Containers & Steel
Shipping container painting
Most Valuable Painters repaints shipping containers across Metro Vancouver and the Fraser Valley. We wash and prep the steel, deal with any rust before colour goes on, prime, and spray the finish in the colours you want, including two-tone layouts. Quotes are free, and a few photos by text is usually enough to get started.
What a container repaint involves
A container is a steel box that lives outside in the rain, so the paint job is only as good as the prep under it. This is how we run one.
- 1
Look it over
We check the rust, the dents, the old paint and any stickers or markings that need to come off, then give you a written quote. Free.
- 2
Wash and prep
Dirt, grime and chalky old paint come off first. Loose and flaking paint gets taken back so the new coat has something solid to hold on to.
- 3
Deal with the rust
Rust spots are taken back to sound metal, treated and primed before any colour goes on. Paint rolled straight over rust just hides it for a season.
- 4
Mask and lay out
For two colours or a diagonal, the lines get taped out first so the edges come out crisp across every rib of the corrugation.
- 5
Spray the finish
We spray it, which gets paint properly into the grooves of the corrugated walls. Then we walk around it with you before we leave.
Why the rust gets dealt with first
Rust does not stop under new paint. It keeps spreading underneath and lifts the new coat off from below, which is why a quick cover-up on a rusty container often looks worse a year later than it did before. Taking it back to clean steel and priming it is the part that makes the new colour last. We do the same work on a much bigger scale on buildings, see structural steel rust removal and recoating.
Container jobs from our crew
Real photos from our own jobs, no stock images. This first one started out a faded green and finished navy, bright blue and white.
A second container, finished white with a blue diagonal and blue doors, and the crew spraying another one white.
What we need from you to quote it
The quickest way is to text us a photo of each side. After that it helps to know the size of the container, where it sits and whether there is room to work all the way around it, and the colours or layout you have in mind. If it has a rough spot, send a close-up of that too. It usually tells us more than a description does.
Get your container looked at
Free quote, written scope, and a date. Monday to Saturday, 7:00am – 7:00pm.
Container painting questions
Can you paint over a rusty container?
Not straight over the rust. Loose rust and flaking paint come off first, the bare spots are treated and primed, and then the colour goes on. Painting over rust just hides it for a season, and we would rather tell you that up front than come back to it.
Can you do two colours or a diagonal design?
Yes. The containers on this page are two-tone with a diagonal. The layout gets taped out before we spray, so the line stays sharp across the ribs of the steel.
How much does it cost to paint a shipping container?
It depends on the size, how much rust and old paint there is, and how many colours you want. Text us a photo of each side and we will give you a free written quote.
What areas do you cover?
We cover the Lower Mainland and the Fraser Valley, including Surrey, Vancouver, Burnaby, Richmond, Langley, Delta, Coquitlam, New Westminster, Abbotsford and Maple Ridge. If you are a bit further out, call and ask.