Worked examples
| You enter | Weight | Space | We suggest |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 cu yd mixed construction debris | 4,170 lb (2.1 tons) | 10 cu yd | A 10 yard; ask for 3 tons in writing |
| 20 cu yd household trash | 5,000 to 6,000 lb (2.5 to 3 tons) | 20 cu yd | A 20 yard |
| 20 by 20 ft patio, 4 in thick, in place | About 19,560 lb (9.8 tons) | About 8.2 cu yd once broken | One 10 yard heavy-debris haul |
| 10 cu yd broken concrete, loose | 23,700 lb (11.9 tons) | 10 cu yd | Two 10 yard heavy-debris hauls |
| 3 pickup truck loads of torn-off shingles | About 5,060 lb (2.5 tons) | About 6.9 cu yd | A 10 yard; ask for 3 tons in writing |
A pickup truck load here is a 6.5 ft bed filled level with the sides, 62.3 cu ft.6
Weights · Light and mixed debris
Loose figures, the way debris sits in a container.2
| Material | lb per cu yd | Full 10 yard | Full 20 yard |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clean lumber | 169 | 0.8 tons | 1.7 tons |
| Branches and stumps | 127 | 0.6 tons | 1.3 tons |
| Major appliances | 145 | 0.7 tons | 1.4 tons |
| Yard waste, mixed | 250 | 1.2 tons | 2.5 tons |
| Wood chips, dry | 243 | 1.2 tons | 2.4 tons |
| Wood chips, green | 473 | 2.4 tons | 4.7 tons |
| Household trash | 250 to 300 | 1.2 to 1.5 tons | 2.5 to 3 tons |
| Mixed construction debris | 417 | 2.1 tons | 4.2 tons |
| Drywall | 467 | 2.3 tons | 4.7 tons |
| Asphalt shingles, torn off | 731 | 3.7 tons | 7.3 tons |
Weights · Heavy debris
Swell is the extra room material takes once it's broken or dug. A 4 inch slab that measures 5 cubic yards in place fills about 8 cubic yards of container.
FHWA puts in-place figures within about 5%, but swell varies more, so treat it as a starting point.1 Masonry rubble is already broken, so the calculator treats it as loose only.
| Material | In place, lb per cu yd | Broken or dug, lb per cu yd | Swell1 | Full 10 yard, loose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Concrete, broken | 3,960 | 2,370 | 67% | 11.8 tons |
| Asphalt paving, broken | 3,240 | 1,940 | 50% | 9.7 tons |
| Brick | 4,050 | 2,430 | 67% | 12.2 tons |
| Masonry rubble | Not used | 2,350 | Not given | 11.8 tons |
| Topsoil | 2,430 | 1,620 | 56% | 8.1 tons |
| Dirt (loam), dry | 3,030 | 2,070 | 50% | 10.3 tons |
| Dirt (loam), damp | 3,370 | 2,360 | 43% | 11.8 tons |
| Clay, dry | 3,220 | 2,150 | 50% | 10.8 tons |
| Sand, dry | 2,880 | 2,590 | 11% | 12.9 tons |
| Gravel, dry | 3,280 | 2,730 | 20% | 13.7 tons |
FHWA gives no in-place weight or swell for masonry rubble, so the calculator treats rubble as loose only.
Why weight matters
Containers are billed on space and weight. Each quote includes a set number of tons, and the disposal site's scale ticket decides any overage. Landfill tipping fees explains how the disposal site charges by the ton.
A level-full 10 yard of broken concrete weighs about 12 tons,1 so plan on two hauls or fill it about four-fifths full. Concrete, brick, dirt and rock go in a 10 yard heavy-debris container, never filled to the top. Keep them clean: heavy-debris containers are quoted for one material.
Send the material, your estimate, the address and dates. We come back with the container, the tons included and a price from the provider network.
Questions
About 3,960 lb, close to 2 tons, as a slab or pavement in place. Broken up and piled loose, it’s about 2,370 lb per cubic yard because of the air between pieces.1
About 2,730 lb loose and 3,280 lb compacted in place, for average dry gravel.1 Wet gravel is heavier.
About 3,240 lb as pavement and about 1,940 lb broken up.1
About 4,050 lb laid in place and about 2,430 lb as loose broken brick.1
EPA and FHWA don’t publish a figure for mulch itself. The closest published figure is wood chips: about 243 lb per cubic yard dry and 473 lb green.2 Pick a wood chip line in the calculator as a stand-in, and treat the answer as a rough estimate. Use yard waste, mixed for leaves, clippings and brush.
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