Fitting your Self-fit Shipping Container Insulation Kit

In this guide we show you the basic method for installing our shipping container insulation kits.

This guide only relates to the shipping container kits we sell, there are a number of kits on the market and we are aware other kits may come differently made and setup. Not all insulation kits will be as well made or as easy to fit as ours.

Our insulation kits are not the only option we offer, but for the vast majority of customers wanting to keep their good protected from condensation and damp, we believe this performs much better than the industry standard Grafotherm treatment. We are always happy to discuss this in person if you would like to contact us at any time. You can also check out our ultimate guide to shipping container condensation treatment options for as much info as we dare squeeze into a single article on the subject.

For a 20ft shipping container insulation kit, it should take 2 people about 30 minutes to install the kit and about 45 minutes to 1-hour to install the 40ft insulation kit. No special tools or equipment are required. Just ensure all interior surfaces of the container are clean, grease, moisture and dust free and you’re ready to go.

We will admit with 2 team members from our office having their first ever go at this, the first one did take a little longer than the manufacturers recommend. It took us just under an hour for our first insulation kit, but we are confident with a second go we get this time down significantly!

How to install our insulation kits in your shipping container

Step 1 – Contents Check

Check all parts required are present in your kit.
You should have:

2 side wall panels
1 ceiling panel
1 roll of Thermaseal tape
Floor if ordered (these are an optional extra, not usually required)

Each of the insulation panels will come with what is effectively circa 5 inch thick strips of industrial sticky back plastic on the backs. this is the side that sticks against the container wall.

Step 2 – Ensure all surfaces are clean

Its always worth ensuring all the surfaces are clean and free of dust or flaking paint before you apply the insulation kit. This will be more important on used containers, and on containers that have not been purchased from us (ie that may not be supplied in a clean condition)

Its also worth ensuring that the container is perfectly dry before fitting this insulation kit. This may mean avoiding fitting this early in the morning. If your shipping container is currently not insulated than you may have some condensation that has formed on the inside of the container roof as it cooled down overnight. Allow this to evaporate back into the air and ensure the roof is dry before fitting this insulation kit.

If you need to help the container dry out faster, assuming its a dry and ideally sunny day – leaving the container doors open for an hour or two can help speed up the rate at which the container naturally dries out. You can of course heat the container if you want to speed things up.

Step 3 – Applying the walls

Unroll the first wall panel. You will need to start fixing from the centre of the front (non-door) end. Keep the panel folded in half for ease of handling. Remove the backing tape from the bottom half of the sheet and smooth down onto the walls of the container using a broom. Do not press the sheet into the corrugations, these air pockets will help insulate!

We suggest to have one person hold the start of the panel in position whilst a second person removes the tape and pushes each panel against the walls of the container.

Once you’ve applied right up to the door go back to where you started, unfold the panel and start applying the top half, making sure it’s pushed right up to the ceiling. Work your way around again towards the doors. Any excess can be cut back to ensure the panel finishes at the door. There will be no major benefit from insulating the inside of the doors, and trying to ‘bridge’ the hinge gap where the doors open may affect the door operation or mean the insulation panel gets caught in the door when it closes.

Step 4 – Fit the ceiling panel

In the same way fit the ceiling roll, starting from the front (non-door) end. Work your way up the container fixing the insulation using the broom as you go. Something to stand on can very useful here.

If using a floor panel fit this next, removing the sticky take and fixing to the floor.

Step 5 – Add Thermaseal Tape

Once all 3 sides, the ceiling and the doors have their insulation, take the Thermaseal tape. This is intended to cover the joins between insulation panels, improve insulating qualities, and prevent loose bits of insulation that may snag and cause damage.

Once this is finished you are done and have fitted your first ever insulation kit!

Additional Notes

The basic insulation kit does not come with a panel for the floor as standard. Its our opinion that this is not needed for the majority of customers who just want to prevent any

condensation build up inside their shipping container. We have worked closely with the manufacturer to offer this as an option. Floor panels are available and we would recommend considering this if you also want to try and gain a level of thermal insulation inside the container (ie if you are trying to limit the internal temperature fluctuations as well as prevent condensation build up)

If you do want to limit the temperature fluctuations internally we suggest giving us a call to discuss this. There are other options (such as non operational refrigerated shipping containers) that may perform better for some customers specific applications. If we can discuss your project briefly we can often make recommendation or help you understand what we can and can’t guarantee with each option for you.

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).