Cubic Yard Calculator
Cubic yards = length × width × height in feet ÷ 27 (a cubic yard is 3 × 3 × 3 ft). A heap 12 ft long, 6 ft wide and 3 ft high is 8 cubic yards, about 3 pickup loads if a full-size bed holds 2.5 yd³. It fits our 12-yard dumpster with a 10% margin. For a round pile, use π × radius² × height ÷ 3.
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The calculator
What you're measuring
Volume
Cubic yards
8yd³
Cubic feet
216ft³
Pickup loads
3
about 3.2 at 2.5 yd³ each (assumption)
Fits a 12 Yard Dumpster
- Pickup load (assumption)
- 2.5 yd³
- Bin margin (assumption)
- 10%
- 1 cubic yard
- 27 ft³
- Round pile
- cone, πr²h ÷ 3
How this was calculated
Worked example
A heap of remodel debris plus a round pile of yard waste
The heap: 12 × 6 × 3 ft = 216 ft³. The round pile, 10 ft across and 4 ft high: π × 5² × 4 ÷ 3 = 104.7 ft³. Together: 320.7 ft³ ÷ 27 = 11.88 yd³.
Which bin: 11.88 × 1.1 = 13.07 yd³ with our 10% margin, so the 15 Yard Dumpster: $650 for two weeks with 3 tons included. In pickup loads: 11.88 ÷ 2.5 = 4.8, so about 5 trips. Volume is only half the question: weigh it with the debris weight calculator.
Reference
Eco Waste dumpster sizes in cubic yards
| Size | Outside L × W × H | Outside box | Rated | Holds with margin | Pickup loads | 2 weeks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12 Yard Dumpster | 14 × 8 × 3 ft | 12.4 yd³ | 12 yd³ | 10.9 yd³ | about 5 | $650, 3 t |
| 15 Yard Dumpster | 14 × 8 × 4 ft | 16.6 yd³ | 15 yd³ | 13.6 yd³ | about 6 | $650, 3 t |
| 16 Yard Dumpster | 14 × 8 × 4.5 ft | 18.7 yd³ | 16 yd³ | 14.5 yd³ | about 6.5 | $650, 3 t |
| 20 Yard Dumpster | 14 × 8 × 6 ft | 24.9 yd³ | 20 yd³ | 18.2 yd³ | about 8 | $650, 3 t |
| 25 Yard Dumpster | 16 × 8 × 6 ft | 28.4 yd³ | 25 yd³ | 22.7 yd³ | about 10 | $650, 3 t |
| 40 Yard Dumpster | 20 × 8 × 8 ft | 47.4 yd³ | 40 yd³ | 36.4 yd³ | about 16 | $825, 5 t |
| Dumpster Bag | 7 × 4 × 4 ft | 4.1 yd³ | 4 yd³ | — | about 1.5 | $29 + $279 pickup |
How to use it
In 4 steps
- 1Push the debris into a rough box or a round pile. Loose and spread out is hard to measure.
- 2Measure length, width and height in feet or inches. For a round pile, measure straight across the base and from the ground to the top.
- 3Add a row for each pile. Use the count box for identical ones.
- 4Read the cubic yards, the pickup loads and the smallest bin that holds it with a 10% margin.
Measuring what you have, and what the bin holds
A cubic yard is a cube 3 feet on each side, 27 cubic feet. Multiply the three measurements in feet and divide by 27. In inches, divide each by 12 first, or multiply them and divide by 46,656 (36 × 36 × 36).
Debris sitting in a heap takes more room than the same stuff stacked. That’s why this tool holds back a 10% margin when it picks a bin. The margin is our assumption, not a rule. Broken-down boxes, flattened cabinets and cut lumber pack tighter; a sofa and a bike don’t.
A dumpster’s size is what it holds, not its outside box. Our 20 Yard Dumpster is about 14 × 8 × 6 ft outside, which multiplies out to 24.9 yd³, but it’s rated at 20 because of the sloped front and ribbed walls.
Volume is only half of it. The 12 to 25-yard bins include 3 tons, and heavy material reaches that long before the bin is full: 12 yd³ of broken concrete is about 14.4 tons at 2,400 lb per cubic yard. Clean concrete and dirt are priced differently: flat, to a 10 yd³ fill line inside the bin (see the concrete & dirt calculator).
FAQ
Cubic yards: questions
How do I calculate cubic yards?
Multiply length × width × height in feet and divide by 27. For example, 12 ft × 6 ft × 3 ft = 216 cubic feet, and 216 ÷ 27 = 8 cubic yards. If you measured in inches, divide each measurement by 12 first.
How many cubic yards fit in a pickup truck?
This tool assumes about 2.5 cubic yards for a full-size pickup with an 8-foot bed loaded level to the rails. That is an assumption, not a published figure. Shorter beds hold less; loads piled above the rails hold more.
How do I measure a round pile of dirt or mulch?
Treat it as a cone: measure straight across the base and from the ground to the top. Volume = π × (half the width)² × height ÷ 3, then divide cubic feet by 27. A pile with a flat top holds more than a cone of the same size.
How many cubic yards does a 20-yard dumpster hold?
20 cubic yards. The name is the rated capacity. Our 20-yard is about 14 × 8 × 6 ft outside, but the sloped front and ribbed walls mean you can't use the outside box as its volume. It's $650 for two weeks with 3 tons included.
Why does the calculator add 10%?
Loose debris doesn't pack like a measured box. The 10% margin is our own rule of thumb for picking a bin, not a published standard, and it's shown in the arithmetic so you can see it.
Something not answered here? Call or text — it’s quicker than guessing.
Sources
Where these numbers come from
- [1]Wolfram MathWorld, “Cone” (opens in a new tab)Read 2026-09-22. Volume of a right circular cone, V = πr²h ÷ 3 (eq. 10), used for round piles.
- [2]Eco Waste dumpster sizes (ecowastedumpsters.com) (opens in a new tab)Read 2026-09-22. Outside dimensions from Eco Waste’s own size diagrams; every bin is 8 ft wide.
- [3]Eco Waste rate sheet, revised 07/01/2026 (PDF) (opens in a new tab)Read 2026-09-23. Base price and included tons per size; the Dumpster Bag’s 4 yd³ and 2,000 lb.
Last reviewed . Spot something wrong? Text (949) 701-0206 and it gets fixed.
Related tools
- Dumpster Size CalculatorPick the job and its dimensions: cubic yards, tons, and the smallest Eco Waste bin that holds it.
- Concrete & Dirt CalculatorSlab, patio or dirt dig to cubic yards and tons, and how many bins at the 10-yard fill line.
- Debris Weight CalculatorCubic yards of each material to tons, from the U.S. EPA's conversion factors and other published figures side by side, and what the overage would cost.
Know what you need? Book the bin.
12 to 40-yard roll-offs and $29 dumpster bags across Orange County. Call or text with the size, the city and the day — Monday to Friday, 7:30 to 4.