Illustrative image 8ft Shipping Container (New or Used)
An 8ft shipping container is a steel storage box about 8 feet long. It isn’t one of the ISO shipping lengths, which start at 10 ft, and it comes in two kinds: a new mini built at that size, about 8′ × 7′2½″ × 7′5″ (2.44 × 2.20 × 2.26 m) in the most common build, and a full-width box, 8′ wide and 8′6″ tall like a standard container, often cut from a longer one. There’s no weekly price for either here: sellers in our network that can supply one quote it with delivery.
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Two different boxes are sold as an 8ft, a narrower mini and a full-width unit, so check which one each quote is for before you compare prices.
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Mini or full-width: which 8ft?
| Mini | Full-width | |
|---|---|---|
| How it’s made | Built at 8 ft in a factory, usually overseas, with forklift pockets | Often cut from a 20ft or 40ft container, with a new end wall |
| Outside (L × W × H) | about 8′ × 7′2½″ × 7′5″ (2.44 × 2.20 × 2.26 m); some builds are smaller, down to about 6′7″ wide and 6′4″ tall | about 8′ × 8′ × 8′6″ (2.44 × 2.44 × 2.59 m) |
| Inside (L × W × H) | about 7′6″ × 6′11″ × 6′9″ (2.29 × 2.11 × 2.06 m) | about 7′3″ × 7′8″ × 7′10″ (2.21 × 2.34 × 2.39 m) on one seller’s unit |
| Door opening | about 6′11″ × 6′5″ (2.10 × 1.95 m) | about 7′8″ × 7′5″ (2.34 × 2.26 m), a standard container door |
| Condition | New | New or used, depending on the box it was cut from |
| Lead time | Often made to order: one seller quotes 12 to 16 weeks | Depends on the seller’s stock and shop |
The mini’s door is about 9 inches narrower and a foot lower than a standard container door, so measure a mower, a pallet jack or anything tall before you choose it. The full-width box keeps the full 7′8″ door and the 8-foot width of a 20ft, in less than half the length.
Listings for a “20 ft × 8 ft” or an “8 ft 6 in high” container are full-size boxes: 8 ft is their width and 8′6″ their height (20ft shipping container). And the 8-foot containers that moving and portable-storage companies advertise are rented: the company drops one off for a move or for storage at your place, or keeps it in its warehouse. A shipping container is one you buy and keep.
Good for: tools and gear on a tight job site, a parking-space-sized spot at home or behind a store, and storage that has to be set down by forklift.
Specs in feet and metric
| Measurement | Feet, inches, pounds | Metric |
|---|---|---|
| Outside (L × W × H) | about 8′ × 7′2½″ × 7′5″ | about 2.44 × 2.20 × 2.26 m |
| Inside (L × W × H) | about 7′6″ × 6′11″ × 6′9″ | about 2.29 × 2.11 × 2.06 m |
| Door opening (W × H) | about 6′11″ × 6′5″ | about 2.10 × 1.95 m |
| Inside volume | about 350 cu ft | about 9.9 m³ |
| Floor area (inside) | about 52 sq ft | about 4.8 m² |
| Pallets on the floor, one layer | 3 standard US pallets (48 × 40 in) | |
| Empty weight (tare) | about 1,500–2,000 lb | about 690–900 kg |
| Max. gross weight | about 13,230 lb | about 6,000 kg |
| Truck access | Ask the seller | |
Full-width 8ft: about 8′ × 8′ × 8′6″ outside; see the comparison above. Sources: two maker spec sheets for the mini (sizes, door, volume, weights) and a third for a smaller build; two seller listings for the full-width 8ft; ISO 668 for the standard lengths. Your container’s exact weights are marked on its doors.
Delivery
Ask each seller which truck it sends; a mini with forklift pockets can also be set down by forklift, which helps in a parking space or a narrow yard.
Delivery cost and site checklist · container foundation options
Options
A man door, a window or shelving on an 8ft? Ask for a quote, and say whether you want a mini or a full-width box.
Frequently asked questions
How big is an 8ft shipping container?
Most new 8ft minis measure about 8′ long, 7′2½″ wide and 7′5″ tall outside (2.44 × 2.20 × 2.26 m), with about 7′6″ × 6′11″ × 6′9″ inside and about 52 sq ft (4.8 m²) of floor. A full-width 8ft is 8′ × 8′ × 8′6″, the width and height of a standard container. Builds vary, so ask each seller for the size of its box.
How much does an 8ft container weigh?
A new mini weighs about 1,500–2,000 lb (690–900 kg) empty, depending on the maker, and one maker rates its mini for about 13,230 lb (6,000 kg) gross. Ask the seller for the weight of a full-width unit.
How much does an 8ft shipping container cost?
8ft containers aren’t part of our weekly price survey, so there’s no starting price here; sellers in our network that can supply one send a delivered price. The two kinds aren’t priced alike: one seller notes that a full-width 8ft, cut from a longer container, can cost more than a 20ft, so compare quotes for the same kind. If your site has room, a used 20ft starts at $1,400 this week.
Are 8ft containers used for shipping?
Not usually. The 8ft isn’t an ISO length, since the standard starts at 10 ft, and minis are made mainly for storage: one seller notes that its 8ft minis don’t meet ISO specifications for ocean freight. Some makers still fit a CSC safety plate and rate their minis for cargo, so ask the seller if you plan to move yours with goods inside. A full-width unit cut from a longer container isn’t meant to go back to sea.
Can I buy a used 8ft container?
Yes, quoted on request: ask for a used 8ft. Used ones are often cut from a 20ft or 40ft, so check where the new wall meets the old box, at the corners and along the roof, for gaps or fresh rust.
Is an 8ft container the same as a moving container?
No. Moving and portable-storage companies rent out 8-foot containers, dropped off at your place or kept in their warehouse. An 8ft shipping container is a steel box you buy and keep on your own site.
Should I get an 8ft or a 10ft container?
A new 10ft starts at $4,650 this week and gives about 71 sq ft (6.6 m²) of floor against about 52 sq ft (4.8 m²) in an 8ft mini, behind a full-size container door. If the spot takes 10 feet, ask for both and compare the delivered prices; the 8ft is the pick where 10 feet won’t fit. 10ft shipping container.
Is there an 8 × 8 shipping container?
Yes: a full-width 8ft is 8 ft long and 8 ft wide, and 8′6″ tall; a mini is narrower. The ISO standard has no 8 × 8 size.
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