Ask "what size shipping container do I need?" and for most people the answer is a 20ft. It holds the contents of a one-car garage, it fits on most driveways and side yards, and it's the easiest size to find. Move up to a 40ft when you're storing a whole house, stocking a farm or jobsite, or building a workshop, and only if the truck has 100 to 150 ft of straight run to drop it. Go down to a 10ft only when a 20 physically won't fit, because a 10 often costs nearly as much.
After that, the choice comes down to what you're putting in the box and what your site can take.
The 60-second answer by use
Find your job in the table, take the smallest size that works, and move up only if the right-hand column applies to you.
| What you're storing or doing | Smallest size that works | Step up if |
|---|---|---|
| Garden tools, a mower, bikes, patio furniture | 10ft (about 70 sq ft) | No 10 in stock near you |
| Contents of a one-bedroom apartment or one-car garage | 20ft (about 150 sq ft) | You are also storing appliances or a vehicle |
| One contractor crew's tools and materials | 20ft | Two crews, or 20 ft lengths of pipe and rebar |
| Up to 9 standard 48 x 40 pallets (10 only with a mixed layout) | 20ft | More than that, up to about 20 |
| Contents of a three-bedroom house | 40ft (about 300 sq ft) | Tall furniture stacked high: 40ft high cube |
| Farm feed, fencing, 20 ft lumber or pipe | 40ft | You need the back without unloading the front: double doors |
| A workshop, or pallet racking over 7 ft tall | 40ft high cube | Rarely |
The table assumes you'll insulate anything people work in, and insulation costs inches, so taller is better for workshops and offices. The full dimension chart has the inside measurements.
10ft: when small is right
A 10ft is 10 ft long, 8 ft wide and 8 ft 6 in tall, with about 70 sq ft of floor inside. The width, height and door opening are the same as a 20's, and only the length changes.
It's the right call when the spot is too short for a 20, such as a side yard between the house and the fence. Anywhere else it's hard to justify on price. Ten-footers aren't a standard shipping size. Many are cut down from a longer box or built new as storage units, so supply is patchy and the price often lands close to a 20's. The 10ft containers page explains why we check local stock before quoting one. If you have 25 ft of length for the box and the truck can reach it, buy the 20.
20ft: the default for most buyers
The 20ft is 20 ft long, 8 ft wide and 8 ft 6 in tall outside, and about 19 ft 4 in by 7 ft 8 in inside, which gives about 150 sq ft of floor and 1,170 cu ft. The delivered price depends on grade and distance.
The reasons it's the default are mostly practical.
- It fits on most sites. A 20 needs roughly 60 to 100 ft of straight approach for the tilt-bed truck, and on many homes the driveway and the street in front of it give it that. Far fewer sites can give a 40 the 100 to 150 ft it needs.
- It's easy to find. Used 20s are among the most common boxes in any container yard, which helps keep the price down and the wait short.
- It's usually the easiest size to resell.
The 20ft containers page has the full specs and the three grades, and the what fits in a 20ft guide walks through a garage, an apartment and a jobsite load item by item. A 20 is too small for a whole house, for materials longer than about 19 ft, or for a workshop with machines.
40ft and high cube: when you need volume
A 40ft is 40 ft long with the same 8 ft width and 8 ft 6 in height, and about 39 ft 5 in by 7 ft 8 in inside, which gives about 300 sq ft and 2,390 cu ft. The 40ft high cube has the same footprint and is a foot taller, 9 ft 6 in outside and about 8 ft 10 in inside, for about 2,690 cu ft. A 40ft costs a little more than a 20ft of the same grade, and a high cube a little more again.
Buy a 40 for a household of three bedrooms or more, for materials bought by the pallet or the bundle (20 ft lengths of pipe, rebar and lumber only fit in a 40), or when you'd rather have one box than two and the truck has the run.
Buy the high cube when anything inside is tall, such as racking, a lift or sheet goods stored on end, and above all for any insulated space. Two inches of foam and a lined ceiling take a standard 40 from 7 ft 10 in down to around 7 ft 7 in, while the same work in a high cube leaves about 8 ft 7 in. It costs a little more than a standard 40, and the door opening is a foot taller. Both are compared on the 40ft containers page.
The site test: can a 40ft even get in
Containers arrive on a tilt-bed truck that backs up to the spot, tilts its bed and pulls forward so the container slides off. It needs a straight line to do that, and for a 40 the line gets long.
| Requirement | 20ft | 40ft and 40ft high cube |
|---|---|---|
| Straight, clear approach | Roughly 60 to 100 ft | Roughly 100 to 150 ft |
| Width of the route | About 12 ft | About 12 ft |
| Clear height over route and drop spot | 14 to 16 ft, no wires or branches | 14 to 16 ft, no wires or branches |
| Ground | Firm and fairly level: gravel, concrete, packed dirt | Same, with a heavier truck |
Check it with a tape before you set your heart on a 40. Start where the container's back end will rest and measure in a straight line toward where the truck will come from, until you reach a gate post, a tree, a bend or anything else a truck can't drive through (the street counts if the truck can sit there in a straight line with your spot). If your longest straight run is 70 ft, a 40 is out and the choice is a 20 or two 20s. The truck access needs checklist covers gates, slopes, overhead lines and what to photograph.
Price per square foot by size
Per square foot, the 40 is the cheaper box:
| Size | Floor area |
|---|---|
| 10ft | About 70 sq ft |
| 20ft | About 150 sq ft |
| 40ft | About 300 sq ft |
| 40ft high cube | About 300 sq ft, 13 percent more volume |
Our fixed national prices show the same gap: a used cargo-worthy 40ft costs only a little more than a 20ft of the same grade, so its price per square foot is well under the 20ft's.
The lower cost per square foot only helps if you'll use the space and the truck can get the box in. If you'd fill only half of a 40, a single 20 is the better buy.
Two 20s vs one 40
For the same 300 sq ft, one 40ft costs far less than two 20s, because you pay for one box and one delivery. On a site that takes a 40, the single box is the better buy.
Two 20s make more sense when the site is short (each needs only 60 to 100 ft of run), when the loads are different (household goods in one, tools and equipment in the other), or when you might move or sell half later. You're also never more than about 19 ft from a door.
If you have the run and enough to fill 300 sq ft, buy one 40, and make it a high cube if anything is tall. With 60 to 100 ft of run, start with a 20 and add a second later if you fill it. With less than that, talk to us before you order, because flatbed delivery with your own forklift (for a 20ft) or a crane may work where a tilt-bed can't.
Frequently asked questions
Is a 20ft or a 40ft shipping container better for home storage?
A 20ft suits most homes. It takes the contents of a one-car garage or a small apartment, fits a driveway with 60 to 100 ft of straight run for the truck, and is the easiest size to resell. Go to a 40ft for a house of three bedrooms or more, and only if the truck has 100 to 150 ft of straight approach.
How do I know if a shipping container will fit on my property?
Measure the straight line from where the container's back end will rest to the nearest obstacle in the direction the truck comes from. For a 20ft you want 60 to 100 ft clear and about 12 ft wide, and for a 40ft, 100 to 150 ft. Then check for 14 to 16 ft of clear height and firm ground the whole way.
Is a 10ft container cheaper than a 20ft?
Usually not by much, and sometimes it costs more, because ten-footers are cut down from larger boxes or built specially. Buy a 10 when the spot is too short for a 20. It's rarely the way to save money.
Is a 40ft high cube worth it over a standard 40ft?
Yes, if anything inside is tall or you plan to insulate. The extra foot keeps a lined ceiling above 8 ft, and the door opening is about a foot taller. For plain storage of boxes and furniture, a standard 40 does the job.
Still between two sizes? Tell us what you're storing and your ZIP, and we'll quote the one that suits both your things and your site. See my price.
