Shipping container sizes: 10ft to 45ft (with dimensions)
Picking the right size is the single most important container decision. Here's what each standard length gives you, and when the extra foot of height in a high-cube is worth it.
Standard sizes at a glance
The four common lengths are 10ft, 20ft, 40ft, and 45ft. A standard container is 8ft wide and about 8ft 6in tall. The 20ft is the workhorse — easy to place and haul — while the 40ft doubles the floor space for large storage or conversions. The 10ft suits tight sites and small storage; the 45ft maximizes length for high-volume needs.
High cube: the extra foot
High-cube containers add roughly a foot of interior height (about 9ft 6in total). That extra headroom matters a lot for container offices, homes, and workshops, and for stacking tall palletized goods. For plain storage of short items, a standard height is usually fine.
How to choose
Match the size to both your contents and your site. Measure your access — you need clear, straight space for the delivery truck to tilt and slide the unit off. If in doubt, size up: the incremental cost of a 40ft over a 20ft is often less than buying a second unit later.
Related
Frequently asked questions
- What are the internal dimensions of a 20ft container?
- A standard 20ft is roughly 19ft 4in long, 7ft 8in wide, and 7ft 10in tall inside — about 1,170 cubic feet of usable space.
- Is a high-cube container worth it?
- For offices, homes, workshops, or tall cargo, yes — the extra foot of height makes the space far more usable. For low-profile storage it's optional.
- What's the largest shipping container size?
- 45ft is the largest common length. Combined with high-cube height, it offers the most interior volume of any standard unit.