My name is Harrie Meeusen. I have been working as an engineer at Kroftman for over six years. I am delighted to share the knowledge I have gained over these years about our storage solutions with you. At Kroftman, we have several standard sizes and attachment methods for our container shelters. Sometimes, a customer may find that these standard sizes and methods do not fit their situation. In this blog, you will learn more about the adjustments that can be made to our container shelters. I will address the following questions:

1. My containers are placed closer together, is there a narrower container shelter available?
2. My containers are spaced farther apart, is there a wider container shelter?
3. Can I get a longer or shorter container shelter?
4. How do I attach a container shelter to open side containers?
5. Can I attach a container shelter to 2 containers with a height difference?
6. Can I install a container shelter on lower containers/walls?

1. My containers are placed closer together, is there a narrower container shelter available?

At Kroftman, we offer container shelters in four different width sizes. For each width size, there is a certain distance that the containers must be apart from each other. You can see the required distance in the table below.

It is common in practice to encounter customers who do not have this space available. This could be due to a small plot size, obstacles such as a wall or tree, or because the containers have been in place for a long time and are now filled with items making them difficult to move. The solution depends on how close the containers are to each other. I make a distinction between a difference of 10 centimeters or less and a difference of more than 10 centimeters.

1.1 The containers are a maximum of 10 centimeters too close to each other
If the difference is less than 10 centimeters, it is often possible to place the container shelter on the container edges. The frame of the container shelter is quite flexible.

If you have ordered front and/or back walls for your container shelter, please note that the vertical tubes to which you attach the walls hang slightly above the ground. This is because they are attached to the frame of the container shelter (see yellow shaded tube in the diagram below). Since the containers are slightly closer together, the arcs of the frame are pushed upwards. One solution is to place something under the vertical tubes so that they rest on something. Think of a tile or a block of wood. There are two holes in the base plate with which you can attach the tubes to the ground. This allows you to pull the tubes down slightly and secure them.

1.2 The containers are more than 10 centimeters too close to each other
If the containers are more than 10 centimeters too close together, it is no longer possible to place the container shelter on the edges of the containers. In that case, the base rail of the container shelter will be further from the container edge. The container clamps from Kroftman can no longer be used to attach your container shelter. However, you can still mount the base rail on the container with bolts or by welding it to the container.

If you want to use a back wall, it is possible, although it will be too wide. You can let the tarp of the back wall hang behind the containers. A front wall is not practical in this case. The posts of the front wall construction will stand in front of the container doors and the tarp of the front wall will also hang in front of them.

I recently received a question from a customer asking if he could attach the base rail to one container in the 'normal' way and to the other container to the outer edge. The containers were apparently very close together. He wanted to attach the container shelter with our container clamps. My answer to this is very clear: this is absolutely not possible.

Below you can see, circled in white, a container clamp. Normally, this is attached to the edge of the other container in the opposite way. However, if you place the container clamp on the outer edge, the clamp will be attached in the same way. In other words, the container clamps will both face the same direction. In case of a strong gust of wind, the container shelter will blow away.

2.2 The containers are more than 10 centimeters too far apart
Unfortunately, there is no other solution than to move the containers. We do not sell wider container shelters than those listed on our website.

3. Can I get a longer or shorter container shelter?

The width of the container canopies cannot be adjusted, but the length can. If you want a longer or shorter container shelter, we can order one for you. Please note that for a longer or shorter container shelter, there is an additional lead time of at least 12 weeks. If you want to order a different length, please contact my sales colleagues. They will request a quote for you and give you an indication of the lead time.

Another option is to place two standard size container shelters behind each other. In that case, the last and first arches of the two frames are placed against each other and the tarps are pulled over them. Because the tarps overlap slightly, you prevent gaps and leakage. In this instructional video, you can see how to do this. For container shelters from 7.9 meters wide, you can also hire our installation team to assemble the container shelters.

4. How do I attach a container shelter to open side containers?

Due to the doors on the side of the container, the container edge is not suitable for placing container clamps on. My colleagues and I have spoken to several customers who encountered this problem. We have now found a solution in the form of brackets. In the image below, circled in yellow, you can see these brackets.

You place the bracket on the container edge and then weld the base rail of the container shelter onto it. This way, the doors can still be opened. If you want to place a container shelter on two open side containers, please contact my sales colleagues and ask for these brackets. They cannot be ordered on the website (at this time).

4.1 Can I use container clamps with a container edge that is too low?
I also regularly receive questions about using our container clamps with containers whose edge is lower than the required 50-80 mm height. If your container edge is lower than 50 mm, and you still want to use the container clamps, please contact us. In consultation with you, my colleagues and I can see if a filler block is an option. You can order these from Kroftman. Never mount a container clamp on a container edge lower than 50 mm without these blocks. You will not be able to mount the container shelter securely on the containers, risking it blowing away.

5. Can I attach a container shelter to 2 containers with a height difference?

Yes, if the height difference is not too great. Due to the flexible frame of the container shelter, there is some room for maneuver. Your container shelter will be slightly crooked. But if you don't mind, there are no further objections.

We hope that the above information helps you make an informed decision. If you want to know exactly what the container shelter of your choice costs, please fill in our quotation tool without obligation. At the last question, fill in your postal code and, if desired, select the option 'add installation'. You will receive a quote by email showing the installation costs and transportation costs for your container shelter at a glance. You can create multiple quotes and select different options. This way, you can compare them easily.

Do you still have questions? We are happy to help you further.