Size guide
Dumpster Sizes and Which One You Need
A 15-yard fits most garage cleanouts. A 20-yard fits most kitchens and single-layer roofs. Concrete and dirt need a 10-yard. Compare all five sizes below, or answer three questions and the picker suggests one.
(945) 293-7445Tap to call dispatch
- Sizes
- 10, 15, 20, 30 yd
- Width
- 7.5–8 ft
- Weight
- 2–5 tons incl.
- Rental
- 7 days incl.
- Overage
- $75/ton
Dumpster sizes compared
Our five roll-off dumpsters are 7.5 to 8 ft wide. They differ in length and wall height. The 20, 30 and 40-yard share a 22-ft length, so the bigger sizes need no more driveway than a 20-yard. They have taller walls: 4, 6 and 8 ft.
| Size | Outside L × W × H | Pickup loads* | Weight included | Rental | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10-yard | 12 × 8 × 3.5 ft | about 3–5 | 2 tons (4,000 lb) | 7 days | Concrete, dirt, brick or a small bathroom remodel |
| 15-yard | 16 × 7.5 × 4.5 ft | about 5–7 | 2.5 tons (5,000 lb) | 7 days | Garage cleanouts and small roof replacements |
| 20-yard | 22 × 8 × 4 ft | about 7–10 | 3 tons (6,000 lb) | 7 days | Whole-house decluttering or a kitchen remodel |
| 30-yard | 22 × 8 × 6 ft | about 10–15 | 4 tons (8,000 lb) | 7 days | Large construction sites or home additions |
| 40-yard | 22 × 7.5 × 8 ft | about 12–16 | 5 tons (10,000 lb) | 7 days | Major demolition, new construction and large commercial projects |
*Pickup loads assume an 8-ft truck bed loaded level, about 2 to 3 cubic yards each. Every size includes delivery, pickup and 7 days. Extra weight is $75 per ton, billed by the pound from the landfill scale ticket. How weight is billed.
Find your size in three questions
Answer three questions about your project, the amount of debris and its weight. The picker suggests a starting size from our five roll-off dumpsters: 10, 15, 20, 30 or 40-yard. It follows the same sizing rules our dispatchers use, and those rules are written out in plain text under the form.
How the picker decides
- Concrete, dirt, brick or sand: a 10-yard, or a 15-yard for large jobs, loaded halfway.
- Cleanouts: 10-yard for one room, 15-yard for a garage, 20-yard for a whole house.
- Roofs: 15-yard up to about 20 squares, 20-yard up to about 28 squares, 30-yard for larger roofs (shingles fill weight long before a 40-yard fills up). These figures assume one layer of shingles at about 210 lb per square.
- Remodels: 10-yard for a bathroom, 20-yard for a kitchen, 30-yard for several rooms.
- Construction: 20-yard for small jobs, 30-yard for additions, 40-yard for new builds and major demolition.
What size dumpster do I need for my project?
Pick the dumpster by project, then check the weight. Most garage cleanouts fit a 15-yard. Most kitchen remodels and single-layer roofs up to about 28 squares fit a 20-yard. Additions need a 30-yard, and new builds a 40-yard. Heavy debris goes in a 10 or 15-yard.
| Project | Usual size | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Bathroom gut (one room) | 10-yard | Tile and plaster are heavy. Watch the 2-ton limit. |
| Two-car garage cleanout | 15-yard | Bulky but light. Break down furniture to fit more. |
| Roof, up to about 20 squares, one layer | 15-yard | About 4,200 lb of shingles at 210 lb per square. |
| Roof, about 21–28 squares, one layer | 20-yard | Up to about 5,900 lb, under the 3-ton limit. |
| Kitchen remodel | 20-yard | Cabinets, counters, drywall and flooring. |
| Whole-house cleanout or estate | 20 or 30-yard | Pick the 30-yard for 4+ bedrooms. |
| Room addition | 30-yard | Framing scrap, packaging and drywall offcuts. |
| New construction or major demolition | 40-yard | About 12–16 pickup loads, 5 tons included. |
| Concrete patio, driveway or dirt | 10 or 15-yard | Loaded only halfway. Clean loads get clean-fill pricing. |
Typical sizing. Your actual debris may differ. Call and we will size it with you.
Should I round up or down?
Round up when you are between two sizes. A dumpster that's too small means a second haul, billed as a new rental. A bigger dumpster usually costs less than that second trip. Weight is the exception: a bigger bin doesn't raise the weight limit enough for concrete or dirt.
Heavy material is limited to the 10 and 15-yard, filled halfway, because a full load would exceed legal road weight. Texas caps a loaded truck at 80,000 lb gross (Transp. Code §621.101). Read how dumpster weight is billed before you load shingles, tile or plaster.
How many pickup truck loads fit in each dumpster?
A 10-yard dumpster holds about 3 to 5 pickup truck loads. A 15-yard holds about 5 to 7, a 20-yard about 7 to 10, a 30-yard about 10 to 15, and a 40-yard about 12 to 16. That assumes an 8-ft bed loaded level, which holds about 2 to 3 cubic yards.
Typical estimate. Stacking above the bed rails changes it.
Dumpster size questions
What's the difference between a 20 and a 30-yard dumpster?
Both are 22 ft long and 8 ft wide. The 30-yard has 6-ft walls, the 20-yard 4-ft walls. The 30-yard includes 4 tons, the 20-yard 3 tons.
What is the smallest dumpster you rent?
The 10-yard is our smallest: 12 ft long, 8 ft wide, 3.5 ft high, with 2 tons included. It fits a bathroom gut or a load of concrete or dirt loaded halfway.
Can a 30-yard dumpster take concrete?
Concrete, dirt, brick and sand go only in our 10 and 15-yard dumpsters, loaded halfway. A 30-yard full of concrete would be far over legal road weight.
Do bigger dumpsters need more driveway?
The 20, 30 and 40-yard all need a 22-ft-long spot. The 10-yard needs 12 ft and the 15-yard 16 ft. The truck needs room to back straight in.
What is a yard in dumpster sizes?
A yard is one cubic yard: 3 ft by 3 ft by 3 ft, or 27 cubic feet. A 20-yard dumpster holds about 20 cubic yards of debris loaded level with the top rim.
Not sure about the size?
Describe the job on the phone. We'll size it and confirm it before dispatch, so the right bin arrives.
(945) 293-7445Tap to call