Hey everyone! If you’ve been following our Container House supplies, you know we’re obsessed with turning those steel shipping containers into actual homes—not just fun tiny structures, but spaces that work for real life. And let’s be honest: no home is complete without a kitchen. A lot of people reach out and ask, “Wait, how do you even put a kitchen in a container house? It’s a steel box, not a stick-built home.” Fair question, and honestly, it’s way more doable than you think—plus, we’ve done this enough times to know exactly what works (and what to avoid). As someone who’s been with our Container House team for three years now, I’ve helped walk so many clients through this process, so I’m spilling the tea here today. Container House
First off, let’s get one thing straight: container kitchens aren’t just mini kitchens crammed into the corner. They’re functional, safe, and actually way easier to customize than a regular home kitchen if you plan right. I’ve seen people try to wing this (yes, that’s a word we use in the office) and end up with a disaster: a stove that won’t vent, cabinets that don’t fit, or outlets that get fried by steel walls. Don’t be that person. Let’s break this down step by step, like we would with every client that orders a custom unit from us.
Step 1: Start with the Right Container (No, All Containers Aren’t The Same)
Here’s a mistake a lot of first-timers make: grabbing the cheapest used container off a random yard and thinking they can just gut it and add a kitchen. Nah, not all containers are created equal. Our team always recommends a new or one-trip 20ft or 40ft standard container for kitchens. Wait, 20ft? Is that enough space? Let’s see: a 20ft container (that’s about 6m long) gives you roughly 180 sq ft of space for a kitchen, which is perfect for a compact kitchen with a stove, fridge, sink, and some counter space. If you want a bigger kitchen, go 40ft (12m) and you can even add a small dining nook—no problem.
Why new or one-trip? Used containers might have rust on the walls, which will mess with electrical and plumbing down the line. Also, we always make sure to get containers with straight, unmodified walls—no pre-cut holes from previous uses, because we need to cut our own for plumbing, electrical, and venting. When you order a Container House from us, we’ll even pre-mark the container for kitchen rough-ins if you tell us you want a kitchen upfront. That saves so much time later.
Step 2: Plan the Layout Like Your Life Depends On It (Because It Kind Of Does)
Layout is make-or-break for a container kitchen. Steel walls are rigid, so once you cut a hole, you can’t move it—unlike a stick-built wall where you can just re-drywall. Our go-to layout is the “L-shape” for 20ft containers and the “U-shape” for 40ft. Wait, let’s make that relatable: imagine standing in the middle of your kitchen. For a small 20ft container, you’ll put the sink on one side wall, the stove on the adjacent wall, and the fridge on the end wall. That way, all your traffic is in the middle, not crisscrossing. No one wants to bump into someone while grabbing a glass of water or stirring pasta—trust me, I’ve seen it.
For a 40ft unit, we usually do a U-shape: sink on one long wall, stove on the other long wall, fridge and pantry on the back wall. Leaves the middle wide open, maybe a small table for breakfast. Pro tip we give every client: leave at least 30 inches of counter space between the sink and stove. No one wants to balance a cutting board between two hot surfaces. Also, don’t forget to account for doors! If your container has a side door (which most Container Houses do), don’t block it with the kitchen setup. I once had a client who put their fridge right by the door, and now they can barely open the fridge without bumping the door shut. Oops.
Step 3: Plumbing That Actually Works (No Leaks, Please)
Plumbing is the part that freaks most people out, but if you plan it right, it’s straightforward. First, you have to cut holes in the container’s floor and wall for water lines and drains. Here’s the rule: always run lines through the floor first if you can, because running them through the steel walls can cause corrosion over time. Wait, but what about venting for the sink’s drain? Don’t skip the vent! If you don’t have a vent, your sink will gurgle like a weird haunted house drain, and that’s not cute.
If you’re hooking up to city water, we’ll make sure to install a pressure regulator—container walls are steel, which can handle pressure, but you don’t want a burst pipe. For wastewater, a lot of our clients are off-grid, so we’ll add a septic tank connection or a greywater system (we’ll tell you how to recycle sink water for plants—super eco). One thing to never do: run plumbing lines along the bottom of the container’s side walls, because that’s where condensation can build up and rust the wall from the inside. We learned that the hard way on our first client container—fixed it, never made that mistake again.
Step 4: Electrical That Doesn’t Shock (Literally)
Electrical is where safety comes in, and we never cut corners here. Container walls are steel, which is a conductor, so you have to use non-metallic electrical conduit for all wiring. If you run regular wires along steel walls, you’ll get shocks (or worse) and cause fires. Trust me, our electricians go through this every time we build a custom Container House.
What do you need for a kitchen? Let’s list the must-haves: a 240V circuit for the stove (super important—regular 120V won’t power a range or oven), dedicated outlets for the fridge, microwave, and any small appliances, and GFCI outlets near the sink and stove (those are the ones that shut off if they get wet, so no electrocutions). Also, don’t forget lighting! Container roofs are usually metal, so LED recessed lights work great—they’re bright, use little power, and don’t take up counter space. We always add under-cabinet lighting too, because let’s be real, standing over a stove at night without light is a disaster.
Another pro tip: if you’re going solar (which a lot of our clients do for container houses), size the inverter and battery bank for your kitchen’s power needs. A fridge uses about 150 kWh a month, a stove uses a lot more, so don’t skimp on solar panels. We help every client with that when they order a custom unit—no one wants their microwave dying mid-pop because their battery is dead.
Step 5: Cabinets and Counter Space That Fit (No Forcing It)
Cabinets for container kitchens—don’t buy regular stick-built cabinets. They’re made for 8ft wide walls, not 9ft (wait, standard container interior width is 8ft, 6 inches—close, but not the same). Also, regular cabinets are too deep (24 inches) for container walls, which are only 8ft 6 inches wide—so you’ll have a narrow walkway if you do that. We use custom-fabricated cabinets that are 12-18 inches deep, designed specifically for container interiors. We can build them right at our factory, so when you get your Container House, the cabinets are pre-installed, perfectly sized, and no gaps between the cabinet and steel wall.
Countertops: laminate works great, but if you want something more durable, quartz or concrete. Avoid natural stone like granite—it’s heavy, and while steel containers can handle weight, it’s unnecessary. Also, make sure the countertop is level—steel floors aren’t always perfectly flat (especially used ones), so we shim under the countertop to keep it even. No one wants coffee spilling because their counter is sloped.
Step 6: Venting That Gets Rid of Grease (No Stinky Kitchens)
Grease is the worst in small spaces, so venting is non-negotiable. For a gas stove, you need a range hood that vents outside the container—don’t just recirculate air, because that will leave grease all over the steel walls and make your kitchen smell like fried chicken 24/7. For electric stoves, a range hood is still a good idea, but maybe a recirculating one works if you don’t do a lot of greasy cooking.
Wait, but how do you vent through a steel wall? You cut a hole, install a vent pipe with a rust-proof cap (super important—rain can get in if you don’t cap it), and seal the edge with silicone caulk. Our team uses food-grade silicone for kitchen areas, because regular silicone can off-gas. We also make sure the vent is high enough so no one hits their head on it—we’ve put vents too low before, ouch.
What We Skip (Because We’ve Tried It)
Let’s be real, we’ve made mistakes, so here’s what you shouldn’t do: don’t build a kitchen that takes up the entire container (leave space for a fridge—duh, but I’ve seen it), don’t use used appliances that are already rusty, don’t skip adding insulation to the walls and ceiling (steel gets hot in summer, cold in winter—insulate like you would in a regular home), and don’t forget to add a fire extinguisher and a carbon monoxide detector. Those are non-negotiable safety items.
Why Container House Kitchens Are Actually Better Than Stick-Built Ones
Wait, you might be thinking, “This sounds like a lot of work.” But here’s the thing: container kitchens are customizable, way more affordable than a stick-built kitchen of the same size, and they’re portable. If you ever move your Container House (which is super easy to do with a flatbed), you can take your entire kitchen with you—no demo needed. Also, the steel structure is super sturdy, so your kitchen won’t shift or crack like cabinets in a wooden home if you ever need to move the unit.
Let’s Wrap This Up
Adding a kitchen to a Container House isn’t rocket science, but it does take planning—and that’s where our team at Container House comes in. We’ve done over 200 custom container kitchens in the last two years, so we know exactly how to make it safe, functional, and perfect for your needs. Whether you want a tiny 20ft kitchen for a vacation home, a 40ft kitchen for a tiny house, or something in between, we can help.
Space Capsule If you’re ready to chat about designing your own container kitchen, just reach out to our team for a consultation. We’ll walk you through container size options, layout, plumbing and electrical plans, and even help you pick out appliances. No pressure, just real talk about making a kitchen that works for you.
References
- International Code Council. International Residential Code (IRC) for Small Dwellings. 2021.
- Container Home Association. Guide to Structural Modifications for Shipping Container Homes. 2022.
- National Fire Protection Association. NFPA 70: National Electrical Code. 2023.
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Greywater Systems for Residential Use. 2021.
Aoborui Seiko Technology (Weifang) Co., Ltd.
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