Shipping Container Modifications: Types of Doors

It's very common for a person buying a used shipping container to request to have a door installed. The first question volleyed back is, "What type of door do you need?" Invariable, the response is always "What are my choices?" The most common types of doors installed on shipping or storage containers are roll up doors, and standard "man doors". Depending on what you intend to move in and out of the container, you'll need to decide which is the better option for you. Also, it's important to note that shipping containers, by design, are wind and water tight. Modifying a shipping container in any way can compromise the integrity of the box and special attention should be made to insure that the modification is properly sealed.

Roll Up Doors: Roll up doors do just what they claim to, and that's roll up and out of the way. These doors are typically made of aluminum, or in some cases vinyl, and are very convenient if you have limited space available inside of your storage container. The main concerns with roll up doors are security and durability. They tend not to be as secure as a man door or standard ISO door, and because of the moving parts they are exposed to more wear over their life time. Roll up doors typically range from 6' to 12' wide.

Man Doors: Man doors are the convetional swinging style door. They require more room for movement, but in return the can offer greater strength and security. A standard man door is 84"x36", and there are also industrial grade, heavy duty man doors available at some depots. Industrial grade doors are also 84"x36" and can be 3 hour fire rated. Many depots also offer custom door sizes to better meet your needs. It's best to have an idea of the approximate dimensions when contacting the seller or depot about what type of door you'll need.

Door Type Size Description Approximate Cost Picture
Roll Up 6' - 12' wide Aluminum or vinyl, requires little room and leaves more room for storage. $650 - $850 shipping container roll up door
Man Door - Standard 84"x36" Standard type swining door. More secure than a rool up, but requires room for movement. $650 - $850 shipping container man door
Man Door - Industrial Grade 84"x36" Stronger and more secure than a standard door, can be fire rated. Varies shipping container man door

If you intend to have a door installed it's best to communicate with the person or company selling the shipping container, or the staff at ContainerAuction.com. In many circumstances the modifications can be done at the depot before it's delivered to your location, however prices for services and modifications vary from depot to depot.