HOW To Build a shipping container home, a step by step process.

Actually, the title of this blog post is “How we did it!!
What I will be writing about in the next few blogs will be the following:

1. “How to sand, prime and paint a shipping container”

2. “How to transport, unload and install a shipping container”

3. “How to create a door, window, bathroom and kitchen for a shipping container home”

4. “How to frame out, install wall board, tile, and electricity for a shipping container home”

5. “How to install steel bars and steel shutters in a shipping container home”

Over the next few months I will also be including several photos and step by step instructions about the entire process. I decided to rename this section, “How we did it”, because we are by far not experts in steel home construction.

My team has built many standard homes here in Costa Rica from design to foundation to creating the furnishing. However, we are new at the shipping container home pre-fabricated method.

We have many years of experience in welding and metal work as well. These homes are not very difficult to create, and we have designed and created many. We just want to tell people how we did it, verses how to do it.

There are so many incredible shipping container home designers and builders in the world that I encourage our readers to and blog followers to investigate the other builder as well.

The step-by-step process is information for people who have an established team already. A team of electricians, welders and people trained in laying tile. Our step-by-step information is not for someone with no experience. The information in the blog site should be used along with other information and guidance.

Here is the first installation:

The first step when the shipping container has arrived at its destination is the washing down of the unit. We have discovered that a high-powered spray brush does the best job. These ISO shipping containers can be quite dirty upon arrival. Now, besides the obvious dirt, grim and grease that you will find, you must clean the floor and all the hidden corners. During the wash and scrub of the shipping container you will discover most if not all, the rusty spots.

Some rust spots will be worse than others and you may even have some holes in the container. No worries, this is a heavy gauge steel shipping container that probably has a long seaworthy history and many dents from shipyard brawls.

The repairs required on the rust spot and holes are very easy with the welding. My advice is to have a can of spay paint handy and spray all the newly discovered rust you find during the cleaning process.
During the wash down do not be afraid to spay the insides of the shipping container and create puddles of water on the shipping container floor. These floors have seen worse and are seaworthy heavy-duty plywood that is impregnated with chemicals and treated to sustain water damage.

After the washing of the shipping container then you will turn your focus to sanding down the rust spots. This can be done with any sander you use for wood, even though a more heavy duty sander would get the job done quicker.

We use a:
Makita 7 In. Electronic Sander-Polisher
Model # 9227C Internet/Catalog # 100594840 HomeDepot

After we spot rust then we begin to spot prime the shipping container. We do not prime the entire shipping container, just the areas we sanded. These steel shipping containers already have a solid primer and several coats of protected paint.

Now we are ready to paint.
We use a:

Wagner Project Sprayer Optimus
Model # 0525009 Internet/Catalog # 100661262
Store SKU# Home depot

This is a small inexpensive spay gun that does an excellent job and is easy to clean.
Here is a video of the actual painting on a shipping container:

Painting Container Home Video

We learned that the spay painting of a shipping container worked best with to people and quick even strokes under a strong sun.
We also discovered that two coats were required. This was perhaps because in most spay guns you have to weaken the pain with some thinner so the flow is quick. Regardless, two coats is always better than one.

When painting the outside of your shipping container you will want to research some of the latest high R-Factor paints on the market.
What is an R-Factor Paint? Also know as R-Rating paints and ceramic paints.
More to come.

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