Dumpster Sizing Guide

• 13 yard: a starting point for attic, basement, or garage cleanouts, flooring removal, and single-room remodels.
• 17 yard: more room for larger cleanouts, renovation debris, and bulky items.
• 20 yard: our largest option for estate cleanouts, home additions, and larger home or commercial cleanup projects.

The amount and type of debris matter more than the project’s name. List your large items and the rooms or materials involved, then call us or text us if you are between sizes.

A cubic yard is a space 3 feet long × 3 feet wide × 3 feet high, or 27 cubic feet. A “20-yard” dumpster describes its volume, not its length in feet.

The bag counts above are rough comparisons: 70–90 for 13 yard, 90–110 for 17 yard, and 110–130 for 20 yard. Bag size, material, and the way items fit together affect the actual amount. Bulky furniture and gaps between items use up space, too.

Do not plan to heap material above the top or use machinery to compact a load. Watch our “How full is too full?” video ▶

Volume measures space; pounds and tons measure weight. Two loads taking up the same space can have very different weights. Bulky household items are different from dense demolition debris.

For perspective, two cubic yards take up only 10% of a 20-yard dumpster. With very dense material, weight can become the limit while much of that space remains empty.

Talk with us before booking for dirt, rock, ash, plaster, concrete, or other heavy materials. A larger dumpster does not mean those materials are accepted or that it is safe to fill it with them. We can discuss a suitable disposal option.

Floor area alone cannot reliably predict the weight or space your load will need. Share these details so we can help:

• Carpet: approximate square footage, whether padding is included, and anything else going in the load. Carpet type, padding, moisture, and bulky rolls affect the estimate.
• Hardwood or other flooring: material, square footage, number of layers, and whether subfloor is coming out. Flag tile, mortar, and other dense materials before booking.
• Household junk: rooms being cleared and large items such as couches, mattresses, or cabinets. A room’s square footage does not tell us how much is inside it.
• Mixed renovation debris: identify flooring, drywall, cabinets, lumber, and any heavy materials separately.

Call 618-751-1574 or text the team with your project details before choosing.

Count everything coming out, including bulky items and debris from more than one room. If your estimated load is close to a size’s capacity, ask whether the next size is a better fit.

Tell us where you want the dumpster and ask us to confirm access and clearance. Space for the container alone is not the same as space for the delivery vehicle to place and remove it. See our delivery preparation checklist.

Keep debris within the sides and below the top rails, distribute weight evenly, and leave the tarp able to close safely. Watch the loading video ▶

Additional weight charges apply under the rental agreement. Ask for the current charge before booking. Paying an overweight fee does not make an unsafe load acceptable: an overloaded dumpster may need to be corrected before pickup.

Do not assume an item is allowed just because it fits. Check the accepted-material FAQs and rental agreement, and contact us before loading appliances, electronics, or other restricted materials. Roofing shingles require pre-approval.

Watch our appliance guidance ▶