Before you buy — or plan what will fit inside — you need the real numbers. This chart covers exterior and interior dimensions, door openings, and capacity for the standard shipping container sizes. Figures are industry-standard; minor variation exists between manufacturers, so treat these as reliable planning numbers.
Standard Exterior Dimensions
- 10ft: 10′ L × 8′ W × 8′6″ H
- 20ft: 20′ L × 8′ W × 8′6″ H
- 40ft: 40′ L × 8′ W × 8′6″ H
- 40ft High Cube: 40′ L × 8′ W × 9′6″ H (a full foot taller)
Approximate Interior Dimensions
Interior space is slightly smaller than exterior due to wall thickness (about 3–4 inches all around):
- 10ft: ~9′3″ L × 7′8″ W × 7′10″ H
- 20ft: ~19′4″ L × 7′8″ W × 7′10″ H
- 40ft: ~39′5″ L × 7′8″ W × 7′10″ H
- 40ft High Cube: ~39′5″ L × 7′8″ W × 8′10″ H
Door Opening Sizes
The cargo doors are slightly narrower and shorter than the interior — critical when loading wide or tall items:
- Standard height: ~7′8″ wide × 7′6″ high
- High Cube: ~7′8″ wide × 8′6″ high
Floor Area & Capacity
- 10ft: ~75 sq ft · ~560 cu ft
- 20ft: ~160 sq ft · ~1,170 cu ft
- 40ft: ~320 sq ft · ~2,390 cu ft
- 40ft High Cube: ~320 sq ft · ~2,690 cu ft
Typical Weights
An empty 20ft container weighs roughly 5,000 lbs and a 40ft around 8,000 lbs — important for delivery planning and ground bearing. Your prepared pad and the delivery route both need to support that load. See our site prep guide.
Which Size Should You Choose?
Use these numbers alongside our 20ft vs. 40ft comparison to match capacity to your needs. If you are storing tall items or planning a conversion, the extra foot in a High Cube is well worth it.
Ready to put these dimensions to use? Browse units by exact size in the Atlas container shop, or ask our team to confirm specs for a specific model before you order.