Shipping Container Roofs: What Are Your Options?
The short version
The most useful thing you can do with two containers is roof the gap between them, turning dead space into covered storage or a work area.
Your options run from cheap DIY covers to a professionally engineered, installed canopy. The right one depends on how long it needs to last and what it has to withstand.
The biggest factor in the UK is wind loading. A roof spanning between two containers catches a lot of wind, and a cheap cover that is not rated for it will not survive a bad winter.
You can roof a single container or span between two for a much larger clear covered area.
If you already have shipping containers on site, the smartest upgrade is usually a roof. A container shelter turns the gap between two containers into a wide, dry, covered space without you buying a building. But there are several ways to do it, and they are not all equal.
Here are the main options, from the cheapest DIY route to a fully engineered canopy, and how to work out which one your site actually needs.
Option 1: DIY covers and clamp kits
At the cheap end, people bridge the gap between containers with scaffold poles and tarpaulin, or use clamp systems that bolt to the container without drilling. These are quick and cost very little.
For a light, short term, low exposure job, they can be fine. The problem is durability. A tarp and pole setup will not hold up to a serious gust, and it will sag, leak and flap long before a proper structure would. If the roof is protecting anything valuable, or it needs to last more than a season, DIY is a false economy.
Option 2: prefabricated steel roof kits
A step up is a pre-engineered steel roof kit, usually a series of arches or straight-wall frames that mount to the containers and carry steel roof sheets. You supply the containers, the kit spans between them, and a small crew assembles it.
These are stronger than DIY and give you a solid covered span. The catch is that most are sold as self-assembly kits designed for a general market, so it is on you to make sure the kit is rated for your site's wind loading and installed correctly. A kit engineered for a sheltered inland yard is not the same as one for an exposed coastal site.
Option 3: an engineered container canopy
The strongest option is a purpose-designed container canopy, engineered for your span and site, and installed for you. A steel frame carries a heavy duty PVC coated fabric roof across the gap between the containers, giving you a clear, open covered bay with no posts in the middle.
This is the route that lasts. Because it is designed around your actual containers, span and wind exposure, and installed properly, it does not sag, leak or fail early. It costs more than a DIY cover, but for anything commercial or long term it is the option that does not need replacing.
One container or two? Inside or outside mount?
Two decisions shape the finished roof.
The first is how many containers. Roofing a single container gives you a modest lean-to style cover along one side. Spanning between two containers gives you a much larger clear covered area in the middle, which is what most businesses actually want.
The second is where the roof mounts. An inside mount covers only the gap between the containers. An outside mount extends the roof over the full width, including the tops of the containers, keeping them dry and adding covered space above. Which suits you depends on whether you need to keep the container tops dry and how much total cover you want.
Steel or fabric roof?
Steel roofs are rigid and tough. Fabric roofs, using heavy duty PVC coated material over a steel frame, are lighter, let in more natural light and are quick to install and re-sheet later. Both work well when engineered properly. For most container canopy spans in the UK, a quality fabric roof on a steel frame gives the best balance of strength, cost and light.
Which option is right for you?
If it is a quick, temporary, low value cover, a DIY setup may do. If you want a solid structure and are confident about specifying and installing a kit correctly for your site, a steel kit is a middle route. If it is a commercial site, the roof matters, or you want it to last without hassle, an engineered and installed container canopy is the option that pays off.
If you are still weighing a roofed container setup against putting up a permanent building, our guide to container shelters vs permanent storage compares the two on cost, speed and flexibility.
The single most important thing, whichever route you take, is that the roof is rated for UK wind loading. That is where cheap covers fail. You can see how Eurodome engineers and installs container canopies built for exactly that.
Get a container roof that lasts
Eurodome has designed, manufactured and installed covered structures across the UK for more than 40 years, with over 180 installations behind us. We engineer each container canopy around your containers, your span and your site's exposure, so it stands up to whatever the weather throws at it.
Tell us about your containers and what you need to cover, and we will design the right roof and give you a proper quote. Call us on 01786 388 116 or request a quote to get started.
Frequently asked questions
Can you put a roof between two shipping containers?
Yes, and it is the most popular way to use them. The two containers act as the walls and supports, and a roof spans the gap to create a wide, clear covered area. It is the basis of every container canopy.
Do I need a foundation for a container roof?
Usually not. Because the roof mounts to the containers rather than the ground, the containers themselves act as the foundation. They do need to be level, square and correctly spaced first.
What is the difference between an inside and outside mount?
An inside mount covers only the space between the containers. An outside mount extends over the full width including the container tops, keeping them dry and adding covered space above.
Will a container roof survive UK weather?
Only if it is engineered for it. Wind loading is the main risk, especially on exposed sites. A properly designed and installed canopy handles UK conditions comfortably; a cheap unrated cover often will not.
Can I roof just one container?
Yes. A single container roof gives you a lean-to style cover along one side. Spanning between two containers gives you a much larger covered area, which is what most businesses choose.