The two industry standard sizes of shipping containers are the 20ft and 40ft containers. Importers and exporters are at an advantage when it comes to packing up their container because their products are boxed and shipped from the manufacture. This makes it easy to access the amount boxes that fit on a pallet. If you are using a container to move, it is difficult to know how much of your stuff is going to fit into the container. Do you need a 20ft container or a 40ft container? Finding the perfect shipping container dimensions that will fit your entire home seems like an impossible task. Packing your items in a container can feel like a game of Tetris. Going through each room of your house or apartment and taking inventory of what is in each room will help give you a better idea of what standard container dimension you will need. Taking inventory of your home will also help with the organizational process when it comes time to load your container. At this time, you can discard any unwanted items or make a trip to Goodwill. Hopefully this guide provides a clear understanding of the shipping container dimensions as you embark on your journey to a new place!
20ft Containers – The standard container dimensions of a 20ft container is 20ft long, 8ft 6in tall, and 8ft wide. It can hold about 850 to 1,050 cubic feet, and are usually big enough to fit a 1 to 2 bedroom household, or one vehicle with a few small household goods. The container filled to the maximum capacity is 1170 cubic feet but filled up to 90% capacity would be about 1,050 cubic feet. This is only an estimate and only work if everything fits like a puzzle piece – which rarely happens – so be sure to leave some extra space.
40ft Containers – The standard container dimensions of a 40ft container is 40ft long, 8ft 6in, and 8ft wide. It can hold about 1,850 to 2,200 cubic feet, and are typically appropriate for moving a 3 to 5 bedroom household, or 1 vehicle and a 2 bedroom household. The overall capacity of a 40ft container is 2,390 cubic feet. It is highly unlikely that you will fill your 40ft container to full capacity because of awkward shaped items. Make sure you have some extra room so you do not fall short. The 40ft shipping container dimensions are best for families and larger homes or large items such as vehicles.
Resource: Movehub
Estimating the volume of your container
Generally speaking, a two-bedroom apartment will fill into a 20ft container. For example, if you take a typical 1,200 square foot apartment and pack it very well using boxes and bubble wrap, it should easily fit all your possessions in a 20ft container. This would be similar to a 2-3 bedroom house of about 2,000 square feet in a 40ft shipping container.
How many cars will fit in one shipping container?
Varies with the size of the cars, but typically:
20ft Container
A large sedan, van, or small SUV when loaded flat without supporting frames
2 very low sports cars when loaded with supporting frames
40ft Container
2 large sedan, vans, or small SUV when loaded flat without supporting frames
3 or 4 sedans when angled and secured by frames
Container Alliance can help you find the right shipping container dimensions for your moving needs. Give us a call at (800) 386-2345 to speak with one of our knowledgeable sales representatives or fill out a quick quote form today!
