Shipping Container Repairs – Don’t Weld It, Fix It – A Quick Patch Hardens In Sunlight

I have sold shipping containers for several years and I sell them because I like them. I like the recycling aspect, I like the subsidized cost of them, subsidized because of the large number of containers that are needed in the shipping industry. And I like the modern shape of the symmetrical cube, a container house can be a beautiful thing but…

There are some serious problems to overcome if you are going to use a seacan for any of numerous practical uses. Yes, a container provides instant storage at a low cost. A shipping container can be easily modified as an office, workshop or cabin. Pushed to the limit, they are used as exhibition centers, hotels and, of course, homes. As long as they are primed, painted, sealed and raised, it can hold the rust. But that’s a lot of effort if you bought a rusty old sea boat and need easy storage without insulation. Usually storage of vehicles, materials or equipment.

So in the old days you either painted it or hired a welder every season or two. Now there are foldable fiberglass-reinforced polyester patches that harden under UV light and are ready to sand, drill or paint in an hour. Yes, that’s just sunlight! The patches even stick to rusty surfaces, the patches are waterproof and resistant to extreme temperatures, extreme heat and cold.

If you’re working with UV Quick patches indoors, UV light can be a problem, but UV flashlights are available for around $20 available at hardware stores. Though for shipping container repairs you’re probably working on the outside of the seacan anyway.

In my experience, identifying a container leak is as simple as entering the container in daylight, closing the doors and looking for light. Once a hole is identified, locate it on the outside of the can and remove the flexible patch from the silver foil and apply over the hole. You can cut and mold the patch to shape. Stick the patch to the steel with pressure. Keep applying pressure over the entire patch area for a minute or two and you’re good to go. I use my thumbs to press down on the patch. It’s best to apply the patch to a clean, dry area, so take a cloth with you. A wire brush if you have some surface rust or a grinder with a wire brush attachment for more serious rust problems.

The patch will be rock hard in half an hour on a cloudy day. 15 minutes on a sunny day. You have about 3 minutes to apply the patch from the time you open the foil packet. After an hour, you can sand and paint the patch. Or drill a hole and hang a shelf. It really is a solid bond.

I have already repaired a dozen dumpsters using this method over the past 6 months and now that the rain and snow have arrived, inspections of my dumpsters have shown that this product really works well.