Volume is not weight
A 20-yard dumpster is 20 cubic yards of space. Household furniture can fill that space while staying relatively light. Concrete can hit the scale in a 10-yard box that still looks empty. Blue Sky’s calculator estimates both tons and cubic yards from the same material questions used in booking.
Light + bulky (furniture, wood, cleanouts)
Heavy + dense (concrete, brick, dirt)
Examples from the sizing engine
| Material (engine) | How weight is estimated |
|---|---|
| Household junk / cleanout | ~125 lb per cubic yard, adjusted if you mark heavier items. |
| Concrete / brick / masonry | ~2 tons per cubic yard. |
| Dirt / soil | ~1.35 tons per cubic yard. |
| Roofing shingles | Squares × layers × lb/square ÷ 2,000. Example: 20 squares × 1 layer × 230 lb = 2.3 tons. |
| Rubber-wheeled dumpsters | Recommended only when estimated weight is within the 3-ton rubber-wheel limit and placement/county allow. |
These are the booking engine’s estimates so you can choose a size. They are not a substitute for the scale ticket at the disposal site.
Included tons, then the ticket
Included weight and any extra-ton rate are part of your county/ZIP quote after the delivery address. We do not hard-code those numbers here because they vary. Checkout does not pre-charge extra tons. After disposal, Blue Sky reviews the actual weight ticket. Weight above the included allowance can be billed afterward using the extra-ton rate on the pricing rule — not as an invented upfront overweight fee.
For dirt, soil, concrete, brick, block, masonry, and rocks on a qualifying online 10-yard open-top, a $350 refundable deposit may appear on Due Today. That deposit is security against a later overage, not the overage itself. Details: Heavy Debris Guide.
Size vs weight
For exterior dimensions and which box fits a driveway, use the Dumpster Size Guide. For live size, weight, and price, use the Dumpster Calculator — it asks the material questions first, then quotes after your address.