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philthehippy t1_j69yd7h wrote

Depending on what you plan to store do you need ventilation? I had a shipping container at work that I used to store stock (heating fans in cardboard outers) over winter and all I did was sheet the roof with a marine ply board and then tarp the roof. I overlapped the tarp so it sat over the roof onto the upper walls (sides and rear) and added a trim to cover the tarp. I used that shipping container for 12 years and replaced the tarp once in that time. And never had so much as drop of water even in heavy rain.

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nivenhuh OP t1_j6b8bht wrote

I’m thinking I do need the vents. I live in a desert where the UV heats the interior of the container significantly. (Above 130f).

I’ll be storing electronics and furniture in there and don’t want them subjected to moisture or high heat.

The exterior plywood is a good idea. Kind of like making a miniature roof for the roof of the container?

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philthehippy t1_j6ba8gn wrote

Oh wow then my tarp idea is definitely not a good idea. That would make it worse in fact.

You'll definitely need ventilation with those temps. I'm no expert on vents, sorry.

On the roof though, someone else mentioned about automotive caulk and that's a great idea as it functions metal to metal. Most roofing caulk doesn't bond well like that. So that's a good suggestion. You preferably do want to cover the roof so that water does not sit in the gullies as that will be a problem down the line. Marine ply will work but in that heat I'd seal it with a heat resistant roof covering, and if you are DIY handy I'd pitch it to one side to create a run off. But be careful that you don't inadvertently drain water down the outside as that will again cause you problems later on so overhanging any roof would be preferable.

Edit: using a heat resistant roof felt would negate the need for marine ply. That's 4 times more expensive than traditional ply.

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nivenhuh OP t1_j6bbz6g wrote

Yeah, I’m already seeing signs of rusting from past rain. Thanks for the suggestions!

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