Insulating and lining out a shipping container

means

Someone I know had the inside of his workshop / container sprayed with polyurathane foam. He had about 1" to stop condensation but you could have it sprayed any depth you want. I looked at it before I had my workshop done and it was entirely satisfactory. I had 100mm sprayed on my barn roof, and 75mm on the walls - then I lined the walls with 18mm osb to make them useful for cupboards / shelves etc

AWEM

How about sun reflecting paint?

Papercrete would be cheaper. I'd also arrange shade over the container, as desipte the insulation you'll have very little thermal capacity. And paint the exterior white.

NT

Jablite (polystyrene) sheets might be easier. Just glue them straight on to the metal? Unlike battens, I think you'd get a good bond over a wide area that way, and then maybe stick some plasterboard to that? Second question mark. My way of saying I've never done this :-)

Line with celotex, and if its semi-permanent, try and put some mass inside the celotex so that it slows down temp changes.

=================================================

As an interim measure (possibly permanent) you could fit an opening vent (or several) in the roof. They're used in caravans, greenhouses, etc. One or two wouldn't seriously compromise security and would give a bit of extra light as bonus.

Cic.

You can get small roof fitting solar-powered ventilator fans for use on cars/trucks.

It might also help if you fit a 'safari roof' over the container, just wriggly tin on a frame, but would mean the heat build-up would occur between the tin and the container rather than inside the container.

Owain

Seems the most significant gain would be from providing shade - if you can do that then it shouldn't get much above ambient temp. Some sort of external secondary roof, maybe an adapted shed roof, fitted to allow plenty of air to circulate underneath. Or try turfing the roof? Or grow ivy up and over it?

We were somewhere around Barstow, on the edge of the desert, when the drugs began to take hold. I remember The Other Mike saying something like:

Not rockwool or fibreglass against a steel structure - permanently wet, even if you install a vapour barrier, it would need to be perfect. I'd spray it with foam, as suggested.

...caravans and boats.

There are also Savonius rotor powered fans, which only need a light breeze to work.

I would use grey PVC box section, rather than iron, as it should transmit less heat to the cavity below it.

A false outer wall on the side(s) that get most sun would probably also be necessary, but that can be continuous and simply have gaps top and bottom.

Colin Bignell

Thanks for all the replies, guess I'll give up on the rockwool idea but it still needs lining out as it's not that easy to fix shelves to a single metal skin.

Thinking that a green roof might be a reasonably cheap option with climbers like ivy up the exposed sides. But that still leaves the doors that face due south and soak up masses of heat.

I think interior insulation is the only way. Ask anyone who's spent time in a caravan during extreme weather :-) Given that you want the option to fix shelves, I'd go with battens/ Jablite rather than wool, mainly for ease of installation, but also the fact that it doesn't hold moisture. I imagine condensation will be an issue with a metal structure.

================================================

Russian vine ('Mile-a-minute') is much quicker than ivy. A few strategically placed plants would make your workshop invisible in a couple of years.

Cic.

paint?

I'd think hard about a green roof instead, with an inch or two of foam insulation between it and the container.

Suggest fit the pvc box section as suggested earlier, but mounted on battens to leave as much air gap as poss, and room at the bottom for air to get in. Oh, and paint everything brilliant white.

To the doors, just to be clear. I would think its pretty light and wouldn't strain the hinges.

I once read a thread about conservatories and keeping the temperature down and I was told that once the heat got though the glass, there was nothing you could do to keep the internal temps down. You have to stop the heat from getting through the skin of the container before it warms up the interior. I am no expert as to how to do this, but your idea of lining the roof and walls will only keep it warm in winter. See what others think.

Dave

Simon C. wibbled on Saturday 01 May 2010 22:18

I'd think you'd be hard pressed to strain the hinges on a shipping container :)

In message , Tim Watts writes

I used to think that too. The top one, of 3, on mine sheared off recently. Now got to figure out how to weld a new pin in place. Don't fancy the idea of lifting the door off!