---
title: "level ground: Definition and Meaning | NPSA"
description: "Level ground is a flat, firm surface without noticeable slope or dips."
url: https://npsa.preview.multisites.ai/glossary/level-ground
publisher: National Portable Storage Association (NPSA)
phone: "(816) 960-6552"
email: info@npsa.org
---

Site and permits

# level ground

Level ground is a flat, firm surface without noticeable slope or dips. XCaliber Container advises that a site for a container should have level, firm ground free of pooling water and with few tree roots. Level ground helps placement and prevents tilting or sinking.

## Why it matters

A container that sits on a slope can rack, which means the frame twists. The doors may then bind or fail to seal. Water can also pool near the base. If the ground is uneven, crews may add stone, blocks or a shim under low corners. A common mistake is to judge level by eye. A small slope is hard to see but can cause door trouble. Operators and customers should walk the site together or share photos before delivery. A pad with a slight slope away from the unit helps rain run off, but the unit itself should sit flat.

[Read: How to prepare your site for a storage container delivery](https://npsa.preview.multisites.ai/guides/site-preparation-for-container-delivery)

Definition source: [xcalibercontainer.com](https://xcalibercontainer.com/how-to-prep-ground-for-shipping-container-placement/)

## Related terms

[### compacted base A compacted base is a layer of soil or crushed stone that has been pressed down so it is firm and stable. It sits under a container to carry the weight and resist settling. Conexwest notes that some sites need compaction, stone, piers or professional soil review before placement.](https://npsa.preview.multisites.ai/glossary/compacted-base)[### gravel pad A gravel pad is a prepared base of crushed stone or gravel placed on the ground for a container to sit on. Conexwest calls a compacted gravel pad one of the most practical base options for many storage containers because it improves drainage and is generally easier to install than concrete.](https://npsa.preview.multisites.ai/glossary/gravel-pad)[### site preparation Site preparation is the work done on a spot before a container arrives. It includes clearing the access path, checking overhead room, making the ground firm and fairly level, and sometimes adding a gravel or stone base. The goal is a safe drop and a unit that sits flat.](https://npsa.preview.multisites.ai/glossary/site-preparation)[### delivery access Delivery access is the space and route a truck needs to reach the drop spot. It includes the road, driveway, gates, turning room and overhead clearance. XCaliber Container gives a guide of about 10 feet of width on each side of the container and 13 feet of overhead clearance.](https://npsa.preview.multisites.ai/glossary/delivery-access)[### 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.](https://npsa.preview.multisites.ai/glossary/door-opening)[### cargo door A cargo door is one of the two hinged steel doors at the end of a standard shipping container. The doors close on rubber gaskets and lock with vertical locking bars. They are the main way in and out of a container.](https://npsa.preview.multisites.ai/glossary/cargo-door)

[All 220 terms](https://npsa.preview.multisites.ai/glossary)

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