Dimensions and weight
8 ft container
An 8 ft container is a small steel storage container about 8 feet long. One dealer lists an 8-foot steel container at about 7 feet 11 inches long and 7 feet 2 inches wide outside, and 7 feet 6 inches high. It is a small, non-standard size, not an ISO 20-foot or 40-foot box.
Why it matters
Small containers suit tight sites, short jobs and light storage, such as a yard, a retail back lot or a work crew. One dealer lists the 8-foot unit at about 351 cubic feet inside, with a maximum cargo capacity of 11,130 lb and an estimated tare of 2,100 lb. These figures are dealer estimates and differ by maker. A common mistake is to assume it is a short ISO container. Sizes and fittings differ, so lifting and delivery gear may differ too. Check with the provider on dimensions, door type and how the unit will be delivered before you rely on one for a site.
Read: Portable storage container sizes: What size do you need?
Definition source: healdworks.com
Related terms
conex box
A Conex box is a cargo container type first built for the U.S. Army in the early 1950s. The name is short for Container Express. People now also use it casually for any steel shipping or storage container, which can confuse buyers.
10 ft container
A 10 ft container is a steel box about 10 feet long. It is a small size used for compact storage, tool storage and tight sites. Industry makes most 10 ft units 8 feet 6 inches tall, though the ISO standard lists this length at 8 feet tall.
20 ft container
A 20 ft container is the standard short ISO shipping container. It is about 19 feet 10 1/2 inches long, 8 feet wide and 8 feet 6 inches tall on the outside. It is the most common size in portable storage and counts as one twenty-foot equivalent unit.
internal dimensions
Internal dimensions are the length, width and height of the usable space inside a container. They are smaller than the outside size because of wall thickness, floor and roof structure. ISO 1496 is the authoritative document for internal container dimensions.
door opening
Door opening is the width and height of the clear opening when a container's doors are open. It is smaller than the container's inside width and height because of the door frame and header. Carrier specs list door opening separately from inside size.
portable storage container
A portable storage container is a container made for rent or sale as movable storage. NPSA describes portable storage containers as ISO shipping containers retired from international shipping and offered on the domestic market. In practice the term also covers other portable units.
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