How much weight does a dumpster hold?
Both of our dumpsters — the 10 yard and the 20 yard — include 2 tons of disposal in the price. Past 2 tons it's $120 per ton, billed by the weight you actually use, so half a ton over is $60.
The short answer
A 20 yard dumpster from Marshall Hauling includes 2 tons — the same weight as the 10 yard. What the 20 adds is room: about 6 pickup loads against 3 pickup loads. Heavy material decides it before volume does.
Weight and room, side by side
| Size | Holds | Weight included |
|---|---|---|
| 10 yard · $375 | about 3 pickup loads | 2 tons |
| 20 yard · $525 | about 6 pickup loads | 2 tons |
Over 2 tons: $120 per ton, prorated to the actual weight — not rounded up to the next ton.
What hits the weight limit first
Roofing shingles, mostly. Shingles are dense - a single-layer tear-off on most houses fills our 10 yard dumpster by weight before volume, so tell us the square count and the layers and we will size it honestly.
Plaster and lath from older houses is the other one: it's heavier than people expect and reaches the weight limit before the can looks full. Shingles are heavy, so bigger is not automatically better — keep the load level with the top of the can.
How the overage is billed
Everything up to 2 tons is in the price; past that you pay $120 per ton for the weight you actually used. Half a ton over is $60, not $120. Most household jobs never touch the limit — tell us what you're loading and we'll size the can honestly.
Questions
Dumpster weight, answered.
Both sizes include 2 tons of disposal in the price, which covers most household jobs with room to spare. Go over, and the overage is $120 per ton - billed for the weight you actually use, so half a ton over costs $60, not the full ton. Heavy material like roofing shingles or plaster reaches the weight limit before the walls, so tell us what you are loading and we will size the can honestly.
Tell us what needs to go.
Free estimate, no obligation, and an exact price before anything moves.