Anyone use shipping container as concrete form?

[gbent]

For cheap walls, just rent a trencher that will cut an 8 inch trench. Trench to the depth you need. Add in a mat of rebar then fill with concrete. After you get both walls done, then dig out the dirt and pour your floor, Depending on your soil type you may need tie backs or temporary shoring between the walls. Place your pan deck across the top and cover with concrete. Dirt is the cheapest formwork available.

 

[72bwhite]

Look into precast sections you know like septic tanks
Some of the precast utility vaults might just be the right size

Now if you went with the container for the inside form you would still need an outside form
So if you used snap ties you would run the horizontal 2x4s on the same spacing as on the outside
For the top well you would need to do it just like you were using plywood same amount of bracing.

Down sides of using containers they are going to start rusting from the outside
The ones you get cheap are going to be beat up to start with.


Now if I had to do it I would give serious thought to using concrete blocks

And the precasting the lids and setting them with a crane.

As far as getting the forms out that’s just a matter of putting them in the right way
You learn how to form it so you can get em out

 

[Bill D]

I think rebar has to be 3" inside from the edge of the concrete. That forces a wall to be 6" thick at minimum. Too close and it will rust.
Bill D

 

[Bill D]

Garwood, you know those big concrete culverts ? Would that serve your purpose ?

edit: wull ah'll be damned ...

https://precast.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/Box_Culvert_Presentation.pdf

Several sections of that road bridge on top of a slab would make a nice shop. hard to do windows or skylights.

Bill D

 

[CITIZEN F16]

Yup, north of 150 yards.

Shovel? Why do you think God gave us diesel fuel?

I just got 5 yards of sand a while back, the price is way up. 150 yards? Maybe you can return it after use for a restocking fee.

 

[EmanuelGoldstein]

I bet a couple lengths of the pre-stressed square culvert would be cheaper, and a lot better, too. The calcs for what you need are in the pdf, if nothing else.

 

[scott-ak]

No a connex will not hold up if used as forms. I've buried two of them and it's dang hard to keep from crushing the walls. I suggest contacting a culvert manufacturing company. Many can form arches for underground applications to whatever size you want.

 

[Toolmaker51]

Pack the container full of sand, pour concrete. All problems solved!

Fill it with lawyers AND sand.
When it's right up to their noses,know what you have?
Not enough sand...

 

[john.k]

You could easily fit wooden props and shuttering inside to support the walls and roof.....the same as concretors do every day.......I would also weld the reo bar and mesh to the outside ,so it wasnt displaced.