Thinking about renting a dumpster but not sure what size you need? Roll-off dumpsters are a significant help for making home improvement projects run smoothly. But, if you’re not a contractor, you’re probably not used to renting a dumpster or estimating and calculating how much debris you’ll produce.
You don’t want to accidentally rent too small of a dumpster, which might mean multiple expensive trips to the dump. On the other hand, picking a dumpster larger than you need is also a waste. Learn more about standard dumpster dimensions and what sizes are best for certain types of projects.
What is a Roll-off Dumpster?
Roll-off dumpsters are typically what you see homeowners and contractors rent. They’re large, open-topped containers that are delivered by a truck. They roll off the back of the truck, hence the name “roll-off dumpsters.” These dumpsters usually have doors on the back end that swing open so you can walk trash and debris right into the dumpster.
Since a truck loads it up and hauls it away, these dumpsters come with weight limits. Knowing dumpster weight limits and having a rough understanding of the weight of your materials is helpful when choosing and using roll-off dumpsters. If you’re loading your dumpster rental with rocks and dirt, for example, those materials are much heavier than drywall, you won’t be able to load the bin to the brim.
Standard Dumpster Dimensions
There are four common sizes of roll-off dumpsters for rent: 10-yard, 20-yard, 30-yard, and 40-yard. The name of the bin typically corresponds to approximately how many cubic yards it holds. For example, a 10-yard dumpster holds roughly 10 cubic yards. But how much actual waste is that? Let’s break each size down.
10-Yard Dumpster
The overall outside dimensions of a 10-yard dumpster are typically 10.5 feet long by 8 feet wide by 4.5 feet tall, but can be as long as 16 feet. It can hold around 50 to 70 trash bags or three pickup truck loads of debris. The weight limit is one to three tons. This dumpster size is ideal for minor renovations, small bathroom or kitchen remodels, small to medium house cleanouts, and do-it-yourself home improvement projects.
20-Yard Dumpster
A standard 20-yard dumpster is 22 feet long, 8 feet wide, and 5 feet tall. They can hold about 110 to 130 trash bags or the equivalent of six pickup truck loads. These dumpsters can hold two to four tons of debris.
They’re great for your next bathroom or kitchen renovation, attic or garage cleanouts, roofing jobs, or landscaping overhauls.
30-Yard Dumpster
The 30-yard dumpster is 22 feet long, 8 feet wide, and 6 feet tall. Its waste and debris capacity is approximately 170 to 190 trash bags or nine pickup truck loads. The weight limit of a 30-yard dumpster is three to five tons.
This size is perfect if you’re performing a large home addition or remodel, demolition, whole-home window or siding replacement, large-scale cleanout, or large-scale landscaping project.
40-Yard Dumpster
Lastly, the 40-yard dumpster is 22 feet long, 8 feet wide, and 8 feet tall. It can hold about 230 to 250 trash bags or 12 pickup loads of debris and waste. It has a six- to eight-ton weight limit for the amount of debris it can hold.
Homeowners don’t normally rent a 40-yard dumpster. Instead, contractors typically rent them for new construction or home building projects, whole-home window or siding replacements for a large home, commercial building cleanouts, and large demolition projects.
Factors to Consider
Consider these four factors when determining which dumpster dimensions fit your project best:
- Type of waste: Not all dumpster sizes can accept all debris. This factor is also dependent on the rental company.
- Size of project: The scope of your project can help determine how much debris it’ll produce. As mentioned above, you can get by with a 20- or 30-yard dumpster for a residential room renovation.
- Amount of waste: Estimate how much space your discarded trash and debris will take up. For example, calculate the square footage of the drywall you’re tearing down or the flooring you’re ripping up. Then, also consider the weight of the waste. redbox+ Dumpsters has a weight calculator to help you estimate weights for different materials, including shingles, drywall, carpet, concrete, and asphalt.
- Space available: The dumpster must fit somewhere on your property, and you’ll want it in a convenient spot relative to where you’re performing the work. Note the dimensions of the specific dumpster you want to rent, and measure the space in which you want to put it. It’s costly to find out a dumpster won’t fit in your driveway when the dumpster rental company shows up to drop it off.
Rent with redbox+ Dumpsters
Let your local expert at redbox+ Dumpsters help determine the right-sized dumpster for your project. They’ve helped hundreds of others find the perfect size for their project.
Book online or call 1-844-2-REDBOX to talk with a representative.