What Size Dumpster Do You Need? 10 to 40 Yards by Project
Updated 2026-10 · Murfreesboro, TN
Start with the material, then the amount
Size guides usually start with cubic yards. A better start is what you are throwing away, because that decides whether volume or weight is the limit. Light, bulky debris (furniture, boxes, carpet, framing offcuts) fills a container by volume. Dense debris (shingles, tile, plaster, concrete, soil) fills it by weight long before it looks full. Pick the size for the first kind by how much there is; pick it for the second by the tons included.
Project by project
A bathroom remodel
Tile, a tub or shower surround, a vanity, drywall. Usually a 10 yard. Tile and mortar are heavy, so a bigger container just invites overage.
Clearing a two-car garage
Most Murfreesboro garages that have gone a decade without a clear-out fill a 15 or 20 yard. Pull out anything with a surcharge first: tires, old car batteries, paint, propane.
A kitchen remodel
Cabinets, countertops, drywall, flooring and the packaging from the new cabinets. A 20 yard for most kitchens. Stone countertops add a lot of weight in a small space.
A roof tear-off
Count squares and layers. One layer on 20 to 25 squares fits a 15 or 20; 25 to 35 squares in one layer is a 20 or 30, and weight is the limit either way. Two layers roughly doubles the weight. Many roofers bring their own container, so check first.
A whole-house clear-out before a move
A three-bedroom house with an attic and garage is usually a 20 yard. Add a full basement or a lot of heavy furniture and it becomes a 30.
A deck demolition
Wood decking and framing is light for its bulk. A 300 to 400 square foot deck fits a 15 or 20. If concrete footings are coming out too, those belong in a separate small container or a separate trip.
A concrete patio or driveway section
A 10 yard, filled only to the line the company marks. Concrete is so heavy that a larger container cannot be filled anyway.
New construction
A 30 or 40 on a swap schedule, with heavy material kept separate.
If you are between two sizes
Go up, unless the material is heavy. A size up is usually $75 to $150 more, and a second haul of the smaller size can be several hundred. With shingles, tile or concrete, the opposite holds: more space means more temptation to fill it, and every ton over the allowance is charged.
Describe the project and a local company will tell you which size, and how many tons, before anything is booked.
A quick way to measure what you have
A full-size pickup bed loaded level holds roughly two to three cubic yards. Count how many pickup loads the job would take and multiply. Six to eight loads is a 20; ten to twelve is a 30. It is rough, and it is closer than guessing from the size of the room.
Where to go next
Common questions
What is the most common size in Murfreesboro?
The 20 yard. It fits most driveways and holds most single projects.
Can I swap to a bigger size halfway through?
Usually, for a haul fee. It is cheaper to size correctly at the start.
Does a bigger container cost much more?
Often only $75 to $150 a step, plus whatever extra weight you put in it.