The six sizes at a glance
A dumpster's size is the volume it's rated to hold, in cubic yards. One cubic yard is a cube 3 ft on each side, 27 cubic feet. Here are ours, with the outside dimensions from our own size diagrams.
| Size | Outside L × W × H | Rated | 2 weeks | Tons included |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12 Yard Dumpster | 14 × 8 × 3 ft | 12 yd³ | $650 | 3 t |
| 15 Yard Dumpster | 14 × 8 × 4 ft | 15 yd³ | $650 | 3 t |
| 16 Yard Dumpster | 14 × 8 × 4.5 ft | 16 yd³ | $650 | 3 t |
| 20 Yard Dumpster | 14 × 8 × 6 ft | 20 yd³ | $650 | 3 t |
| 25 Yard Dumpster | 16 × 8 × 6 ft | 25 yd³ | $650 | 3 t |
| 40 Yard Dumpster | 20 × 8 × 8 ft | 40 yd³ | $825 | 5 t |
Outside dimensions are approximate. Extra days are $15 each after 14.
The outside box is bigger than the rating. Our 20-yard measures about 14 × 8 × 6 ft, which multiplies out to 24.9 cubic yards, but a roll-off has a sloped front and ribbed walls. Use the rated number, not the tape measure, when you plan.
What fits in each size
These are the jobs each size usually suits. Treat them as a starting point, then check your own volume with the dumpster size calculator.
| Size | Good for |
|---|---|
| 12-yard | Yard clean-ups; A bathroom or small kitchen tear-out; Garage clean-outs; Heavy loads — concrete, dirt, brick — to the fill line |
| 15-yard | Kitchen or bath remodels; Flooring and drywall tear-outs; Whole-house clean-outs; Roof tear-offs on smaller homes |
| 16-yard | Remodels with a little more volume; Estate and move-out clean-outs; Deck or fence removal; Roof tear-offs |
| 20-yard | Multi-room remodels; Larger roof tear-offs; Bulky clean-outs with furniture; Jobs where the bin has to stay 14' long |
| 25-yard | Whole-home remodels; Additions; Large clean-outs; Commercial tenant improvements |
| 40-yard | New construction; Major reconstruction; Large-scale demolition; Commercial clean-outs |
The 15 and 16-yard share a footprint (14 × 8 ft) and differ only in height: 4 ft against 4.5 ft. The 20 and 25 differ in length, 14 ft against 16 ft, which matters on a short driveway. From 12 to 25 yards the price and the included tons are the same, so the choice is about volume and space.
Weight vs volume: what actually decides it
Volume tells you whether it fits. Weight decides what it costs. Every 12 to 25-yard bin includes 3 tons and the 40 includes 5. Which runs out first depends on the material, and the table shows both.
| Material (lb per loose yd³) | 12-yard full | 20-yard full | 40-yard full |
|---|---|---|---|
| Household junk / mixed trash (300) | 1.8 t ($650) | 3 t ($650) | 6 t (1 over, $960) |
| Lumber / wood (framing, decking, fencing) (169) | 1 t ($650) | 1.7 t ($650) | 3.4 t ($825) |
| Drywall / gypsum board (broken) (467) | 2.8 t ($650) | 4.7 t (2 over, $920) | 9.3 t (4 over, $1,365) |
| Mixed remodel / construction debris (484) | 2.9 t ($650) | 4.8 t (2 over, $920) | 9.7 t (5 over, $1,500) |
| Asphalt shingles (composition roofing) (731) | 4.4 t (1 over, $785) | 7.3 t (4 over, $1,190) | 14.6 t (10 over, $2,175) |
Weights from the debris weight calculator: EPA 2016 for lumber, drywall, shingles and mixed C&D; the high end of EPA's 250–300 lb for household junk. Tons are rounded to the nearest ton before the $135 charge.
Shingles are heavy for their volume
A 20-yard filled with asphalt shingles is about 7.3 tons at the EPA's 731 lb per cubic yard. That's 4 tons over, $1,190 in all. Size a roof with the roofing dumpster calculator.
Concrete, dirt and brick are in a class of their own. A cubic yard of broken concrete is about 2,400 lb (City of San Diego), so they go to a 10 yd³ fill line at a flat price: $775 for clean concrete or clean dirt, $950 for the two mixed, $950 for clean brick. Heavy loads are priced for the 12 to 25-yard bins only. See concrete, dirt & brick.
In pickup-truck loads
People often think in truckloads. Our conversion assumes a full-size pickup with an 8-ft bed, loaded level to the rails, holds about 2.5 cubic yards. That's our assumption, not a published standard. A short bed holds less; a load piled high holds more.
| Size | Pickup loads |
|---|---|
| Dumpster Bag (4 yd³) | about 1.5 |
| 12-yard | about 5 |
| 15-yard | about 6 |
| 16-yard | about 6.5 |
| 20-yard | about 8 |
| 25-yard | about 10 |
| 40-yard | about 16 |
Smaller than a 12: the Dumpster Bag
For a small clean-up, our Dumpster Bag holds 4 cubic yards (7 × 4 × 4 ft) and up to 2,000 lb. The bag is $29 and pickup is $279, with $135 per ton over; each extra bag on the same pickup is $179. Available only in cities within Orange County, California. See how the bag works.
Choosing between two sizes
- Measure, don't guess. Length × width × height in feet ÷ 27 gives cubic yards. The cubic yard calculator does round piles too.
- Leave room. Loose debris doesn't pack like a measured box. Our calculators keep a margin and suggest the next size up when you're close.
- Weigh it. If the load is heavy, a bigger bin doesn't help: the included tons are the same from 12 to 25 yards.
- Check the space. Every bin is 8 ft wide. Length runs from 14 to 20 ft. Ask us about access for the truck before delivery day.
The step-by-step version, with worked examples, is in how to choose the right dumpster size.