Prefered way to anchor cargo containers?

[schmism]

For those of you who have used containers as the base of sheds, garages, barns etc.

How did you choose to anchor them to the ground?

Something as simple as set some steel plates (with re-bar whatever attached) in some concrete pads and simply weld them to the plates?

Do some people just not worry about it? Seeing as a 20' container will weigh between 5K -5.5K lbs empty. with such a small area its unlikely to blow away?

 

[Wis Bang]

For those of you who have used containers as the base of sheds, garages, barns etc.

How did you choose to anchor them to the ground?

Something as simple as set some steel plates (with re-bar whatever attached) in some concrete pads and simply weld them to the plates?

Do some people just not worry about it? Seeing as a 20' container will weigh between 5K -5.5K lbs empty. with such a small area its unlikely to blow away?

Won't blow away but they WILL float away!

 

[MikeD74T]

Rough calculations -8x8x20' container creates about 70k lbs of bouyancy. Submerged concrete weighs about 40lbs per ft3. Would take about 64 yards of concrete to overcome that bouyancy. Maybe a cable & anchor just to let it float but not float away would do the trick. MikeD74T

 

[schmism]

perhaps you misunderstand... i dont mean people that bury them... but they set them on the ground and use them as the starting point for sheds, barns etc. building lean-to's off them, roofing them etc. Lets also assume we arnt planing on putting one in a flood plane.

a number of members hear on TBN have done this...

 

[Cat_Driver]

You could use sand anchors at each corner. The ones they use to hold telephone poles straight, they go down about 4 ft. then you can run a chain to each corner of he container to the anchor with a turnbuckle.

 

[Lazy]

Hi
Anchors not needed. I bought a 40 ft. last year, now I wish I had bought 2 20 ft containers. My tractor is not big enough to move it

Charlie

 

[CurlyDave]

How did you choose to anchor them to the ground?

I don't think they need to be anchored. Too heavy to blow away, if floating away is a serious issue, cut a couple of vent holes and screen them.

I would worry more about my house floating away...

 

[Erik_in_Hoyt]

I don't know about your wind loads, but I highly recommend some sort of anchor.
the augur/sand type anchors work well here in Ks, where I've seen a 12' x 54' mobile home trailer sitting on the ground be shoved sideways in a summer storm, and they weigh at least as much if not more than your cargo container.
I also like the idea of pouring piers and using steel anchors to hold it in place.
A third option would be to put poles around it and use them to put a roof on it to help with summer heat. (8x8x20 would only need 6 poles - 4 corners and 1 in the middle of each side)

 

[sandman2234]

I have owned a 40' one for about 25 years. It is an aluminum one, and has never been anchored. Probably never blown away, since I keep it FULL of JUNK!
David from jax

 

[schmism]

well most of the farmer types that have them around hear and use them for storage (often for bagged fertilizer -safety or bagged feed -keep mice out) just set them on the ground no anchors.