10ft: the tight-site workhorse
At roughly 560 cubic feet, a 10ft box handles about a one-car garage's worth of gear. It earns its keep on backyard sites with limited access, since a tilt trailer or small flatbed can deliver it where a full-size rig can't go. Tools, seasonal equipment, and overflow storage are its lane — skip it for pallet loads, forklift work, or full household moves, where the interior runs out of room fast. It's also the easiest unit to flip or relocate down the line.
20ft: the default for a reason
Roughly 1,170 cubic feet of capacity puts the 20ft box at the center of the lineup. It clears most driveways and lots, swallows the contents of a 2-3 bedroom home, and still lets a standard tri-axle delivery truck set it down without a fight. Crews run 20ft units as job-site lockboxes because two people can hand-load pallets and equipment without a forklift. When you're not sure what to order, order this.
40ft: volume for conversions and bulk loads
A standard 40ft unit runs about 2,350 cubic feet — double the 20ft's capacity on the same width and height. Workshop builds, heavy equipment storage, and multi-room household consolidations all point to this size. It also demands more from the site: a full-length tilt-bed truck and 60-70 feet of clear, straight approach. Walk the delivery path and confirm the turning radius before you place the order.
Standard height vs high cube
Standard units run 8'6" inside; high cube adds a full foot to 9'6", which matters the moment you're framing shelving, running ductwork, or building out a livable or workshop interior. The upcharge is modest and worth it for any conversion. If you're just stacking pallets and boxes with no vertical build-out planned, standard height keeps the price down without costing you anything functionally.
Reading the drop site before you order
Walk the site before locking in a size. Check overhead lines, low branches, and at least 10-15 feet of side clearance so the delivery truck can tilt and slide the container into place. A 40ft unit needs a firm, level pad — compacted gravel or a concrete strip both work — to keep the doors aligned over time. Smaller 10ft and 20ft units tolerate minor grade better but still belong on blocks or a hard surface, never bare dirt.
Frequently asked questions
What's the real capacity of a 20ft container?
About 1,170 cubic feet — enough for a fully furnished 2-3 bedroom household or 8-10 standard pallets of freight.
Will a 40ft container clear a standard driveway?
Usually, if the driveway runs straight and is at least 8 feet wide. The delivery truck still needs 60-70 feet of clear straight approach to tilt and slide the unit into place, so measure your street and driveway length before ordering.
Does high cube justify the extra cost?
It does if you're finishing the interior — office, workshop, living space — and need that extra foot for insulation, ductwork, or shelving. For plain storage, it's optional.
Can containers be stacked?
Standard containers are engineered to stack corner-to-corner on a level, compacted pad, but only in container-grade condition — no significant corner-post rust or damage — and often only with local permitting. Check your codes first.