Guide
20 ft vs 40 ft
How a 20 ft and a 40 ft container compare: dimensions, the door opening, the space inside, and the room each needs for delivery.
Published
20 ft
- Exterior: 19 ft 10 in long, 8 ft wide, 8 ft 6 in high
- Interior: 19 ft 4 in long, 7 ft 8 in wide, 7 ft 10 in high
- Door opening: 7 ft 8 in wide, 7 ft 6 in high
- Internal volume: About 1,170 cubic feet
- Floor area: About 150 square feet
40 ft
- Exterior: 40 ft long, 8 ft wide, 8 ft 6 in high
- Interior: 39 ft 6 in long, 7 ft 8 in wide, 7 ft 10 in high
- Door opening: 7 ft 8 in wide, 7 ft 6 in high
- Internal volume: About 2,390 cubic feet
- Floor area: About 300 square feet
40 ft High Cube
- Exterior: 40 ft long, 8 ft wide, 9 ft 6 in high
- Interior: 39 ft 6 in long, 7 ft 8 in wide, 8 ft 10 in high
- Door opening: 7 ft 8 in wide, 8 ft 6 in high
- Internal volume: About 2,690 cubic feet
- Floor area: About 300 square feet
Delivery space
Your driveway or site needs enough straight-line space for the truck and trailer, and a 40 ft container needs more of it than a 20 ft.
- Clearance, 20 ft: 60 to 80 ft
- Clearance, 40 ft: 100 to 120 ft
Clearance is the typical straight-line run. Depends on the tilt-bed trailer's length and the site.
Site requirements
- Firm, reasonably level ground
- A clear route from the road to the placement area
- Enough straight-line space for the truck and trailer
- Adequate width for turns, gates, and mirrors
- No low branches, wires, eaves, or other overhead hazards
- No concealed soft ground, septic fields, or underground structures
Containers
20 ft
40 ft