Shipping containers are steadily gaining in popularity as a sustainable housing and sheltering option. With millions of cargo containers being used worldwide, the possibilities for expanding this innovative housing option may well only continue to grow.

Additionally, many real estate experts foresee an increasing synergy between shipping containers as a housing alternative and more traditional prefabricated construction options.

However, one of the biggest challenges that container homes face is finding suitable ways to insulate the material. Fortunately, several insulation options are available to transform shipping containers into pleasant and livable places to live in all kinds of weather!

Uses of Shipping Containers

Shipping containers is one of the most typical solutions for constructing houses, shelters, and building from recycled materials. Who would have suspected one day that this method of shipping, standardized and used throughout the world, would see its use diverted by the construction sector?

This material is reconditioned for multiple purposes. Its uses are practical for a storage warehouse, studio, residential garage, shed, office building, restaurant, cafe, and more. Of course, shipping containers are also used for emergency and disaster relief.

Discover multiple applications and features of shipping container shelter systems. Visit us today!

Insulation Methods For Shipping Container Houses

Shipping container houses are designed from top to bottom in steel, which requires a good dose of insulation given the walls’ thermal peculiarity.

You can insulate a container house in three different ways:

Interior Insulation

If you are attached to the container’s rough industrial look, you should opt for interior insulation. The downside to internal insulation is that if it’s too thick, you’ll lose living space. In general, the thickness of the partition should not exceed 10cm.

Exterior Insulation

This process involves covering the outer side of the container wall. The thickness of the insulating partition will not influence the living area. The insulation also protects the walls against the effects of bad weather. 

Keep in mind that this process could be more expensive than internal insulation because you will have to cover larger sides of the walls using different materials. You can opt for wood, plaster, or even stone to cover up the insulation partitions. This method will allow maximum protection and will eliminate the container effect if you wish.

Cork is often used for its thermal and acoustic insulation qualities. It is a technological insulation foam to maintain a comfortable living environment.

Mixed Insulation

This method insulated the interior and exterior of the container house. Interior insulation can apply to one part of the house, while exterior insulation applies to other sections. This is not necessarily a recommended method because it creates excessive temperature variations and strong instability of thermal bridges.

The Challenges of Insulating Shipping Container Houses

The main challenge in properly insulating a shipping container house is the shallow depth of the walls. While the shipping container’s metal frame is a strong and durable wall material, the lack of thickness poses a challenge for proper insulation.

Before choosing an insulation material for your shipping container, you must first determine how you want to build the walls. If you are connecting a few shipping containers for a multi-container house, adding insulations inside the walls won’t be a problem due to the extra square footage of the house. If you opt for a small container house made of one or two shipping containers, the amount of space will be more critical.

What usually happens with shipping containers converted to tiny houses is an exterior insulation method applied with an added outer coating. You can then choose to leave the interior walls exposed, or you could still cover them with thin insulator plasters.

Different Types of Shipping Container Insulation

Many customers choose to modify their shipping containers by insulating it. Whether you need a temperature-controlled storage environment or set up an office in the shipping container where occupants can stay warm, we guarantee insulation that enhances your container’s heat retaining ability.

There is a variety of insulation options, including urethane foam blasting and custom laminate panel systems. You can even opt for a full range of diverse alternatives just as long as it can suit your budget and purpose.

Basic Insulation

This service involves an economical insulation solution. The materials used are one to two inches of styrene foam and an interior finish of 5/8 inches plywood to insulate the walls, roof, and doors of the container. You can also add on an interior finish wall painting to make it look more aesthetically polished. 

Spray Foam Insulation

One of the easiest and fastest ways to insulate a shipping container house is spray foam insulation. The spray foam insulation method is more advanced, using polyurethane materials that act as a vapor barrier with superior thermal resistance. This insulating material can be sprayed directly onto the interior and exterior walls of a shipping container. Many containers are coated with highly toxic paints to withstand life at sea. Spray foam insulation can trap VOCs that might escape.

Spray type insulators like polyurethane foam work best in combination with ceramic insulation paint. Polyurethane foam is an insulation product in spray foam blown with water. It expands when it hardens and thus protects your shipping container with tiny plastic bubbles that form inside the insulation. While many other types of spray polyurethane foam can give off chemical gases in your home, the small amount of VOCs associated with polyurethane foam insulation will most likely be completely undetectable.

Cotton Insulation

An essential ethic of shipping container houses and sustainable buildings is to reuse materials as much as possible. Today, natural cotton-based insulators are made from recycled, post-consumer denim and cotton from jeans and other used clothing products. Cotton insulation has an R-value of 3.5 per inch, similar to that of more traditional fiberglass insulation. Additionally, commercial denim insulation is usually treated with boric acid, which is a natural flame retardant.

Cork Insulation

Cork insulation is another natural insulation alternative for the Container House. Cork is a renewable and biodegradable resource from trees. Surprisingly, it is not necessary to cut down cork trees to harvest the cork. Tree bark is harvested every nine years. This harvesting process makes the cork “carbon negative” since cork forests capture carbon from the atmosphere.

The acoustic property of cork is another advantage of cork insulation for your Container House. This natural insulating material will form an acoustic buffer between your home and the container’s metal walls. 

Wool Insulation

Sheep wool is another natural insulation alternative made from renewable and raw materials. This high-performance and environmentally friendly insulation alternative has an R-value of 3.5 per inch. Similar to fiberglass, denim, or other types of fibrous insulation. In addition, the lanolin contained in sheep’s wool is a natural flame retardant. This makes it unnecessary to treat wool with other chemical solutions. The hygroscopic fibers of sheep’s wool can absorb up to 35% of its weight in water without affecting thermal performance.

Final Takeaway: What You “Shouldn’t” Do When Insulating Shipping Containers

Do not use conventional insulation methods unless they are corrosion-resistant or do not promote condensation. Most houses are traditionally insulated on the inside with fiberglass or wool. If you apply this concept to container homes, the result may lead to the material’s deterioration or too much condensation inside the walls due to excess moisture, heat, or fumes.