12 Epic Shipping Container Garage and Carport Ideas

Building a garage or carport is sometimes expensive, time-consuming, and resource-intensive, and there’s always the need for a cost-effective, quick-to-build, and highly customizable solution. Shipping containers are the dark horse you need to consider.

Why Shipping Containers are a Great Option for Building Garages and Carports

Shipping containers aren’t the first thing that comes to mind when you’re imagining a garage or carport, but they’re an awesome choice with a lot of advantages, despite a few disadvantages to consider:

• Building a traditional garage can take a big bite out of your wallet, but shipping containers are a refreshingly affordable option because you’re starting with a ready-made structure, which means you save money on materials and labor. However, insulating these structures to withstand extreme climates is complicated sometimes.
• Shipping containers are constructed from Corten steel, built tough enough to survive saltwater spray, heavy loads, and extreme weather. Properly maintained, these containers will stand the test of time and protect your car or gear from rain, snow, and heat. However, customizing the containers with windows or doors incurs additional costs, and it’s one of their minor disadvantages compared to completely prefab units.
• A traditional garage build usually takes weeks and months, but with a container, you can get a functioning garage or carport in record time.
• Shipping containers’ modular design and versatile dimensions mean you can stack, cut, and reconfigure them however you like.
• Reusing cargo containers is environmentally friendly: you’re repurposing durable materials that might otherwise sit unused.
• Container garages are portable and can be easily moved to a new property.

That’s why shipping containers are a clever way to create a lasting and multifunctional space that will protect your vehicles and enhance your property.

Interesting Shipping Container Garages and Carport Ideas

The idea of converting shipping containers into garages and carports is full of potential. In this guide, you’ll find some offbeat yet practical ideas that will inspire your garage-building project and show how exciting these metal boxes are.

Basic Single-container Garage

A basic single container garage is built from a single 20ft or 40ft shipping container and is usually installed in small spaces like a backyard, driveway, or a property with limited room. You can easily set it up in no time, add windows for natural light, improve ventilation with vents, and install reinforced locks, upgraded doors, and other safety measures to protect your car, motorcycle, or lawn tractor from rain, snow, and heat.

Double-container Garage

If you need a spacious garage, you can connect two 20-foot containers side-by-side and remove the interior walls to get 300 square feet of space in a practical 20-by-16-foot layout. For comparison, that’s close to the size of a standard two-car garage. The extra room means you can park two compact cars or one larger vehicle and still have space to walk around or store your tools, bikes, and other gear. You can also swap the 20-foot containers for 40-foot ones to get enough room for three to four vehicles depending on their size.

Shipping Container Carport with a Roof Extension

A shipping container carport with a roof extension is one of the easiest DIY shipping container setups, and you don’t need to be a construction expert to pull it off. Most of the materials can be picked up from a local home improvement store.

The concept is straightforward. You start with a single 20- or 40-foot shipping container, which serves as both the foundation and a secure side storage unit; then, you add a shed-style roof to create a covered carport. The roof can either attach directly to the side of the container or be built up from its top. As a result, you get about 150 square feet of lockable storage space and covered parking for 1-2 vehicles.

Multi-story Shipping Container Garage

A multi-story shipping container garage is built by stacking 20ft, 40ft, or 45ft weatherproof steel containers. As each container provides about 320 square feet, you get hundreds of square feet of customizable space when stacked and can add ramps for easy access, insulation to keep a comfortable temperature, and solar panels to power tools or lightning. On the ground floor, you can park cars, motorcycles, or small trailers.

Modern and Stylish Shipping Container Garage

To create and customize a modern and stylish shipping container garage, you can add bold paint finishes, large glass panels, polished aluminum accents, wrap-around windows, translucent panels, and other trendy details, whatever you want. You can also integrate smart locks and remote-controlled doors to easily access and secure your space.

Converted Shipping Container With Sliding Doors

Instead of a traditional garage door, you can install sliding glass or steel doors that run on tracks along the container’s length, creating an open and accessible entrance. These doors blur the lines between indoors and outdoors and beautifully disperse natural light. It’s best to use an open side container to easily install sliding doors.

Shipping Container Garage with Plants on the Roof

A layer of plants on your shipping container garage’s roof will make the structure look amazing and bring real advantages: natural insulation, soaking up rainwater, and creating habitats for insects, birds, and other wildlife.

You’ll need to reinforce the container to handle the weight of soil and plants and apply a waterproof membrane, followed by drainage and root barrier layers to protect the structure and manage water flow. Then, add lightweight soil and plant drought-resistant vegetation like sedums or wildflowers.

Container Carport with Living Space Above

A container carport with a living space has two levels: the ground level is a secure spot to park your car and protect it from the elements, while the upper level is a functional living area. This structure is made from repurposed shipping containers, where you can incorporate large windows or a cozy balcony.

To create one, prepare a solid foundation and ensure the container is reinforced to support the load of the living space above. The lower section remains open as a carport, and the upper section is usually fitted with insulation, waterproofing, and utilities to make it fully livable.

Insulated Shipping Container Garage for Extreme Climates

An insulated shipping container garage will store your vehicles and gear while tackling extreme weather head-on due to layers of high-quality insulation (spray foam or rigid foam panels) and a sealed design. You can also add ventilation, weatherproofing, and any desired customizations, like roll-up doors, skylights, or electrical systems, to protect your vehicles in the most challenging conditions.

Shipping Container Garage With Integrated Workshop

In a shipping container garage with an integrated workshop, you can combine vehicle storage and a workspace under one sturdy roof. Tough Corten steel these containers are made of will stand up to harsh weather and wear and tear. It’s possible to fully customize the workshop itself: you can add built-in shelving, workbenches, task lighting, and other modifications.

Shipping Container Carport With Solar Panels

The construction of a shipping container carport with solar panels isn’t complicated: you just need to anchor the container on a sturdy foundation, install solar panels on the roof, and finish it to complement your property. Then, the solar panel system will turn your carport into an energy-producing asset, with a minimal carbon footprint.

Customized Shipping Container Garage

A customized shipping container garage means you can add insulation, built-in shelving, workbenches, smart storage solutions, windows, roll-up doors, and any modifications you prefer. Your car and belongings will stay safe and secure due to the weather-resistant Corten steel cargo containers being constructed.

Conclusions

Who would’ve thought a simple shipping container could turn into something so versatile and full of character? The 12 functional and eco-friendly garage and carport ideas listed in our guide can easily solve real-world problems with style, and it’s amazing what you can create when you think outside the box… or, in this case, inside it.