How long is a dumpster?
Roll-off containers come in 10, 15, 20, 30 and 40 cubic yards. The 20 yard is the most rented and the safe default; the 10 yard is the one to take for concrete, dirt or any dense debris regardless of volume. Size to your heaviest material, not your biggest pile.
How to choose between the five roll-off sizes
Start by deciding whether your job is limited by weight or by volume, because that decides everything else. Dense debris — concrete, dirt, tile, plaster, wet material, roofing shingles — is weight-limited, and for those you want a 10 or a 15 and possibly several of them. Bulky light debris — furniture, cabinetry, cardboard, insulation, siding — is volume-limited, and there a 30 or 40 genuinely costs less per yard.
Then check the wall height. Containers up to 20 yards are usually low-profile at 3 to 4.5 feet, so you can throw debris over the side. A 30 yard is around 6 feet and a 40 is around 8, which means carrying everything through the rear door and a slower job.
Sizes
10 yard dumpster
- Dimensions
- 11–14 ft × 3–4 ft tall
- Weight limit
- 1–2 tons
- Pickup truck loads
- ~4
15 yard dumpster
- Dimensions
- 14–16 ft × 4–4.5 ft tall
- Weight limit
- 1.5–3 tons
- Pickup truck loads
- ~6
20 yard dumpster
- Dimensions
- 20–22 ft × 4–4.5 ft tall
- Weight limit
- 2–4 tons
- Pickup truck loads
- ~8
30 yard dumpster
- Dimensions
- 20–22 ft × 5.5–6.5 ft tall
- Weight limit
- 3–5 tons
- Pickup truck loads
- ~12
40 yard dumpster
- Dimensions
- 20–22 ft × 7.5–8 ft tall
- Weight limit
- 4–6 tons
- Pickup truck loads
- ~16
Data table
| Size | Dimensions | Weight limit | Pickup truck loads | 33 gal bags | Footprint |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 yd³ | 11–14 ft × 7.5–8 ft × 3–4 ft | 1–2 t | ~4 | 40–60 | 83–112 ft² |
| 15 yd³ | 14–16 ft × 7.5–8 ft × 4–4.5 ft | 1.5–3 t | ~6 | 60–90 | 105–128 ft² |
| 20 yd³ | 20–22 ft × 7.5–8 ft × 4–4.5 ft | 2–4 t | ~8 | 85–120 | 150–176 ft² |
| 30 yd³ | 20–22 ft × 7.5–8 ft × 5.5–6.5 ft | 3–5 t | ~12 | 125–185 | 150–176 ft² |
| 40 yd³ | 20–22 ft × 7.5–8 ft × 7.5–8 ft | 4–6 t | ~16 | 165–245 | 150–176 ft² |
Dimensions are ranges because a roll-off is sold by internal volume and manufacturers build to different external sizes. Weight allowances are hauler terms, not properties of the container.
Common mistakes
- Choosing on volume when the material is denseYou pay for yards the truck cannot legally carry, and can still be charged overage on the weight you loaded.
- Forgetting the wall heightA 6 foot wall turns a throw-it-over job into a carry-it-through-the-door job, which adds hours you did not budget.