What Happens When You Bury A Shipping Container

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What Happens When You Bury A Shipping Container

by P.J. — November 4, 2015  25
It’s one of those trends that has gained more and more popularity in recent years:
burying a shipping container to create a shelter. I did my research, and I had to say
it sounded like it was too good to be true.
Why? Because a shipping container costs around $2,500, and that is a pretty good
price to make yourself a bunker or a root cellar.
At one point I was almost determined to do it myself. Luckily for me, I didn’t have
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Can You Bury
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A Shipping Container?
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I’m a curious guy, and I really wanted to know if it was worth saving money for it. 
Was it just a useless, and possibly dangerous, trend, or was it something I should
actually invest my time and money in?
Related: How to Keep Your Money Safe for When SHTF
After extensive research, I still didn’t have the money, but I had an answer to this
question. Keep reading to see if it’s a viable option for you and if it’s worth the
hassle.
The Pros
If you’re willing to dig and bury it yourself, you can end up with a root cellar or a
storm shelter for a somewhat decent amount of money.
But that is if you do it yourself—starting from the excavation itself to the actual
burying of the container, with no contractors or heavy machinery you have to pay
for. If you don’t have the right tools—and let’s face it, most of us don’t—you should
prepare for an additional cost of at least $6,000.
But I did find an option that is significantly cheaper and that doesn’t involve
contractors and extra costs. You can check it out here.
Another thing to consider is the fact that you don’t need a special permit to do this.
Just make sure you do it on your property and, if possible, away from any
neighbors’ curious eyes.
And if you have the right tools, I’d say it’s quite an easy job. Depending on how
much time you have on your hands, I would venture to estimate it’s probably four
days of work. For what you get in the end, it could prove to be a good use of your
time.
The Cons
Where should I begin?
As you’ve seen, there are a few benefits to moving along with such a project, but
the problem with it is it’s not the safest thing you can do.
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In fact, it can be very dangerous and potentially life threatening. So if you decide to
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do it, you should prepare for some serious consequences.
Shipping containers are giant, portable metal boxes that can hold a lot and were
specifically built to be stacked on top of each other.

STThat’s
ORE also
ABOUT CLAUDE think
why people DAVIS they could make a great bunker. If you want to know
what works as a bunker, I suggest you take a look at this.
What Really Happens When You Bury A Shipping Container?

Shipping containers are designed to hold a lot of weight, that part is true, but only
on the corners, not on the sides.
They were not, by any means, designed to become survival bunkers. If you try to
bury it, you will put a lot of extra pressure on the sides and ceiling.
As you can see, the weight of the soil caused the walls of the container to buckle in.
The corners seem to be straight, but it’s hard to say if that’s the case on the inside.

STAnother
ORE ABOUT to
factor CLAUDE DAVIS
consider is water. If the container is buried in an area with a high-
water table, it may seep into your container and cause even more damage to the
structure and its contents.
So what really happens if you bury a shipping container is, you’d put a lot of hard
work and money into something that could turn into a real disaster in a survival
situation.
Look at the pictures again, and imagine you and your loved ones were inside. Do
you really think a thin piece of metal will hold up to the pressure? You can probably
see by now that will be impossible. Your shipping container will become a death can.
What To Do If You Really Want To Go On With This

So let’s say that after everything you’ve just read, you still want to go on with this
project. The only way you can make it is to reinforce it with something called a
gabion basket.
That’s basically a cage made of steel. They are usually filled with stones, and
they’re used to support a hill alongside a major highway.
After you dig the hole, you fill it with a stone foundation and then surround your
container with the gabion baskets. This lessens the chance of having your shipping
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container cookies. By continuing
in from the weightto use thisdirt.
of the website you are giving consent to cookies being used.
But I couldn’t find any proof that this works other than in theory. Another thing
that could work is reinforcing the sides by pouring concrete on all four sides and

adding metal bars. But at this point, you might as well skip the container
completely.
And while you may lessen the pressure from the soil, it will do just the opposite to
your bank account.
In conclusion, it can be done. But just because something can be done doesn’t mean
it should be done. And when you debate something as important as keeping you
and your family safe in a disaster situation, I prefer to choose the option with more
pros than cons. Luckily, there are better, cheaper, and safer ways to build
something to protect your life and your stockpiles in the next crisis.
You may also like:
12 Potentially Life-Threatening Errors

You’re Making in Food Preparedness
and Survival Strategies
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Year Food Stockpile (Video)
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Official Government Documents
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Comments 25
This website
GPS uses cookies.
8 years ago By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used.
A betterALLidea!ART
? Purchase an 8ft. diameter piece ofSURVIVAL
culvert about 12ft. long. Have your local
HOME
junior college vo-tech welding school weld an 8X8 1/8″ piece of metal on either end wit h a
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cutout for a door on one end.weld angle iron on the inside along the length such that you can 
lay planksABOUT
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across CLAUDE
the widthDAVIS
and have about a 6 1/2′ foot center height and about 1 1/2′ of
storage beneath. Have a hole cut in the center top for a turbine vent. Paint wit h a zinc based
paint, bury and enjoy. My local vo-tech college only charges for materials but expects a
donation for labor…total cost…about $600!
13 2
 Reply
C. Davis  8 years ago

Great idea! Thanks!
1
 Reply
steve  8 years ago

That’s awesome.
1
 Reply
Onegreenguy  8 years ago

How much would the culvert it self cost though? I’d love to find a decent source to buy
culverts that size (or larger) at an affordable price…
6
 Reply
Hoppy  3 months ago

If you’re really wanting to use a shipping container for a SHTF shelt er, do what you said
wit h the HS/Junior College do the welding. But what you do is eit her weld box tubing
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stuff. But it needs to be sprayed on all 4 sides
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ST ORE ABOUT 1CLAUDE DAVIS
 Reply
Michael Austin  5 days ago

That’s one of the things the article discussed, “encase the whole thing with
concrete.” It’s too expensive!
Carlo er  8 years ago

Septic tank works great
5
 Reply
MrSurfTheWeb  8 years ago

To me that looks like during driving around that container rubbed up against something. That
would create a weakness that could result in cave-in especial y as it rusts more.
4
 Reply
Onegreenguy  8 years ago

That is a crease/kink in the side wall where the metal bent due to the pressure of the
dirt…
1
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Preppersaurus
ALL ART ICLES EDIT OR’S PICK
 8 years ago
SURVIVAL KNOWLEDGE HOW T O’S
ST ORE
My impression as well.
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 Reply
DanTheVanMan  8 years ago

Well if any of you have actually worked wit h shipping containers you would notice and know
that that crease is most likely the reason the container was sold off in the first place. And
that excessive (Forced) earth/dirt side pressure on these containers would only cause a
“Bow” NOT a “Crease”. Natural “back-filling” would not and can not cause a shipping
container to collapse or even bow!
Also the basic 20″ HC shipping container has 5x the structural strength as a standard 1800sf
(US code) stick built house.
I do see many things wrong in these two pictures and “all” are in the design and procedure
issues, not structural. I have seen these pictures before… Regurgit ated by clueless “Prepper
want-a-be writ ers”. And yes, the individual who’s container this is didn’t account for drainage
clearly seen in the 2nd pic. Again, a owner design failure and has nothing to do wit h the
container!
So these “re-posted” pic’s of discouragement are nothing but filler for edit ors desperate for
article content and have no real basis in reality…. And are in fact, just BS claims by someone
who knows nothing about shipping container usage.
And on a side note: Large diameter culvert piping works good as well. However the same
container prepping is required to “DO IT RIGHT”. And if you are planning on putting in any
kind of floor, an 8 foot will only have approx. 5 feet of height after any usable flooring is
installed.
*** And a note to the edit or: “No one likes false and misleading trash articles!” Please at lease
take the time to educate yourselves! You are doing an injustice to many of your followers who
clearly are believing your lies and depriving them of this successfully time tested security
option!
22 3
 Reply
akasha  8 years ago 
ST ORE Thank for the update Dan the van man and taking the fear away of building cheaply
ABOUT CLAUDE DAVIS
nice shelt ers.

2
 Reply
Ashley C  8 years ago

Dan, why are you such a hater?
If things can go wrong, they will. Here is how you should bury a shipping container:
http://containerauction.com/read-news/how-to-bury-a-shipping-container-gabion-
basket
1 2
 Reply
DanTheVanMan  8 years ago

Ashley, Not being a hater. But what I am is… Educated and educated on the
proper use of shipping containers! Yes, things can go wrong. Not denying that,
but they don’t have to! If you plan “correctly” the likelihood is very low and there
wil always be unforeseen challenges.
My point is that “some” folks… ie: the author of this post clearly had/has no
working knowledge or experience whats so ever of proper placement procedures
when it comes to burying a shipping container. And that “The proper Procedure”
varies depending on location climate and terrain.
And as for Gabion baskets go there are terrains where they are the best idea ever
and in others using them will cause your failure.. You simple NEED to educate
yourselves prior to starting your project. In the original post above you see a
failed project yes.Failed miserably! But the container was not the reason! The
owner was the reason, nothing more. Poor planning and procedure! The damage
on the side was not caused by “earth” being pushing in and collapsing the
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buckle” which is a battened lie! And if “I hate.” I only hate “False information.”
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and “ignorance”. So when I see these pictures pop up every few years (These 
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exactABOUT
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pic’s) and someone new try to discourage folks from using shipping
DAVIS
containers. Yes, it does irritate me when I see ignorant people spreading bad
info….
3 1
Burn_the_Witch  2 years ago

DantheVanMan,
Maybe the last 6 years have taught you not to be quit e such a tool anymore.
Please stop telling other people they’re ignorant, when you don’t understand
gravit y. Dirt packs downwards? Really? So all those construction sit es that shore
up backfilled dirt are just, what, making pretty 4 inch thick reinforced concrete
walls? Let me guess, you just stack dirt up as high as you want and build anything
on top of it without it moving to the side at all? The average home basement
has thick cast concrete walls because there’s just a surplus of cement and we can
find no other use for it ?
So yes, the lateral force of dirt is actually a thing, as anyone in construction wil
tell you. And the amount of force it exerts exceeds the what a shipping container
can hold wit hout addit ional reinforcement. Shipping containers obviously aren’t
designed to withstand lateral force, but vertical down force at the corners. You
CLEARLY do not have the first clue what you’re talking about.
1 2
C. Davis  8 years ago

You clearly didn’t get this article.
1. Before posting a comment about an article, at least read it first. This is by no means
a “discouragement” article, but a “some things you should take into consideration
before burying a shipping container” or “cautionary tale” if you want.
You could’ve at least read the beginning of the article: “…you can end up wit h a root
cellauses
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by a man who earns a living selling shipping containers to
preppers. He has no interest in making up a story like that. The men who buried the
shipping container was one of his customers and the shipping container (according to
Ryan) was not damaged or bend before.
If someone wants to bury a shipping container, he/she might want to read this first…
just to know a few things that can (but not necessarily) go wrong, including water
infilt ration.
8 3
 Reply
TRIKDURT  8 years ago

Thank You DanTheVanMan for clearing that BS up. I have a container in the ground. Been
there for 5 years wit h no problems. Of course, I didn’t just stick it in the ground and cover it
up. It took planning to do it right.
1
 Reply
JDogg  8 years ago

My plan is to use old tires for the sides. Fil them wit h dirt and backfill on the outside of the
tires. Since dirt weighs 125-145 pounds for every cubic foot of dirt, I believe I wil put 4-6
inches of dirt over the top of the container. All after I coat the outsides of the containers with
rino coating, or something equally long lasting. I am looking to live in these 2-40 footers as a
tiny house
2
 Reply
JDogg  8 years ago

Theuses
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ST ORE 2 ABOUT CLAUDE DAVIS
 Reply
Bob Boskey  7 years ago

These things are stacked at least 5 high on ships. How could a lit tle dirt collapse this wall?
Agree that it was probably damaged and sold cheap.
1 1
 Reply
Tom Jackson  7 years ago

I am a structural engineer and never thought burying one of these was a good idea in general.
Structurally they are not made to be used this way. Even if the dirt doesn’t collapse it then it
might collapse later due to ground water up against it and changing the physical properties
of the earth to put even more pressure against it . The type of soil that is used for backfilling
is very important.
2 1
 Reply
Diane  7 years ago

We are wanting to bury a container for a storm shelt er and cellar. The ground where we
live is gray slate; very hard. There is only about 6 inches of top soil here. What we want
to do is dig a “trench” and put the container in it and cover it wit h only a little dirt.
There would not be a water problem because the front wil be left open and graded
slightly downhill for a water drain since we live on a hil and there is a slightly higher hill
behind us to put a trench. Good idea?
1
 Reply
Bob Boskey
HOME ALL ART ICLES
 7 years ago
EDIT OR’S PICK SURVIVAL KNOWLEDGE HOW T O’S
CorrosionABOUT
engineers deal with buried pipelines and galvanic electronic charges using sacrificial 
ingots that corrode instead of pipelines.

ST ORE CLAUDE DAVIS
What is done for buried shipping containers?

2
 Reply
Wile e  7 years ago

I have buried a shipping container, the weight of the fill on the roof did cause it to start to
cave in. We installed 2 beams the length of the container and supported them every 8 feet
wit h a post. we used the post to build shelves. the container was buried where there is gravel
instead of dirt so there is no drainage problem. We also a 4″ piece of PVC pipe in the roof that
extends to the floor and placed a solar powered dog house fan on the outer end for
ventilation. the container is accessed threw a doorway we cut in the basement foundation,
it ’s a hidden door that you wouldn’t now is there.
1
 Reply
Wile e  7 years ago

We also coated the container in heave tar before it was buried
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Related: How to Keep Your Money Safe for When SHTF

what works as a bunker, I suggest you take a look at this.

What Really Happens When You Bury A Shipping Container?

What To Do If You Really Want To Go On With This

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You may also like:

12 Potentially Life-Threatening Errors

An Insanely Effective Way to Build a 5

What’s The Closest Natural Nuclear

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C. Davis  8 years ago

steve  8 years ago

Onegreenguy  8 years ago

Hoppy  3 months ago

Michael Austin  5 days ago

Carlo er  8 years ago

MrSurfTheWeb  8 years ago

Onegreenguy  8 years ago

DanTheVanMan  8 years ago

nice shelt ers.

Ashley C  8 years ago

DanTheVanMan  8 years ago

Burn_the_Witch  2 years ago

C. Davis  8 years ago

TRIKDURT  8 years ago

JDogg  8 years ago

JDogg  8 years ago

Bob Boskey  7 years ago

Tom Jackson  7 years ago

Diane  7 years ago

ingots that corrode instead of pipelines.

What is done for buried shipping containers?

Wile e  7 years ago

Wile e  7 years ago

YOU WILL NOT SURVIVE AN EMP STRIKE WITHOUT THIS

IF YOU HAVE THIS ON YOUR PROPERTY, HIDE IT IMMEDIATELY 

Copyright © 2014-2024 Ask a Prepper

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