How Many Pounds of Material Can I Put in My Roll Off Dumpster?

Normally, roll off dumpsters are rented out based on the amount of trash they can hold in terms of internal cubic yards, but heavier materials will make the dumpster reach its limits long before it becomes completely filled. The actual amount of weight that can be put into any given container will depend on the size of the bin in question, so below is an outline of the standard roll off container rental sizes, along with their maximum weight allowances.

10 Yard Containers – 1.5 Tons – 3000 lbs

These small dumpster are most commonly used for getting rid of general household items, like books, boxes, furniture, papers and small amounts of piping. They are good for thoroughly clearing out one small room

20 Yard Dumpsters – 3 Tons – 6000 lbs

These roll off dumpsters are probably the most popular size used amongst home owners. They are great for getting rid of excess trash after dealing with some general maintenance on a house, especially when redecorating or cleaning out room in the attic.

30 Yard Containers – 4 tons -8000 lbs

30 yard roll off containers are normally used on the lower end of the industrial scale. They can handle a lot of weight, which makes them great for dealing with waste from landscaping and heavy duty renovation projects.

40 Yard Dumpsters – 5 tons – 10000 lbs

40 yard roll off dumpsters tend to only really get used on full scale construction sites. They can move an incredible amount of junk, but as they take up a considerable amount of room it isn’t feasible to use these kind of bins on most commercial or residential sites.

One thing to remember when loading up any dumpster rentals, is that regardless of how much space may remain in the bin, if you are loading it up with heavy material you have to be extremely careful to not go over the specified weight limits. As if you do, it will not only cause trouble when it comes to the rental company trying to take the container away, but it can also lead to you being forced to pay an additional charge as a result.

Most people aren’t going to be able to tell if they’ve gone over their roll off dumpsters weight limit just by looking, but a good rule of thumb is that if you are filling the dumpster with heavy material (like dirt or concrete), don’t fill it any further than half way. If you stick to that, you shouldn’t have any problems.