How do you Insulate a Shipping Container?

Insulating a shipping container is important for the prevention of condensation and when converting a shipping container into a home, office or many other uses. Shipping container insulation is a service we offer at our depots but, as it can be a major cost, some customers would naturally like to do it themselves. In this guide we cover the basic process involved in insulating a shipping container and the best materials to use.

It is important to state that different uses for a shipping container will often require a different type of insulation. For this reason this article is for guidance only and we can make no guarantees that our recommendations will get you the finish or performance that you require.

How to insulate a shipping container

You can insulate a shipping container in a number of ways including adding insulation and ply-lining, adding one of our custom insulation kits, or by applying a spray foam. However, before deciding on the the best option you should consider the climate where your container will be located. For instance, if the container is going to be located in an area where it’s very cold, then you’ll need a very thick layer of insulation. Also home conversion will need different insulation type to an office (that may only be used during daytime hours), and an office will need different insulation to a basic storage container.

Insulating a shipping container is an absolute priority if you intend to convert a container into a home or space where people will be spending long periods of time e.g. a shipping container office or catering unit. Insulation is also critically important, not just to protect against high and low temperatures, but also vital to prevent condensation which can increase corrosion rates and allow mould to form.

The basic process for lining insulating a shipping container is very simple. First you build an internal frame (a bit like a stud wall) inside your shipping container. Your internal wall will be mounted onto this frame (this might be plywood in a basic storage container or plasterboard in a container home). Then finally your insulation material is used to fill the cavity between the internal wall and the metal of the container.

You should not screw, drill or otherwise interfere with the metal of the container when installing your framework. This will drastically reduce the lifespan of the container and mean it will probably start leaking in a few years time. The framework (very much like a stud wall) can fix against itself when you fit the other frames on other wises and to the inside of the roof. You then add whatever internal panelling you want to the inside of this stud wall framework, and fill the cavity with your chosen insulation material.

Types of shipping container insulation material

Basically any material with insulating properties can be used as a shipping container insulation material. We typically use Rockwool or Kingspan branded insulation materials. Both these need to have a timber frame installed to hold the insulation in place, which is then covered with either ply or melamine boards.

Rockwool

Rockwool is another effective insulator that is installed inside the container and then covered with either ply or melamine boards. Rockwool is extremely cheap and, as long as you ensure all cavities are well filled leaving no free air gaps or space, it will perform very well. This is our everyday insulation choice when undertaking office conversions and similar. As it performs extremely well we argue why spend more on higher quality insulation? However, we would suggest higher grade insulation material if building homes from shipping containers.

Kingspan

Kingspan is another type of insulation that we install within the container and then cover this with ply or melamine boards. Kingspan is a popular brand of insulation and the more expensive insulator will allow for thinner wall cavities, maximising the internal space inside your container conversion.

Spray Foam

We are often asked about spray foam for insulating shipping containers. Whilst our yards typically won’t use spray foam, it does seem very popular in the international container home marketplace. Spray foam is a method of insulation that provides a seamless vapour barrier and is quicker to apply than other methods. However, it is a more expensive option. The jury is also still out on performance. However, it will work at least as well as any other insulation material, even though we are still divided on whether to use it ourselves or weather this is the best / most cost effective way of getting a high quality level of insulation.

Icynene® is the industry leading spray foam insulation that solves condensation and insulation issues in shipping containers. Depending on the type of foam, it can be applied to the inside and outside of the container. Note: other materials, when fitted properly, will also solve any condensation issues as well.

Other options

Realistically any material with insulating properties can insulate can be used to insulate shipping containers. This offers scope for anyone wanting to recycle or re-purpose other materials in their container conversion.

Insulating a shipping container is primarily done to protect goods from condensation damage, however, with the increasing popularity of containers for offices, security offices, homes etc… insulation is a must. Insulation also helps reduce noise, it slows the warming and cooling process and will help to reduce energy bills.

You can insulate your shipping container or we can do it for you. If you do it yourself you’ll need to build and install a wooden frame within the container and then install the insulation between the battens. When completed, you can cover the framework and insulation with ply, melamine or other material.

Insulation kits for shipping containers

Our shipping container insulation kits are currently our most popular recommendation for long term use in storage containers. However, individual circumstances mean that this recommendation mat change slightly from one customer to the next, so we cannot guarantee this is a ‘one size fits all’ solution. We believe these offer the best value, performance and resale value for your shipping container in approx 10 years time for the majority of customers uses.

These will totally remove any condensation build up inside your shipping container and these are ideal for customers using shipping containers for storage. We don’t recommend these for office / workshop or similar conversions where someone will be working or otherwise based inside the shipping container for most of the day. In these cases we would recommend a high quality but more expensive ply lining option.

Our insulation kits come as a self fit option and can be fitted to a shipping container at any time. They are approx 4mm thick but perform similarly well to 55mm of polystyrene insulation. they come pre fitted with large industrial grade stocky back plastic to help these fit and stick to the walls and roof, and come complete with a large roll of thermal tape to allow you to tape over and even off all the seams between panels.

These we recommend for a lot of storage containers, but we typicality would not recommend this solution for office conversions and higher end jobs.

Need an insulated shipping container?

Budgetshippingcontainers.co.uk offer the UK’s largest online range of shipping containers for sale with a nationwide network of storage and conversion yards and crane equipped delivery vehicles.

If you need a shipping container feel free to browse our online range of shipping containers for sale. You can also call us on freephone 0808 1234 215 any time 9am – 5pm weekdays and our team will be happy to discuss your requirements. Alternatively, you can use our online shipping container quote form or request a telephone callback. In both cases we aim to get back to you within 1-2 working hours (may take longer for more detailed quotes).

If you need to insulate your own shipping container we hope this helps but we also have our ultimate guide to shipping container condensation treatment options, and we’re also always happy to help you with any brief informal advice on the phone.