A forty footer goes for about $2400 .Even if you dug the excavation with a pick and shovel .
I could check on Google earth for a fly over on mine but since it's under the canopy of 100 foot trees I doubt it would show up this time of the years .If it did and they raised my taxes I'd protest it .I always have and  always will .---don't get me started on property taxes --just saying   

[mike_belben]

You dont want to coat in anything that will actually dry.  So all these rubberized or rhino lined or painted frames.. They all have a catalyst and all harden before seeping into the joints that need the moisture displaced. Then you just grow a well hidden rust bubble that is 5x larger when it pops off a frosted flake of rhino lining.  


You want something that seeps and cures slowly.  Either NH oil undercoating or maybe an asphalt/fiberglass foundation and flashing sealer.  The container would probably need to be sitting on fairly porous crushed rock and then have it packed in between the dirt and the container for a breathable barrier.  Probably need a french drain at the perimeter.  And the dirtwork has to be finished in a way that really rejects runoff from getting down into the crushed rock.  

I would use probably 1" crushed rather than something with fines.  The more air space in there the more your moisture can be wicked out during the dryer relative humudity periods.  Wet travels toward dry.  Blocking any movement of moisture with plastics and such is a mistake IMO.. Itll just trap condensate and create mold. 
 

[mike_belben]

There is a part of me that says cut some holes in the container walls and weld mesh over them. That way if moisture is an issue, opening the doors and putting a fan in can be atleast some form of remedy.

A shop vac with the hose plugged into a little stub of tailpipe welded over a holesaw hole, and just blowing out the open door could really pull air and moisture through the gravel barrier and help with any water issues.  Better to have the option than not i think.

[Al_Smith]

Most of them already have some sort of vents in them .I think mine has four high and four low .In other words low being vented out the top sides via a sealed strut closed to sea water . Mine being above ground I use a box fan on medium speed  for air movement .So far no problem due to humidity .Dry as a bone .
Funny thing about these things which are all over the world being they are in essence a giant tin can .Some might make twenty or more trips and some just a few .Mine is what they call "cargo ready" which cost me another 100 bucks .They sell these things for just about what it cost to make them brand new in China .Some of the giant shipping companies were spending 7 to 9 percent of their cost shipping these things back empty  to be reused for more cargo which is why there are so many .
I might add mine has a welded on plate with when and where it was made and who made it . As well as certain maritime authorities all over the world inspecting them periodically and approving it for reshipment .

[charles mann]

Seems more cost worthy in the long run, to get rid of the corrupt county officials. 

[TKehl]

Not sure if I would:
A.   Challenge the county.
B.  Sell stuff.
C. Store stuff outside.
D.  Store stuff elsewhere.
E.  Move.

Or some combination. But I would not bury a container.  An expensive solution that is more expensive to fix when it fails...

[mike_belben]

I chose move.  It wasnt a small endeavor.  

[Al_Smith]

Building permits, edicts or whatever you call them are just local politics .In Ohio for example unless it's been changed does not require a building permit for an agricultural building .I for example could have any number of sheds if they are all 12 by 16 or smaller .
Although I would not do it I suppose I could plant a half dozen apple trees and sell a few bushels of apples and call it agriculture .As it is now that 2 acre plot only grows grass .Takes me about 1 hour to mow it with a zero turn Toro .I'm not required to though .I could just let it turn to weeds and there is nothing they could do about it .

BTW I did check out a satellite fly over on Google earth .You can't see a thing because that once Costco box is hidden under the trees .Plus it's painted hunter green .