# Dumpster Sizes: Which Roll-Off or Front-Load Bin Do You Need? > What 20, 30 and 40 yard roll-off dumpsters and 3, 4 and 6 yard front-load bins hold, typical dimensions, and how to pick the right size for your job. Canonical: https://bigdog.canadianwebmaster.ca/guides/dumpster-sizes Last updated: 2026-11-10 A 20 yard roll-off holds roughly ten pickup loads; a 40 yard about twice that. Here's what each roll-off and front-load size suits, typical dimensions, and how weight changes the answer. Last reviewed November 9, 2026 ยท Big Dog Disposal & Recycling Bins are sold by volume, in cubic yards. One cubic yard is a cube 3 feet on each side, or 27 cubic feet. That's a useful number to know, but most people find it easier to picture pickup truck loads: Green Building Canada's guide puts a 20 yard bin at about 10 pickup loads (or 120 garbage bags) and a 40 yard bin at about 20 pickup loads (240 bags). There are two families of bins, and they do different jobs. A **roll-off container** is delivered for a project, filled, and hauled away full. A **front-load bin** is smaller and stays put; a front-load truck empties it on site, over and over, which is how most businesses handle their everyday garbage and cardboard. This guide covers both. ## Roll-off containers: 20, 30 and 40 yards At Big Dog our [roll-off containers](https://bigdog.canadianwebmaster.ca/services/roll-off-containers) run from 20 to 40 cubic yards. They're open on top, with a back door so you can load from the top, the sides or the back. We haven't published our container dimensions here, so call us if the exact footprint matters for your site. For a sense of scale, here are **typical industry dimensions** from other publishers. They are not Big Dog's measurements, and they vary from fleet to fleet: - **20 yard:** Custom Truck One Source lists 22 ft long, 8 ft wide and 4 ft high. WM lists 21 ft 11 in by 7 ft by 3 ft 6 in. Two Guys Disposal, a Metro Vancouver company, lists 16 ft by 8 ft by 4 ft. - **30 yard:** Custom Truck lists 22 by 8 by 6 ft, WM 22 by 8 by 5 ft, and Two Guys 16 by 8 by 6 ft. - **40 yard:** Custom Truck lists 22 by 8 by 8 ft, WM 21 ft 11 in by 7 ft by 7 ft, and Two Guys 16 by 8 by 8 ft. The pattern is the same everywhere: the footprint barely changes between sizes, and the walls get taller. Custom Truck notes that dimensions are usually measured from the outside of the container walls, so the usable space is a little smaller. ### What a 20 yard container suits The 20 yard is the most common choice for homes. Custom Truck suggests it for flooring and carpet from a larger house, removing a deck of about 400 square feet, a bigger remodel, or about 3,000 square feet of single-layer shingles. WM suggests it for heavy-debris clean-outs and remodelling. Its low walls make it the easiest to load by hand. ### What a 30 yard container suits Step up to 30 yards for a whole-house clean-out, a garage demolition, an extensive renovation or new construction, which is how Custom Truck describes its use. WM lists office renovations, large home renovations and junk removal. ### What a 40 yard container suits The 40 yard is for big volume: large demolition and construction, commercial roofing, and major remodels, according to both publishers. Its high walls make the back door more useful for loading than the sides. ## Volume isn't the only limit: weight A bin can be full by weight long before it's full by volume. Concrete, brick, soil and wet shingles are dense; a few yards of them can weigh more than a container full of old furniture. That's why companies that publish prices usually build weight into them. Two Guys Disposal charges dump fees by the tonne on top of its rental, for example. If your load is heavy, tell us what it is when you ask for a quote, and we'll make sure the bin and the price fit the material. On the North Coast, add water to the list. Shingles, drywall, insulation and yard waste soak up rain and get heavier while they sit, so a roll-off with a lid is worth asking about. ## Front-load bins: 3, 4 and 6 yards Our [front-load bins](https://bigdog.canadianwebmaster.ca/services/front-load-bins) come in three sizes, for general waste or [cardboard recycling](https://bigdog.canadianwebmaster.ca/services/cardboard-recycling). These are Big Dog's own measurements: - **3 yard:** 5 ft 9 in wide, 4 ft 3 in high, 3 ft 5 in deep. - **4 yard:** 5 ft 9 in wide, 4 ft 6 in high, 4 ft 3 in deep. - **6 yard:** 5 ft 9 in wide, 5 ft 5 in high, 5 ft 7 in deep. All three are the same width, so the choice usually comes down to how much depth you have and how much waste you make between pickups. A small office or shop may manage with a 3 yard bin. A restaurant, a busy store or a site with a lot of packaging will usually want a 4 or 6 yard bin, or a second bin just for cardboard. Options include casters if the bin needs to move, metal or plastic lids, [bear-proof lids](https://bigdog.canadianwebmaster.ca/services/bear-proof-bins), padlocks, lock bars and a cardboard slot. ## How to choose the right size - **Describe the job, not just the size.** "A two-storey roof tear-off" or "emptying a three-bedroom house" tells us more than a guess at yards. - **Measure where the bin will go.** Check the length, the width and any overhead wires or branches, and allow room for the truck to set it down. - **Think about how you'll load it.** If people will be throwing material over the side by hand, lower walls help. - **Don't plan to overfill.** Custom Truck warns that an overfilled container is a road hazard. Load to the top of the walls and no higher. - **Protect the driveway.** We recommend laying plywood under the rollers. - **Load it evenly.** Put flat, heavy pieces on the bottom, break down bulky items, and spread the weight from front to back rather than piling it at one end. - **Plan for the weather.** A bin that will sit open through a week of rain takes on water, so ask about a container with a lid for drywall, insulation or anything that soaks it up. - **When in doubt, ask.** Going one size up can cost less than a second container. Big Dog's own line is that one container does all: with sizes from 20 to 40 yards, one roll-off usually covers a whole renovation, roof or clean-up. Call 778-884-8484, email bigdogdisposal@outlook.com or [request a quote](https://bigdog.canadianwebmaster.ca/quote), and we'll help you pick. ## Questions people ask ### How big is a 20 yard dumpster? Typical industry figures put a 20 yard roll-off at about 22 ft long, 8 ft wide and 4 ft high, though fleets vary (WM lists 21 ft 11 in by 7 ft by 3 ft 6 in). Green Building Canada says it holds about 10 pickup loads. ### How many pickup truck loads fit in a 40 yard bin? Green Building Canada puts a 40 yard bin at about 20 pickup loads, or roughly 240 garbage bags. Heavy material like concrete or wet shingles may hit a weight limit before the bin looks full. ### What size dumpster do I need for a roof? Custom Truck suggests a 20 yard container for about 3,000 square feet of single-layer shingles, and a 40 yard for commercial roofing. Tell us the roof size and the number of layers and we'll recommend a size. ### What are the dimensions of Big Dog's front-load bins? All three are 5 ft 9 in wide. The 3 yard is 4 ft 3 in high and 3 ft 5 in deep, the 4 yard is 4 ft 6 in high and 4 ft 3 in deep, and the 6 yard is 5 ft 5 in high and 5 ft 7 in deep. ### Is a front-load bin or a roll-off better for my business? For everyday garbage and cardboard, a front-load bin emptied on site is usually the fit. For a one-time project such as a renovation or clean-out, a roll-off container is better. ## Sources - [Custom Truck One Source: Roll-off dumpsters, which size is right for you? (May 20, 2019)](https://www.customtruck.com/blog/roll-off-dumpsters-which-size-is-right-for-you/) - [WM: 40 yard dumpster rental, with 20 and 30 yard dimensions (US)](https://www.wm.com/us/en/dumpster-rental/40-yard) - [Two Guys Disposal (Metro Vancouver and Fraser Valley): Bin rental rates](https://twoguysdisposal.com/bin-rentals/bin-rental-rates) - [Green Building Canada: Average cost to rent a garbage bin in Canada (updated July 3, 2025)](https://greenbuildingcanada.ca/cost-rent-garbage-bin-canada/) ## Related - [Roll-Off Bin Rental](https://bigdog.canadianwebmaster.ca/services/roll-off-containers) - [Front-Load Commercial Bins](https://bigdog.canadianwebmaster.ca/services/front-load-bins) - [How Much Does Bin Rental Cost in BC?](https://bigdog.canadianwebmaster.ca/guides/bin-rental-cost-bc) - [Bin Rentals in Prince Rupert](https://bigdog.canadianwebmaster.ca/areas/prince-rupert)