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Compressed Sofa
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Compressed Sofa Container Loading Calculator
A 40HQ container holds about 76 m³ of internal volume — enough for roughly 3–4 times more compressed sofas than uncompressed ones. Enter your packed carton dimensions below to calculate exactly how many sofas fit in a 20GP, 40GP or 40HQ container, with a practical loading efficiency of 82–85%.
1. Container internal dimensions (industry standard)
| Container | Length (m) | Width (m) | Height (m) | Volume (m³) | Payload (kg) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20GP | 5.90 | 2.35 | 2.39 | ≈ 33.2 | ≈ 28,200 |
| 40GP | 12.03 | 2.35 | 2.39 | ≈ 67.6 | ≈ 26,600 |
| 40HQ | 12.03 | 2.35 | 2.69 | ≈ 76.3 | ≈ 26,500 |
Never plan at 100% utilisation. Cartons cannot fill every corner and stacking patterns leave gaps — a loading efficiency of 82–85% is the realistic planning figure. At 100% you risk a rejected load at the port.
2. Compressed vs. uncompressed: the volume story
Vacuum compression removes up to 75% of the air volume from each sofa. A 3-seat sofa that ships flat in a compact carton occupies a fraction of the space of the same sofa shipped fully assembled. The practical effect:
- A 40HQ carries roughly 3–4× more compressed sofas than uncompressed ones
- Sea-freight cost per unit drops by the same factor
- Warehouse footprint per unit shrinks, speeding replenishment for retail chains
3. Interactive calculator
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cartons per container (estimated)
Estimate based on carton volume only. Weight check: ensure total payload stays under the container limit. Your supplier's loading plan should confirm the final figure per model.
4. Worked example
A 3-seat compressed sofa in a packed carton of 110 × 75 × 55 cm = 0.454 m³. With a 40HQ at 84% efficiency: 76.3 × 0.84 ÷ 0.454 ≈ 141 cartons. The same sofa shipped uncompressed (roughly 200 × 95 × 85 cm = 1.615 m³) fits about 40 units — the compressed carton carries 3.5× more units per container.
Frequently asked questions
How many compressed sofas fit in a 40ft container?
A 40HQ container has an internal volume of about 76 m³ (12.03 × 2.35 × 2.69 m). With practical loading efficiency of 82–85%, you can fit roughly 3–4 times more compressed sofas than uncompressed ones — typically 80–120 compact 3-seat sofa cartons per 40HQ depending on carton dimensions.
What is the internal size of a 40HQ container?
Standard 40HQ internal dimensions are approximately 12.03 m long × 2.35 m wide × 2.69 m high, with a usable internal volume of about 76.3 m³ and a payload of roughly 26,500 kg.
Why does vacuum compression increase container capacity?
Vacuum compression removes up to 75% of the air volume from each sofa. More units fit per cubic metre, which lowers the sea-freight cost per unit and the warehouse footprint per unit — the core economics of the compressed-sofa model.
How do I calculate how many sofas fit in a container?
Measure the packed carton dimensions (L × W × H) of one sofa, multiply to get the carton volume, then divide the container's usable volume (40HQ ≈ 76 m³ × 0.82–0.85 loading efficiency) by the carton volume. Use the calculator on this page for the exact figure.
What loading efficiency should I use?
A practical loading efficiency of 82–85% is standard because cartons cannot fill every corner perfectly and stacking patterns leave small gaps. Never plan at 100% utilisation — you risk a rejected load at the port.
Can compressed and regular sofas be mixed in one container?
Yes, but it is inefficient: an uncompressed sofa consumes 3–4 times the volume of a compressed one. Most importers order an all-compressed container for the best landed cost, or split by collection into separate containers.
Need a confirmed loading plan for your models?
Send your model list and carton sizes — we'll provide the exact per-container loading plan and freight estimate.
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