Shipping container for storm shelter

[newmathewsfan]

Ok, I have an idea to bury a 20’ shipping container to use as a storm shelter/underground hidey hole. I’m getting lots of different opinions on this idea and just wanted to se if any of you had done this and how has it worked out for you. Obviously it will need to be sealed and waterproof. I want to bury it flush with the ground and cover with 6”-12” of topsoil. Anyone have real life experience with this type of project? Please share......

[eastxhunter]

How would you vent?

[newmathewsfan]

Looking at the solar powered ventilation systems.

[Snowflake Killa]

Why would you bury it . Lock the doors behind you and enjoy.

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[newmathewsfan]

Why would you bury it . Lock the doors behind you and enjoy.

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Afraid it wouldn’t hardly survive a tornado just sitting on top of the ground.

[BrianL]

I would bury on top of the ground if you have a way to move the dirt. Then you could still use it.

Like this.

https://shipped.com/blog/shipping-container-emergency-shelters/

[RR 314]

Afraid it wouldn’t hardly survive a tornado just sitting on top of the ground.

Pour some footers in deep sonotubes with steel plates and weld the container to the plates. You an also run cables with deadmen over the top of the container. Much less of a headache than burying and moisture issues.

[Acameron52]

Gonna be a big hole!

[tex4k]

Better beef up the roof if your gonna bury it, them things aren't made to support weight on top, those you see stacked are bearing weight on the corners. No experience just read about disasters on prepper/survivalist forums.

[CabezaBlanca]

Pour some footers in deep sonotubes with steel plates and weld the container to the plates. You an also run cables with deadmen over the top of the container. Much less of a headache than burying and moisture issues.

I had a friend do just this. Built out half of it as living quarters and the other half was storage for the diesel generator, diesel, dry goods and what not.

I would not bury one. I'm guessing it would rust out in a year or two. The roofs rust on most of them overtime when they are above ground.

[newmathewsfan]

Where I live, the ground is very hard and a mixture of several different soil types and no sand at all so side pressure should not be a big issue.. The roof is my main concern for reasons already pointed out. The rust issue will be minimal I believe because I plan to coat the container before I bury it. Water has also been a consideration so I plan to lay perforated pipe in the hole and cover with about 6” of pea gravel. The pipe would drain to a sump where it could be pumped away. The primary reason for wanting to completely bury is so that it wouldn’t be conspicuous. I would store things in there in case of emergency. Food, water, ammo, etc. it will also be wired to a small inverter/generator for emergency power. I guess it could also serve as a shelter if there was a major disaster.
P.S. I’m not a “prepper” but feel that it’s better to have it and not need it, rather than need it and not have it.

[JHT]

What would the price difference be in doing it this way as opposed to getting a real shelter?

[AZST_bowhunter]

I would bury on top of the ground if you have a way to move the dirt. Then you could still use it.

Like this.

https://shipped.com/blog/shipping-co...ency-shelters/

Look at the video in this link, everyones worries are addressed in the video. cost this guy 12,500.00

[Dale Moser]

I thought about putting imbed plates in the slab of my shop when I build it, and welding one to the floor for a safe room.

[Texas276]

Google burying one. The sides will cave in. You can stack them, but sides are to weak to bury.