When you think of stacking storage containers, you would generally think it would be a pretty straightforward process. However, there’s a lot more that goes into stacking portable containers than you would assume – it really comes down to a science sometimes!

To stack your storage containers properly at your home or job site, you need to make sure to distribute the weight of your containers and their contents. If you don’t pay attention to weight distributions, your container could fall over!

How to Stack Storage Containers

When it comes to stacking and storing storage containers, you’ll need to research OSHA guidelines to make sure your site is following all of the safety procedures involved.

Wondering how much you can stack on top of your portable storage containers? A container can have a max of 192 tons stacked on its corners, on average. If you’re looking to stack multiple containers on top of one, this means you can stack around 6 fully loaded 40 foot containers and 8 fully loaded 20 foot containers. Again, this depends on the size of your containers, and what sort of materials you’re storing in them.

However, when stacking your containers, you want to make sure that you’re not stacking too much on top, or just loaded containers on top of one with no other care taken. If you have a lot of containers to stack at one site, you’ll want to avoid stacking too many at once by doing it gradually, and making sure the weight distribution is in line with the stability of the bottom containers.

Inspecting Your Storage Container

Before moving or lifting your container, make sure to inspect it before moving it in any way. Check the sides, flooring, and corners to make sure it’s structurally sound – which you should also do when purchasing or renting a unit! Look for any damage or cracks, as well as any rust.

Moving Storage Containers

When using a forklift to stack storage containers on top of one another, you’ll want to make sure you’re doing so properly.

Make sure that the forks extend through the length of your storage container, and make sure the container is safe and secure when being carried up or down the stack. Make sure the forks aren’t poking through the floor of the unit, and make sure (before you start!) that your forklift is compatible with the container and can handle the weight of whatever the container has inside.

When moving your storage container, you want to make sure you’re lining up the containers on top of one another so that the corners are stacked directly on top of one another for maximum support and stability. Additionally, if you’re stacking containers of different sizes, put the larger unit on top in order to better utilize the support provided by the smaller containers’ edges on the bottom. This will better support the middle of the larger container. This will also avoid having the larger container collapse under the uneven weight distribution of having the two smaller units on top.

Once you’ve stacked your containers, make sure to secure them with rods or twist locks to keep them in place.

Whether you’re looking for just one storage container, or many for a busy job site or construction project, A1 Mobile Storage Leasing has all of your needs covered. Check out our selection of storage containers and competitive pricing here.