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Shipping containers seem to have a use for everything, from storage units to offices and even pop-up shops, bars and events. The possibilities are quite endless.
Traditionally used for storage and cargo transport, recycling these into new and innovative ideas has become popular over recent years. They make great use of space, are versatile, practical and can also help benefit the environment too. Who would have thought?
If you’re thinking about converting a shipping container, what you’ll need to help convert it will depend on what you’re going to be using it for. We’ve seen some wild uses for shipping containers. Let’s take a look at some of the wide range of the uses that you can get out of a one. Here are our top 5, and after you take a look, you might actually think they’re a pretty cool idea…
Cafes and Bars
Pop-up cafes and bars have become popular over recent years and more so with the increased price of rent on commercial spaces. Pop-up cafes and bars are usually found during special events and festivals, in busy cities and in high foot traffic areas. By using shipping containers for these, they can provide a great recreational atmosphere and when executed correctly, can be aesthetically incredible.
Classrooms
With state schools known to be becoming busier and housing more children than ever before, schools, universities and other educational institutes are looking for more ways to utilise their space. Shipping container classrooms offer both temporary and permanent classrooms or storage. Take a look at this amazing idea from a school in the UK to help the cut costs by building new classrooms from shipping containers.
Homes
Advancement in innovative design, a need to reduce carbon footprints and also save money, using shipping containers to build large, spacious and economically friendly homes has been a developing idea this century. This can give owners the option of building, designing and fully customising their entire living space for less than the cost of buying a traditional house. It might even make you want to use one as a holiday home. Further to this, in large cities with growing student populations, shipping container housing facilities have become an option to really make use of space to tackle this problem, while really helping to cut down on budget spend.
Offices
If you’ve recently visited a construction site, you may have noticed that the office on site is a shipping container. They can be easily transported, are strong, secure and also versatile. So why not consider using it for a regular office space? This low-budget office block was found near Tel Aviv and even makes use of one as a staircase.
Art Galleries and Spaces
Because shipping containers come in different shapes and sizes, their uses are so wide-ranging. They can even be used as studios and be customised for the professional using it. Art galleries are an example of spaces that can really have an impact on what they’re displaying and can highlight the creativity around it. Have a look at this blog we found on 4 amazing art spaces made out of shipping containers.
If a shipping container is something you’re thinking about, we have a whole range of options to really help customise and modify them, while making them safe, secure and easy to use. Take a look at our doors for shipping containers.
Contact Us
If you want more information on how we can help you, call 1800 527 632 or contact us here.
Frequently asked questions
Shipping containers can be used for site offices, workshops, pop-up retail spaces, and secure equipment enclosures.
These applications take advantage of the container’s structural strength and portability. With the right door configuration, they can be adapted for long-term commercial or industrial use.
A pre-hung steel personal access (PA) door is typically the best option for container offices or workspaces.
These doors are designed to support easy installation into modified container walls and can be configured with insulation and vision panels. This makes them suitable for improving access, comfort, and usability in workspace conversions.
Shipping containers can be converted into high-security storage units by integrating reinforced steel doors and upgraded locking systems.
Doors can be configured with heavy-duty locksets and anti-burglary features to support asset protection. Similar configurations are used in security door applications for construction sites, warehouses, and remote locations.
Yes, shipping containers can be adapted for regulated applications such as plant rooms, dangerous goods storage, or site facilities.
In these cases, doors may need to meet specific compliance requirements, including fire resistance or emergency egress. Fire doors designed for industrial applications can be used where fire separation or safety compliance is required.
You should consider structural integrity, door placement, and the intended use when adding access points to a container.
Cutting openings requires reinforcement, and selecting a pre-hung door system can help maintain strength and simplify installation. Configurable options such as louvres, vision panels, and door sizing allow the container to be tailored to different use cases.