Every day we hear many questions about the floors, if they have toxic fumes, if they should be removed or covered. We will try to answer them and give you some tips on how it can be repaired and maybe replaced.
Everyone thinks that shipping container floors are coated in toxic chemicals, however this isn’t necessarily the case. Wooden floors that line the majority of shipping container might have been infused or not with chemical pesticides at one point when in use. Once their shipping life is over and they become static in a container yard, the flooring is not treated anymore. If you have any doubt, check the CSC plate and look at the ‘Timber Treatment Component’. While it is true that original containers do contain insecticides such as Basileum, Tailileum 400, and Radaleum, it is agreed that these insecticides don’t pose a threat to mammals and only affect insects. Basileum interferes with insects’ metabolism systems. Tailileum 400 may be toxic to mammals, but only when this is ingested in large amounts. Radaleum is non-toxic to mammals either because of its low vapor pressure. After a couple of years these chemicals dissipate anyways and will never affect you in any way if you plan to build a house out of the shipping container. Keep in mind that if the flooring was ever repaired or replaced this may not be correct. If the chemical is something that really concerns you, and it’s in your budget, you may want to go ahead and replace the entire floor. Alternatively, you can patch the damaged section, put new flooring over the existing flooring, treat the entire floor, or any combination of these.
Most used shipping containers have seaworthy, heavily treated 1.1 inch / 28mm thick ( marine ) plywood floors. They are usually made from birch, teak or keruing plywood laminates. These floors are very durable and water resistant and can withstand tons of weight internally. These floors are also usually damaged. There are gauges, cracks, holes and missing layers. The damage to the shipping container floor naturally varies according to container, and most people replace their floor rather then cover it.
If you buy a used shipping container, chances are that the floor has some form of peeling, delamination or cracking on the surface, often referred to as delamination. In some cases, it’s not a big deal, however it’s always good to keep an eye on the situation and address it before it can get a larger problem.
Tips & Tricks on how to replace or repair the floors of the shipping container
First and foremost, don’t sand the flooring. Similar to asbestos the dust isn’t good for you. If you leave it in place it’s relatively harmless.
If you want to replace the entire floor, start at one and begin pulling up the floor. If you can access any screws the process might go easier if they’re removed first. Once the original floor is removed, scrape the ribs clean of any glues and begin cutting the flooring sections, put adhesive on the ribs and replace the sections of flooring, screwing the floor to the ribs every 12-18 inches.
If you’re only replacing a section of the flooring, take a circular saw and remove the section that needs to be replaced; try to make sure that the cut spans between two ribs. Remove the damaged section, clean the ribs, put down the adhesive and replace with the new section. Once it’s screwed into place your work is done.
Treat the shipping container floors
If you have a new floor, or the original one, treating the floor with a sealant is always a good idea and we do recommend it. The most popular sealants are either polyurethane or epoxy paint coating. You’ll want to find one that is solvent free and recommended for wood. Clean the floor based on your specific brand of epoxy, apply one or two coats and make sure the area is well ventilated. Wear a mask with filters if needed.
Repairing, replacing or treating the floor of a used shipping container depends on your budget and what you’re using the container for. If the container will be used for a residential conversion, you might need to use a better and more high end quality products, but if your needs might be different than if you’re using it for a storage unit on a farm or ranch, you don’t really need to put to much money into it.
