Top Three Uses For Shipping Containers in Schools
Wednesday 10 March 2021
Updated: Thursday 24 April 2025
Filed in: General
The top three uses of shipping container for schools include additional storage space, temporary or permanent classrooms and buildings for extra-curricular activities. Explore the options for each of these applications. There's a lot more to the shipping container than meets the eye!
The basic structure of a shipping container is ideal for modification in countless ways. From a few add-ons, such as new doors or ply lining, to a full scale transformative conversion, a strong and secure metal box easily becomes a brand new building designed to accommodate your specifications. As versatile building blocks you'll be surprised at the number of shipping containers found in schools, nurseries and colleges, ranging from simple storage units and flat packs, to container conversions into portable classrooms and offices, tuck shops, toilets and changing rooms.
1. School storage containers
Storage containers are suitable for secure, dry containment of sports equipment, desks and chairs, books and paperwork (we recommend either Grafotherm or ply lining for these items), and are especially useful during times of building works when classrooms might need to be emptied. Depending upon your site access, choose either standard shipping containers, or flat pack containers for general storage.Shipping containers
Shipping containers come in standard sizes of 20ft long and 40ft long - these represent the best value for money as they don't require modification. We sell them used or new. Used shipping containers afford good quality at a good price, while new containers have a longer life-span. Whichever you choose you will get years of trouble-free use out of a shipping container used for storage. We recommend a repaint on used containers as this dramatically improves the appearance of the container - we offer this free with all containers under 20ft, and can even paint them in your school colours.
Need a different size? Containers Direct specialise in providing containers of any size. We take standard sized containers and cut them to the required size in our own workshops, and finish them off by offering our customers a choice of door types. You can opt to keep the original shipping container doors, or opt for our S1 doors specially designed for frequent use. These are lighter and easy to use than other doors and are very popular on our smaller sized containers, such as 10fts and 15fts.Flat pack containers
If you have concerns about site access being difficult then take a look at our flat pack storage containers. These are an excellent choice for small spaces and tricky access, as they are completely man portable and can be delivered and erected almost anywhere! These are a popular choice with schools as they are easy to relocate or put back down and store away when not in use. Choose from 2m, 3m or 4m sizes, or join together for larger areas for easy storage space.2. Shipping container classrooms
The StudyBox is an exclusive design and build only available from our own workshops. This portable classroom can be used as a permanent addition to school buildings, or as a temporary measure to ease the school through the disruption of other building works. Made from joining up recycled shipping containers they offer a strong, secure, quick and cost-effective solution. To allow for wider spaces than a standard shipping container offers, we make the StudyBox by joining shipping containers together. The StudyBox is available in a range of four sizes and comes with a package of standard features to get your classroom set up that includes insulation and electrics - optional extras also available.
