At a mile inland you are probably near the outer edge of sea air causing corrosion. Get as new of a container as you can find. Paint as needed. Should outlast you.

I think over time you will have greater problems with corrosion that effects the paint, I don't think you could have corrosion that will cause a penetration, except maybe on the roof. I would guess the metal is close to 11 gauge (just a wag), It would still take a long time but under costal conditions I could see the roof as being the weak point. I haven't seen one that doesn't have dings in the roof, and the roof has welded seams, places for storm whipped salty water to pool. It would still take time...20,25 years maybe to develop a leak on the roof(another wag), if near the coast.
On the coast and a mile in is still the coast to me, I would at the very least if I was thinking long term, wire brush the dinged up areas of the roof and pour tar into the dings and depressions. You can buy it in 15 or 20 liter pails, one pail is plenty, though the best way is to put a real roof on it with a 2 foot overhang on each side ( I was thinking of doing this to mine) that two foot overhang (each side)will increase the usefullness of the container big time, wood can be stacked up against the container for storage and a rain proof area for drying, your Kayaks, canoes and such can also be stored under the overhang, hooks can be welded directly to the steel and bikes and such can be lifted and set on the hooks under the overhang out of the weather....

I have been thinking of tar sealing the roof of mine. Heck, I have even been thinking of growing grass on the roof after tar sealing it to stop the summer heat.

C5 rule of Survival- The world is held together by paint.

I noticed many shipping containers used as buildings and businesses in Jamaica. Mega Rust. Any metal thing we own has a short life the moment a chip in the paint lets nature in. You have heard it said, Rust never sleeps.

I love rust. It is the finger of God painting over mans vanity, stripping it away, reminding us that all our works are temporary and meaningless (Ecclesiastes) and striving to hold the wind.
When I am feeling less religious...I Paint Everything to keep God the fuck out as long as possible. Damned do gooder :ugeek:

I love rust. It is the finger of God painting over mans vanity, stripping it away, reminding us that all our works are temporary and meaningless (Ecclesiastes) and striving to hold the wind.
When I am feeling less religious...I Paint Everything to keep God the fuck out as long as possible. Damned do gooder :ugeek:

😆 😆 😆

Fifteen to twenty years works for me. I will check the structure for dings when it arrives, get it level, and have my wicked way with some marine paint and tar.

Thanks,

We have a used one that we got 6 years ago. We're near the Bay of Fundy. We didn't paint it yet. No major rust problems. Few spots. Wouldn't worry about it too much. Just keep an eye on it and paint as needed.

The container ships tomorrow for Halifax. Should take a week to arrive and I will fly out to meet it; followed by several weeks of interior construction.
It took a long time to fill and I am surprised at the amount of space afforded by a 40' can. I will likely partition it off once it becomes semi-permanent storage.

A.