Everything You Need to Know Before Installing Doors and Windows in a Mobile Office Unit

Need to know! Before installing doors and windows in a mobile office unit

Installing doors and windows in a mobile office unit, container office, office unit or knock-down house is not just a matter of cutting openings to add light or air. It is a decision that affects your Structural Integrity, Comfort and overall Cost.

CONTAINERTOBUILD sums up the 4 most important things to know so that your installation turns out as perfectly as possible.

1. Installation position: don't touch the “main structure” without advice!

This is the number one mistake beginners may overlook:

• Avoid post and beam lines: a container unit, container office, office unit or knock-down house has main posts (Corner Posts) and top/bottom beams (Rails) that are vital for carrying loads and compressive forces when units are stacked.
  • Remember: cutting or drilling openings too close to the post/beam lines will severely reduce the unit's load-bearing strength (Stacking Strength).
• Reinforcement (Framing is Key): when cutting an opening for a door or window, whether small or large, reinforcing steel framing (Steel Framing) must be welded firmly around the opening to transfer the load to the rest of the structure and to prevent the walls from twisting or cracking later.
• Advice from CTB: tell us the positions you want at the design stage so that we can calculate the steel reinforcement to engineering standards before production.

2. Type of opening: choose correctly for “temperature” and “function”

The type of doors and windows you choose directly affects the environment inside the unit:

Door and window types

Sliding

Advantages (suited to): space-saving inside and outside, suitable for units installed close together or with narrow walkways

Points to watch may leak if not installed level, and does not insulate against sound as well as hinged types

Hinged (Casement/Awning)

Advantages: best protection against water, sound and heat, thanks to tight rubber seals all round

Points to watch needs enough clear space outside to open and close

Solid steel door (Steel Door)

Points to watch heavy, and may conduct more heat into the unit. Focus on thermal insulation (Thermal Break): for office units, container offices, office units or knock-down houses in Thailand's hot climate, you should choose materials with thermal-break aluminium frames or use UPVC/vinyl frames to reduce heat transfer from outside to inside, which helps the air conditioner work less.

3. Preventing water leaks: the arch-enemy of office units

Water leaks are a never-ending problem if installation is not done correctly from the start:

• Install ‘flashing’ (Flashing): fitting a joint-covering strip (Flashing) above the top edge of the window is essential to direct rainwater so that it does not seep straight into the edge of the frame.
• Use high-quality sealant: use a silicone sealant (Silicone Sealant) that resists UV and high heat to seal the joints between the frame and the unit structure as tightly as possible. Never use low-grade silicone, because it will crack and peel off after only a short time in the sun.
• Check drainage: make sure the drainage holes (Weep Holes) at the bottom edge of sliding windows are not blocked.

4. Safety standards and long-term use

Safety glass (Tempered Glass): use safety glass or laminated glass for large windows or in areas at risk of impact, to maximise safety for staff.

Window grilles or protective bars: if the unit is used as worker accommodation or stands in a high-risk area, consider installing additional window grilles or protective mesh to prevent intrusion without affecting the main structural reinforcement.

CONTAINERTOBUILD doesn't just build office units, container offices, office units or knock-down houses — we build confidence! Every door and window installation on our office units is controlled by engineering standards, so that you get a unit with good looks, durability and maximum safety. For our standard units we have chosen TOSTEM, and TOSTEM has risen to become a leading Japanese brand of residential building products, because TOSTEM truly understands what users need.

Talk to us today about the perfect design for your office unit!

About SBT Worldwide Product
SBT Worldwide Product is one of Thailand's major manufacturers and distributors of container units, knock-down houses and prefabricated office units, with more than 25 years of experience.

• High-quality materials, confidence in strength
• Japanese innovation
• Quality doors and windows from TOSTEM
• PU foam insulation

Our products: mobile office units, worker accommodation, toilet units, guard boxes, container coffee shops and offices, prefabricated shops

Rental services: office unit rental, container office rental, toilet unit rental, on monthly and yearly terms.

Container units remain an endlessly creative trend. When many people decide to build an office unit or a container home, what they focus on first is the design and the construction process, but there is another step that is just as important: “transport”. If you have questions about new and unusual designs, or would like to share your experience of using container units or container offices, don't hesitate to leave a comment below, and don't forget to follow our next article, which will take a deep dive and clear up your questions about container units and container offices so that you keep getting inspiration.