Size guide · Reviewed October 21, 2026
What Size Dumpster Do You Need?
Most cleanouts fit a 10 or 15-yard dumpster, most roofs and kitchen remodels fit a 20-yard, and construction jobs take a 30 or 40-yard. Answer three questions below to get a size for your project.
- Our own trucks & drivers
- Scale ticket on every bill
- Boards under every drop
- Overage by the exact pound
Pick a size in three questions
Choose your project, how big it is, and whether it includes heavy debris. The picker suggests a size and shows the pickup loads and included tons. The table under the picker shows the same rules, so you can check the logic yourself.
| Project | Small | Medium | Large |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cleanout or move | 10-yard | 15-yard | 20-yard |
| Remodel | 10-yard (bathroom) | 20-yard (kitchen) | 30-yard (whole house) |
| Roof tear-off | 15-yard (up to about 20 squares) | 20-yard (up to about 25 squares) | 30-yard (up to about 33 squares) |
| New build or addition | 20-yard | 30-yard | 40-yard |
| Yard or brush | 10-yard | 15-yard | 20-yard |
How do the four dumpster sizes compare?
The 10-yard dumpster is 12 ft long with 2 tons included. The 15-yard is 16 ft long with 2.5 tons. The 20-yard and 30-yard share a 22 ft by 8 ft footprint, with 3 and 4 tons. The 40-yard is 8 ft tall with 5 tons. Every size includes 7 days, delivery and pickup.
| Size | L × W × H | Pickup loads | Tons included | Rental | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10-yard | 12 ft × 8 ft × 3.5 ft | about 4 | 2 tons (4,000 lb) | 7 days | Bathroom remodels, small cleanouts, concrete or dirt |
| 15-yard | 16 ft × 7.5 ft × 4.5 ft | about 6 | 2.5 tons (5,000 lb) | 7 days | Garage cleanouts, small roofs, heavy debris |
| 20-yard | 22 ft × 8 ft × 4 ft | about 8 | 3 tons (6,000 lb) | 7 days | Kitchen remodels, whole-house cleanouts, most roofs |
| 30-yard | 22 ft × 8 ft × 6 ft | about 12 | 4 tons (8,000 lb) | 7 days | Construction, additions, large tear-outs |
| 40-yard | 22 ft × 7.5 ft × 8 ft | about 12–16 | 5 tons (10,000 lb) | 7 days | Major demolition, new construction, large commercial jobs |
Does volume or weight decide the size?
Volume decides the size for light debris like furniture, boxes, drywall and wood. Weight decides it for heavy debris like shingles, concrete, dirt, brick and tile. A 20-yard dumpster full of household junk may weigh 2 tons. The same dumpster half full of roofing can pass its 3 included tons.
That is why roofing sizes follow roof squares, not room size, and why heavy debris has its own rules. Weight over the included tons costs $75 per ton, billed by the exact pound from the landfill scale ticket. The weight and overage guide shows how to estimate your load.
Which way should you round when you are between two sizes?
Round up for light, bulky debris, because a second haul costs a full rental. Round down for heavy debris, because a bigger dumpster only tempts you to load more weight. If the project is mostly heavy material, go by tons, not cubic yards.
- Too small means a swap: we haul the full one and drop an empty one, billed as a new rental.
- Too big means paying for space you never fill. Your included tons do not change with how full the dumpster is.
Size pages for each dumpster
10-yard dumpster
12 × 8 × 3.5 ft · 2 tons · bathroom remodels, small cleanouts, concrete
15-yard dumpster
16 × 7.5 × 4.5 ft · 2.5 tons · garages, small roofs, heavy debris
20-yard dumpster
22 × 8 × 4 ft · 3 tons · kitchens, most roofs, house cleanouts
30-yard dumpster
22 × 8 × 6 ft · 4 tons · construction, additions, big tear-outs
40-yard dumpster
22 × 7.5 × 8 ft · 5 tons · major demolition, new construction, commercial jobs
Prefer a quick visual? Tap through dumpster sizes side by side.
Dumpster size questions
What does "yard" mean in a 20-yard dumpster?
The yard is cubic yards of space. A 20-yard dumpster holds about 20 cubic yards of debris when it is loaded level with the top rim. One cubic yard is a cube 3 feet on each side. An 8-foot pickup bed loaded level holds about 2.5 cubic yards, so the 20-yard holds about 8 pickup loads.
Is it cheaper to rent a bigger dumpster than I need?
A bigger dumpster costs more up front but can save a second haul. A swap counts as a new rental, so running out of room costs more than one size up would have. Paying for space you never fill is the other risk. When the project could go either way, call and describe it; we size from the debris, not a guess.
What is the most popular dumpster size?
The 20-yard dumpster suits the widest range of jobs: kitchen remodels, whole-house cleanouts and most single-layer roofs up to about 25 squares. It is 22 ft long, 8 ft wide and 4 ft high, with 3 tons included. Low walls make it easy to toss debris over the side.
Which dumpster size is best for concrete or dirt?
Concrete, dirt, brick and rock go only in the 10-yard or 15-yard dumpster, loaded no higher than halfway up the walls. Heavy debris reaches the highway weight limit long before a bigger dumpster would fill. Details are on the concrete and dirt dumpster page.
Will a 30-yard dumpster fit in a normal driveway?
The 30-yard dumpster has the same 22 ft by 8 ft footprint as the 20-yard. It is just taller, at 6 ft. If your driveway fits a 20-yard, it fits a 30-yard. The truck still needs a straight approach and clearance from wires and branches overhead.
Call now · deliveries 7 AM–5 PM
Ready for a dumpster?
Tell us the project and the address. We confirm the size, the 7 days and the included tons before the truck rolls. Book by 3 PM for next-day delivery.
(432) 271-7372