Dumpster Sizer

25 materials · EPA 2016

Debris weight per cubic yard

A dumpster is rented by the yard but limited by the ton, so the weight of a yard of debris decides the size. These are EPA's published pounds per loose cubic yard, from rock and gravel at 999 lb down to foam packaging and insulation at 32 lb.

Size your project

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  1. 1Materials 25
  2. 2Heaviest Rock and gravel, 999 lb/yd
  3. 3Lightest Foam packaging and insulation, 32 lb/yd
  4. 4Source EPA, 2016
Rock and gravel999 lbDirt and sand929 lbConcrete860 lbAsphalt paving773 lbAsphalt shingles731 lbSawdust530 lbLeaves500 lbMixed construction debris484 lbWood chips473 lbDrywall467 lbGlass bottles380 lbHousehold junk and trash300 lbPlywood and engineered wood268 lbMixed yard waste250 lbScrap metal225 lbClothing and textiles175 lbLumber and demolition wood169 lbPallets and crates169 lbCarpet147 lbAppliances145 lbBranches and stumps127 lbCardboard106 lbCarpet padding62 lbHVAC ductwork47 lbFoam packaging and insulation32 lb
Pounds per loose cubic yard for each material, from EPA's Volume-to-Weight Conversion Factors (2016). Bars to scale from zero; ranges show EPA's low–high.

Heavy, medium and light debris

The heavy group (rock and gravel, dirt and sand, concrete, asphalt paving, asphalt shingles, ) weighs 731 lb or more per yard; none of the five roll-off sizes can be filled level with it inside the published weight capacity. Republic Services offers only its smaller boxes for these materials. The medium group, drywall and mixed construction debris among them, fills the small sizes but weighs out in the large ones. The light group, from lumber to foam, is limited by volume in every size.

Rock and gravel999 lb per cubic yard Dirt and sand929 lb per cubic yard Concrete860 lb per cubic yard Asphalt paving773 lb per cubic yard Asphalt shingles731 lb per cubic yard Sawdust275–530 lb per cubic yard Leaves250–500 lb per cubic yard Mixed construction debris484 lb per cubic yard Wood chips243–473 lb per cubic yard Drywall467 lb per cubic yard Glass bottles380 lb per cubic yard Household junk and trash250–300 lb per cubic yard Plywood and engineered wood268 lb per cubic yard Mixed yard waste250 lb per cubic yard Scrap metal225 lb per cubic yard Clothing and textiles125–175 lb per cubic yard Lumber and demolition wood169 lb per cubic yard Pallets and crates169 lb per cubic yard Carpet147 lb per cubic yard Appliances145 lb per cubic yard Branches and stumps127 lb per cubic yard Cardboard106 lb per cubic yard Carpet padding62 lb per cubic yard HVAC ductwork47 lb per cubic yard Foam packaging and insulation32 lb per cubic yard

Source: U.S. EPA Office of Resource Conservation and Recovery, Volume-to-Weight Conversion Factors (April 2016), read 2026-10-20. Not in EPA's table and so not listed: Brick: EPA's table has no brick row; brick is treated under 'Other aggregates' only where the page says so. Furniture: EPA's table has no furniture section. Mattresses: no EPA row.