Dumpster Volume Calculator

How to calculate cubic yards

Multiply length × width × average height in feet, then divide by 27. A pile 12 feet long, 6 feet wide and 3 feet high is 216 cubic feet, or 8 cubic yards.

Keep your measurement units consistent

With feet selected, enter 3.5 for three feet six inches. With inches selected, enter 42 for that same measurement. Do not enter feet for the length and inches for the height. For an inches-only calculation, multiply the three measurements and divide by 46,656 to get cubic yards.

Combine separate piles without guessing a container size

A 12 × 6 × 3 foot pile is 8 cubic yards. A second pile measuring 6 × 3 × 3 feet is 2 cubic yards. Together they estimate 10 cubic yards of loose debris. This arithmetic does not mean a 10-yard concrete container is suitable for mixed household waste; material and loading limits still determine the rental.

Use the project size guide to compare your options. For household items, see residential dumpster rentals. If you have a reliable weight-per-cubic-yard figure for the same loose material, the debris tonnage calculator can convert volume into an estimated weight.

Measuring an uneven pile

Measure the debris after removal, not the room it came from. For an uneven pile, use an average height rather than its tallest point. Divide separate piles into sections, calculate each one and add the volumes. A rectangular estimate is approximate when the pile has sloping sides or large gaps.

Volume and dumpster size are different decisions

An 8-cubic-yard estimate does not guarantee the material will fit safely in any particular dumpster. Bulky items can leave gaps, and concrete, soil or masonry can reach a weight limit before the container looks full. Material must stay within the approved fill line.

Compare dumpster sizes and tell us what you are loading. Use the concrete calculator for concrete volume and weight estimates, or the demolition debris calculator for tear-out planning.