Dumpster Size Calculator (Debris Volume & Weight)
Choose a roll-off dumpster size from the debris you have — roofing squares, drywall, lumber, concrete, brick, dirt, mixed remodel waste, furniture — with the volume in cubic yards, the weight in tons, the container weight limit check, overage charges and how many hauls you need.
How it works
Volume = Σ material quantities × loose yd³ factors; weight = Σ quantities × typical density; hauls = ceil(volume ÷ container); overage = (weight − hauls × included tons) × rate
Roll-off containers are rented by volume but limited by weight, and the two constraints bind for different materials: a 20-yard box of cabinets and carpet weighs a ton or two, while the same box of shingles from a large roof weighs five and the same box of concrete would weigh twenty and be illegal on the road. Estimating each material separately — shingles by the square, drywall by the square foot, lumber and mixed debris by loose cubic yards, inerts by weight — gives both numbers, and comparing the total tonnage with the container's included allowance shows whether the overage charge or a second haul is cheaper. Haulers typically require concrete, brick and dirt in small dedicated boxes, and reward source-separated clean loads with lower tipping rates.
Worked example
A roof tear-off of 20 squares (10 yd³, 2.5 t), 800 ft² of drywall (0.9 yd³, 0.7 t), 2 yd³ of lumber and 6 yd³ of mixed remodel debris come to about 19 yd³ and 4.5 tons — a 20 yd box by volume, but 1.5 t over its 3 t allowance ($128 overage), for about $578 in one haul; two 20 yd hauls would cost $900.
Frequently asked questions
How many squares of shingles fit in a 20 yd dumpster?
By volume about 40, but at 250 lb per square the 3–4 ton weight limit is hit at 24–32 squares of a single layer — half that for a two-layer tear-off. Roofers order a 20 yd for up to ~30 squares and a 30 yd for larger jobs.
Can I put dirt and concrete in with the rest?
Usually not: mixed loads containing inerts are billed at the heavy rate for the whole box. Order a separate 10 yd heavy-debris container, fill it half way, and keep the concrete clean of rebar and trash for the recycling rate.
Related calculators
Debris weights and volumes are typical industry averages (EPA, CDRA and hauler rules of thumb); actual density varies with moisture, compaction and mixing. Confirm weight limits and prohibited materials with your hauler and landfill, and check for asbestos and lead paint before demolition of pre-1980 buildings.