Types of Container Houses

Container houses are mainly divided into five categories: standard container houses, customized integrated houses, special-function containers, light-steel-frame houses, and functional booths and supporting houses. The specific classification criteria and characteristics are as follows:

1. Standard Container Houses
These are modified based on shipping containers, with uniform dimensions (width of 3m, height of 3m, and length ranging from 6 to 12m), facilitating transportation and stacking. They are cost-effective and highly durable, with a load-bearing system composed of C-shaped or H-shaped steel. The walls are filled with fire-resistant rock wool, providing earthquake resistance up to magnitude 8 and wind resistance up to levels 11 - 12 (e.g., CIMC standard container houses can withstand wind at level 11). They are suitable for temporary housing on construction sites and project office spaces. However, their spatial flexibility is relatively low, requiring professional tools for layout adjustments.

2. Customized Integrated Houses
Centered around modular design, these houses can flexibly combine spaces according to needs and are equipped with complete water and electricity systems. For example, the packing-box units series from Shandong Jinda Lvjian adopts a hot-dip galvanized cold-formed steel frame paired with fire-resistant polyurethane sandwich panels, supporting multi-story stacking and rapid deployment. The factory prefabrication rate reaches 85%, and on-site installation takes no more than 2 hours. These houses are suitable for long-term residence or commercial use, such as characteristic homestays and mobile shops, with no complex procedures required for space adjustments.

3. Special-Function Containers
Designed for extreme climates or special industry needs, these containers are equipped with insulation layers, fire-resistant materials, or reinforced structures. For example, plateau workstations require enhanced thermal insulation, mobile laboratories need shock-resistant designs, and explosion-proof/refrigerated containers require special materials. The frame deformation rate of these houses is far below the industry threshold (e.g., the deformation rate of Suzhou Zhongnan packing boxes is only 0.18%). However, they are relatively costly and are mostly used in professional fields.

4. Light-Steel-Frame Houses
These houses use cold-formed thin-walled light-steel frames as the load-bearing structure, with walls filled with insulation materials. Their appearance and layout can be flexibly customized. Their advantages lie in their light weight and easy disassembly and assembly, making them suitable for self-built houses, homestays, and supporting houses in scenic spots. However, their wind and earthquake resistance are slightly weaker than those of all-steel structures (e.g., Yazhi economical prefabricated houses can withstand wind at level 9 and earthquakes of magnitude 6). Foundation reinforcement is required to improve stability.

5. Functional Booths and Supporting Houses
Their dimensions and internal layouts can be adjusted according to actual needs and are commonly seen in scenarios such as security booths, property booths, and environmental protection public toilets. These houses mostly adopt plug-in or folding processes, with short installation times for a single unit (e.g., Suzhou Zhongnan quick-assembly boxes take only 4 hours). However, their space is limited, and they are usually used independently on a single floor.