The Whole Process of Self-Made Container House
The whole process of self-made container houses includes four key steps: material preparation, foundation construction, stacking installation, and thermal insulation treatment.
In the material preparation stage, it is necessary to select containers that have undergone anti-corrosion and anti-rust treatment as the main structure, which is the foundation for ensuring the durability of the house. According to design requirements, horizontal steel beams need to be added inside the containers to enhance structural stability. At the same time, the bottom and one side of the container body should be cut. The purpose of cutting is to facilitate subsequent lifting and transportation and to meet the functional layout requirements of the house, such as reserving space for door and window installation or adjusting the indoor floor height. Cutting operations should be carried out by professionals to ensure that the cutting surface is flat and does not affect the overall strength of the container.
The foundation construction phase involves completing the assembly of the bottom structure of the house. Usually, two container bodies are horizontally connected to form a single floor, and special attention should be paid to structural connection and waterproofing at the connection points. Horizontal steel beams are added at the bottom of the container bodies as load-bearing main beams, and a stable support system is formed through welding or bolt fixation. The top gaps are sealed with super-strong adhesive, which requires three layers of construction: the first layer fills the main body of the gaps, the second layer enhances the structural bonding force, and the third layer forms a waterproof protective layer. Each layer of adhesive must be fully cured before proceeding to the next step to ensure that there are no leakage hazards at the joints.
The stacking installation stage reflects the modular advantages of container houses. Prefabricated container bodies undergo standardized processing such as door and window openings in the factory and are then transported to the site for three-dimensional stacking using lifting equipment. The installation sequence follows the bottom-up principle, and each layer of container bodies is vertically connected through corner fittings bolts or welding. This process is similar to building with blocks, but strict calibration of verticality and levelness is required. Generally, it takes 3-5 days to complete the construction of the main structure, and complex projects take no more than a week. When stacking, space for water and electricity pipelines should be reserved to create conditions for subsequent interior decoration.
Thermal insulation treatment is the core step to ensure living comfort. Given the strong thermal conductivity of metal container bodies, 10cm-thick polyurethane rigid foam insulation boards need to be installed on the exterior walls. This material has a low thermal conductivity coefficient, which can effectively block heat transfer. At the same time, its fire rating is upgraded to Class B1 by adding fire retardants. The insulation boards are bonded to the exterior walls of the container bodies with special adhesives, and the joints are sealed with aluminum foil tape to form a continuous insulation layer. During winter construction, a moisture-proof film can be added on the inner side of the insulation layer to prevent condensation water from eroding the structure.
