Standard and Custom Shipping Container Door Options

When looking to buy a shipping container, it's important to know the door options to make the best choice for your needs.

There are standard cargo doors, rollup doors or garage doors, man doors, and even custom glass or barn doors.

If you just plan to use the shipping container for storage, standard cargo doors or rollup doors may be sufficient. But if you plan to use it for a building project like a barn or a container cabin, man doors and other doors may be useful.

Discover all of the different shipping container door options and their cost below.

Standard Shipping Container Cargo Door

Standard shipping containers come with a cargo door on one end of the container. Cargo doors provide a water-resistant and rodent-proof seal to keep contents protected.

The cargo door on shipping containers features dual-hinged, weather-sealed steel construction with heavy locking bars, cam keepers, and secure gaskets. Designed for durability, it ensures tight closure, easy access, and protection against theft, harsh weather, and transportation damage.

Shipping containers with a single cargo door are the most common option. Therefore, these tend to be the most affordable containers on the market.

Shipping Container with Double Doors

Another fairly common shipping container door option is a container with cargo doors on both ends.

Containers with cargo doors on both ends offer faster, more flexible loading and unloading. They allow access from either side, reduce handling time, improve airflow for certain goods, and simplify organizing, retrieving, or dividing cargo in storage and transport operations.

Shipping containers with double doors cost about 50% more than containers with a single door.

Shipping Container With Side Doors

Next, there are shipping containers with side doors. These specialty containers have heavy duty cargo doors on one end and one full side of the container.

Containers with side cargo doors provide wide, convenient access for bulky equipment, palletized goods, and quick loading. They’re also excellent for vehicle storage, since you can easily drive in, park, and exit through the side opening without being trapped inside.

Shipping containers with side doors cost nearly twice as much as a standard container with one cargo door. The cost to add a cargo door set to the side of a container is around $5500.

Storage Container Door Modifications

Shipping containers can be modified with nearly any type of door.

Depending on the choice of door, a simple shipping container can transform into a garage, shop, shed, cabin, office, barn, bunker, and even a home.

Here are the most popular shipping container doors that we install for customers:

Shipping Container with Rollup Door

Shipping containers with rollup doors are the best selling modified containers from our fabrication shop. And some of our storage containers for rent also have rollup doors.

Containers with rollup doors provide convenient, space-saving access similar to a garage, making them ideal for frequent entry, tool storage, or retail use. They’re easier to open than cargo doors but offer less weather sealing and slightly reduced security. They're best for accessibility-focused storage, not maximum durability.

A 7-foot rollup door for shipping containers will add about $2300 to the cost of a standard container. Price discounts are available for multiple rollup doors.

Shipping Container Man Door

Another common modification is a shipping container man door.

Containers with man doors provide easy walk-in access without opening heavy cargo doors, ideal for container offices, workshops, or frequent entry storage. They improve convenience, ventilation, and energy efficiency when paired with insulation.

Adding a man door instantly transforms a container into a useful shelter. Add a window and you’ve got an instant shop, shed, office, cabin or guard shack.

A 36-inch wide steel man door installed will add about $2300 to the cost of a standard cargo container.

Storage Container Barn Door

Are you considering building a shipping container barn? A barn door is perfect for creating a loafing shed for livestock or to use as a secure steel shutter for a glass door like the image above.

Shipping containers with barn doors provide a wide, unobstructed opening, making them excellent for storing oversized equipment, vehicles, or livestock supplies. Their sliding design requires less clearance than cargo doors, offering easier access in tight spaces. However, they provide less weather sealing and security than standard doors.

A 6-foot steel barn door costs around $3400 installed on a standard container.

Sliding Glass Doors For Shipping Containers

Next, are glass doors for shipping containers which are custom modifications.

Shipping containers with sliding glass doors offer smooth, space-saving access without needing swing clearance, ideal for tight areas. Sliding glass doors create an open, modern feel. They enhance natural light and ventilation, making them perfect for studios, offices, or pool houses.

A 6-foot sliding glass door adds about $2150 to your shipping container cost. A 7-foot glass door adds about $2450.

Shipping Container Door Cost Summary

A standard shipping container with one door is the most affordable option. All other configurations and modifications come with a cost.

Below is a summary of the shipping container door cost for different options:

In addition to doors, Dry Box offers a large variety of shipping container modifications including electric wiring and lights, vents, insulation and wall paneling, HVAC, and much more.

Call today to talk to a container expert for a quote to create your perfect custom container.

Dry Box is the leading supplier of shipping containers for sale, storage container rentals, mobile office rentals, and reefer trailer rentals in the Northwest including Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, Utah, Nevada, Colorado and Wyoming.