Understanding Roll Off Dumpster Sizing

2021-01-11 16:23:37

Roll Off Dumpster: Sizing and Space

If you need to remodel your kitchen, clean out the five years’ worth of clutter in your garage, or redesign your office, a roll off dumpster works like a charm. When you choose to rent a roll off dumpster from Automated Waste Services, you get to choose between five different sizes. These sizes range from 6 cubic yards to 30 cubic yards. Unless you are an engineer, an architect or a garbage collector, you might find it difficult to visualize what 30 cubic yards or even 6 cubic yards looks like. 

What Is a Cubic Yard?

A cubic yard is defined as a space 3 feet in length by 3 feet in width by 3 feet in height. The items you’re moving to your roll off dumpster (windows, decking, shingles, drywall, etc.) won’t generally sit in pile perfectly sized to a cubic yard or even in 3-foot increments. So you need to find a way to accurately calculate and estimate space. In simple math terms, multiply the length, width, and height of a space in feet. Then divide this by 27 (3x3x3) to find the cubic yards.

When it comes to estimation, there is no simple formula. Professional contractors get very good at quickly estimating the amount of cubic space different items take up, but you don’t need this skill to properly gauge the proper size of your roll off dumpster. You can try visualizing a cubic yard by measuring 3 feet from a wall with a tape measure. Place a piece of tape down at the spot. Measure 3 more feet, parallel to the wall, from that point and place another piece of tape. Lastly, measure 3 feet up the wall. Now step back and try to visualize a three-dimensional box taking up this space. How much of your trash could you fit in this square?

More on Roll Off Dumpster Sizing

We always advise our customers to rent a roll off dumpster with more space than they anticipate needing. It’s difficult for a first timer to properly gauge the amount of space they need, and you might end up wanting to throw away more than you think you will. You don’t want to get halfway done with a project and realize you need a second dumpster or a larger one. Avoid the unneeded frustration by stepping up a size at the beginning.

Contact Automated Waste Services Today

Feel free to give a call or contact Automated Waste Services online for a quote or to get started with our services.