Whether you are planning on-site storage for a job site, overflow inventory for a warehouse, or a container for a home renovation, the first question is always the same: how big is a shipping container, really? This guide to shipping container sizes lays out the exact external and internal dimensions of every common size, in both imperial and metric, along with weights, capacity and what actually fits inside. We also explain when a storage trailer is the better choice.
Container sizes are governed by the ISO 668 standard, so the numbers below apply in Ontario, across Canada and worldwide. Express Mobile Storage Solutions rents 20 ft and 40 ft shipping containers from yards in Brampton, Burlington and Stoney Creek; the 10 ft and 45 ft figures are included for reference.
Shipping container sizes at a glance
| Container | External (L x W x H) | Internal (L x W x H) | Capacity | Max payload |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 ft standard | 10′ x 8′ x 8’6″ (3.05 x 2.44 x 2.59 m) | 9’3″ x 7’8″ x 7’10” (2.83 x 2.35 x 2.39 m) | ~560 cu ft (16 m³) | ~19,500 lb (8,860 kg) |
| 20 ft standard | 20′ x 8′ x 8’6″ (6.06 x 2.44 x 2.59 m) | 19’4″ x 7’8″ x 7’10” (5.90 x 2.35 x 2.39 m) | ~1,170 cu ft (33.2 m³) | ~61,700 lb (28,000 kg) |
| 40 ft standard | 40′ x 8′ x 8’6″ (12.19 x 2.44 x 2.59 m) | 39’5″ x 7’8″ x 7’10” (12.03 x 2.35 x 2.39 m) | ~2,390 cu ft (67.7 m³) | ~58,900 lb (26,700 kg) |
| 40 ft high cube | 40′ x 8′ x 9’6″ (12.19 x 2.44 x 2.90 m) | 39’5″ x 7’8″ x 8’10” (12.03 x 2.35 x 2.69 m) | ~2,690 cu ft (76.3 m³) | ~58,600 lb (26,580 kg) |
| 45 ft high cube | 45′ x 8′ x 9’6″ (13.72 x 2.44 x 2.90 m) | 44’5″ x 7’8″ x 8’10” (13.55 x 2.35 x 2.69 m) | ~3,040 cu ft (86 m³) | ~56,600 lb (25,680 kg) |
Door openings are the same on every standard container: about 7 ft 8 in wide by 7 ft 6 in tall (2.34 x 2.28 m). High cube doors are 7 ft 8 in by 8 ft 5 in (2.34 x 2.58 m). Note that the door opening is a few inches smaller than the internal width and height, which matters when you are loading tall or wide equipment.
20 ft shipping container sizes and dimensions
The 20 ft container is the workhorse of on-site storage. It fits on most driveways and job sites, can be delivered with a smaller tilt-bed truck, and still swallows the contents of a one- to two-bedroom home or a full set of contractor tools and materials.
| Measurement | Imperial | Metric |
|---|---|---|
| External length | 20 ft 0 in | 6.06 m |
| External width | 8 ft 0 in | 2.44 m |
| External height | 8 ft 6 in | 2.59 m |
| Internal length | 19 ft 4 in | 5.90 m |
| Internal width | 7 ft 8 in | 2.35 m |
| Internal height | 7 ft 10 in | 2.39 m |
| Door opening (W x H) | 7 ft 8 in x 7 ft 6 in | 2.34 x 2.28 m |
| Floor area | ~150 sq ft | ~13.9 m² |
| Cubic capacity | ~1,170 cu ft | ~33.2 m³ |
| Tare weight | ~4,850 lb | ~2,200 kg |
| Max gross weight | ~67,200 lb | 30,480 kg |
What fits: about 10 standard 48 x 40 in pallets on the floor, the furniture from a 1 to 2 bedroom apartment, a small landscaping or renovation crew’s tools and materials, or seasonal retail stock.
40 ft shipping container sizes and dimensions
A 40 ft container doubles the length and roughly doubles the volume, but the width and height stay the same. It is the standard choice for warehouse overflow, manufacturing storage, larger construction projects and whole-house moves.
| Measurement | Imperial | Metric |
|---|---|---|
| External length | 40 ft 0 in | 12.19 m |
| External width | 8 ft 0 in | 2.44 m |
| External height | 8 ft 6 in | 2.59 m |
| Internal length | 39 ft 5 in | 12.03 m |
| Internal width | 7 ft 8 in | 2.35 m |
| Internal height | 7 ft 10 in | 2.39 m |
| Door opening (W x H) | 7 ft 8 in x 7 ft 6 in | 2.34 x 2.28 m |
| Floor area | ~300 sq ft | ~28 m² |
| Cubic capacity | ~2,390 cu ft | ~67.7 m³ |
| Tare weight | ~8,380 lb | ~3,800 kg |
| Max gross weight | ~67,200 lb | 30,480 kg |
What fits: about 20 standard pallets on the floor, the contents of a 3 to 4 bedroom house, a season of raw materials for a packaging or manufacturing line, or a full event or trade-show inventory.
40 ft high cube container dimensions
A high cube (HC) is a standard 40 ft container with an extra foot of height. The internal height jumps from 7 ft 10 in to 8 ft 10 in (2.69 m), which is enough to stack a second layer of pallets, store taller equipment or rack shelving to the ceiling. The extra height adds roughly 300 cubic feet of capacity. Delivery is the same as a standard 40 ft, although you should double check overhead clearance (branches, wires, eaves) at the drop site.
| Measurement | 40 ft standard | 40 ft high cube |
|---|---|---|
| External height | 8 ft 6 in (2.59 m) | 9 ft 6 in (2.90 m) |
| Internal height | 7 ft 10 in (2.39 m) | 8 ft 10 in (2.69 m) |
| Door height | 7 ft 6 in (2.28 m) | 8 ft 5 in (2.58 m) |
| Cubic capacity | ~2,390 cu ft (67.7 m³) | ~2,690 cu ft (76.3 m³) |
10 ft and 45 ft containers
A 10 ft container is essentially half a 20 ft: about 560 cubic feet, enough for a garden shed’s worth of tools or a small amount of household overflow. They are rarer and often cost nearly as much to deliver as a 20 ft, so a 20 ft is usually better value unless space is genuinely tight.
A 45 ft high cube adds five feet of length to a 40 ft HC for about 3,040 cubic feet. They are used mainly in intermodal shipping rather than on-site storage, and their length makes delivery to tight sites difficult. If you need more than 40 ft of covered storage on the ground, two 20 ft or 40 ft units side by side are often more practical, or a 48 ft or 53 ft storage trailer (see below).
What is a TEU?
Shipping capacity is measured in TEU, twenty-foot equivalent units. One 20 ft container equals 1 TEU, a 40 ft container equals 2 TEU, and a 45 ft is counted as 2.25 TEU. The term shows up on port statistics and vessel specifications more than on storage quotes, but it is useful to know when you see it. There is also FEU (forty-foot equivalent unit) for 40 ft boxes.
Shipping container vs storage trailer: which size do you actually need?
Containers sit on the ground. Storage trailers sit on wheels at dock height. That difference, more than the raw dimensions, usually decides which one is right for the job.
| Unit | Interior (approx.) | Capacity | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20 ft container | 19’4″ x 7’8″ x 7’10” | ~1,170 cu ft | Ground-level access, tight sites, driveways, long-term static storage |
| 40 ft container | 39’5″ x 7’8″ x 7’10” | ~2,390 cu ft | Larger ground-level storage, warehouse overflow, construction |
| 48 ft storage trailer | 47’6″ x 8’2″ x 9’2″ | ~3,500 cu ft | Dock-height loading by forklift, 24 pallets, sites with a loading dock |
| 53 ft storage trailer | 52’6″ x 8’2″ x 9’2″ | ~3,900 cu ft | Maximum capacity, 26 floor pallets (52 double-stacked), distribution and 3PL overflow |
Choose a container when you need to walk in from ground level, when the site has no loading dock, when the unit will stay in place for months, or when security and weather resistance for the long haul matter most.
Choose a storage trailer when you load with a forklift or pallet jack from a dock, when you need more than a 40 ft container holds, or when the unit may need to be moved between sites or hauled on the road. Express rents 20 ft, 35 ft, 48 ft and 53 ft trailers; see our storage trailer rental page for details, or compare on our shipping container rental page.
Site requirements for delivery
- Clearance: the delivery truck backs in and tilts the container off, so allow roughly 60 ft of straight-line clearance for a 20 ft container and about 100 ft for a 40 ft, plus 12 ft of width.
- Overhead: about 14 ft of clear height along the approach and at the drop point, free of wires, branches and eaves (more for a high cube).
- Ground: level, firm and well drained. Asphalt, concrete, compacted gravel and dry packed earth all work. Soft lawn or mud can cause the container to settle unevenly so the doors bind.
- Blocking: placing the four corners on concrete blocks or timbers keeps the floor dry and makes the doors easier to operate.
- Door orientation: tell the driver which way the doors should face before the container comes off the truck. Turning it afterwards means another truck visit.
- Permits: some municipalities in the GTA require a permit for a container on a residential driveway or on the street for more than a few days. Check with your city before delivery.
Frequently asked questions
What are the standard shipping container sizes?
The two standard sizes are 20 ft and 40 ft, both 8 ft wide and 8 ft 6 in tall. A 40 ft high cube adds a foot of height (9 ft 6 in). Less common sizes are 10 ft and 45 ft high cube. Express Mobile Storage rents 20 ft and 40 ft containers across the GTA and Southern Ontario.
What are the dimensions of a 20 ft shipping container?
A 20 ft container is 20 ft long, 8 ft wide and 8 ft 6 in tall on the outside (6.06 m x 2.44 m x 2.59 m). Inside it measures roughly 19 ft 4 in x 7 ft 8 in x 7 ft 10 in, giving about 1,170 cubic feet (33 cubic metres) of space.
What are the dimensions of a 40 ft shipping container?
A 40 ft container is 40 ft long, 8 ft wide and 8 ft 6 in tall externally (12.19 m x 2.44 m x 2.59 m). The interior is about 39 ft 5 in x 7 ft 8 in x 7 ft 10 in, which works out to roughly 2,390 cubic feet (67.7 cubic metres).
How big is a high cube container?
A high cube container has the same length and width as a standard container but is 9 ft 6 in tall instead of 8 ft 6 in. A 40 ft high cube offers about 2,690 cubic feet (76 cubic metres), roughly 13% more than a standard 40 ft.
Are shipping container sizes the same in Canada as elsewhere?
Yes. Container dimensions follow the ISO 668 international standard, so a 20 ft or 40 ft container in Ontario has the same measurements as one anywhere else in the world. Canadian suppliers usually quote dimensions in feet and inches, with metric equivalents.
What does TEU mean?
TEU stands for twenty-foot equivalent unit. It is the shipping industry’s standard unit of capacity based on a 20 ft container. A 40 ft container counts as 2 TEU.
How many pallets fit in a 20 ft or 40 ft container?
A 20 ft container holds about 10 standard North American 48 x 40 in pallets on the floor (11 Euro pallets). A 40 ft container holds about 20 standard pallets (24 to 25 Euro pallets). Double stacking is possible if the load and pallet height allow.
How much space do I need on site for a container?
Allow the container footprint plus room for the delivery truck to back in and tilt the container off: roughly 60 ft of straight clearance for a 20 ft container and about 100 ft for a 40 ft. The ground should be level and firm, such as asphalt, concrete, gravel or compacted earth.
Need a 20 ft or 40 ft container in Ontario?
Express Mobile Storage Solutions delivers shipping containers and storage trailers across Toronto, the GTA and Southern Ontario from yards in Brampton, Burlington and Stoney Creek, usually the same day. Call 416-771-8833 or request a quote and we will help you pick the right size for the job. New clients get $100 off their first month.