To Block or Not To Block—Container Blocking in Detail
That is the question. You know you are getting a container, but now come the details. Should you put your container on blocking or put it flat on the ground? There are pros and cons to both options. Today we will look at both.
To Block Container blocking can be helpful in situations where you have uneven ground or it is a low-lying area that can be in a puddle after rains. Blocking will even out a container to make it more level. Also, if you plan on loading the container with partial, heavy loads, occasionally that can make your container tweak a little bit. It does not take much of that to make it tough to open the doors. One bonus of blocking is that if this happens, you can put a car jack under one corner and reposition the blocking to make the doors open more easily.
This container was put on blocking
These containers were being filled with heavy equipment, so not blocking was easier
Not To Block Choosing not to block might be a good option if you are going to be rolling things in and out of the container, or if you have a nice, paved, flat area for your container like a parking lot. If you plan on rolling pallets into the container or have multiple people going in and out of the container often, you may want to hold off on blocking just to keep them as low to the ground as possible. However, remember that all containers have about 6” of flooring, so if you are rolling items into your container, you will need a ramp to get them in there.
How to Block If you decide blocking is the way to go, we recommend using 6" x 6" blocks. Generally you can get these at lumber yards in 8' lengths. Have them cut the 8' length into four 2' long sections. If you are blocking a 20' container, that should be enough. If you are blocking a 40' container, you might want two of them. We also recommend railroad ties. We do not recommend cinder blocks since they will disintegrate quickly. When your container is delivered, be sure to have your blocking handy for the driver to put under your container.
Additionally, if you plan on putting your container on pylons, remember that tiltbed trucks cannot deliver onto them. Tiltbed trucks have to drive into the spot where the container will go and the container comes off the back of the truck.
Do you have a container? Did you block it? Do you have any tips to share?