Enter the roof size, the shingle and the layers coming off. You get the tear-off weight, the loose volume and the smallest dumpster that holds it on both counts. Shingles usually hit the weight limit long before the box is full.1
Rules of thumb
Tons, loose cubic yards and the smallest box that holds it, from the same math as the calculator.13
| Roof size | 3-tab | Laminate | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 squares | 1 ton, 2.7 cu yd: a 10 yard | 1.2 tons, 3.3 cu yd: a 10 yard | 1.5 tons, 4.1 cu yd: a 10 yard |
| 15 squares | 1.5 tons, 4.1 cu yd: a 10 yard | 1.8 tons, 4.9 cu yd: a 10 yard | 2.3 tons, 6.2 cu yd: a 20 yard |
| 20 squares | 2 tons, 5.5 cu yd: a 10 yard | 2.4 tons, 6.6 cu yd: a 20 yard | 3 tons, 8.2 cu yd: a 20 yard |
| 25 squares | 2.5 tons, 6.8 cu yd: a 20 yard | 3 tons, 8.2 cu yd: a 20 yard | 3.8 tons, 10.3 cu yd: a 20 yard, 4 tons in writing |
| 30 squares | 3 tons, 8.2 cu yd: a 20 yard | 3.6 tons, 9.8 cu yd: a 20 yard, 4 tons in writing | 4.5 tons, 12.3 cu yd: 2 hauls of a 20 yard |
| 35 squares | 3.5 tons, 9.6 cu yd: a 20 yard, 4 tons in writing | 4.2 tons, 11.5 cu yd: 2 hauls of a 20 yard | 5.3 tons, 14.4 cu yd: 2 hauls of a 20 yard |
| 40 squares | 4 tons, 10.9 cu yd: a 20 yard, 4 tons in writing | 4.8 tons, 13.1 cu yd: 2 hauls of a 20 yard | 6 tons, 16.4 cu yd: 2 hauls of a 20 yard |
Two layers roughly double the weight: 20 squares of laminate, two layers, is about 4.8 tons and 13.1 loose cubic yards, so plan on 2 hauls of a 20 yard. The sizes assume the typical tons included on quotes in our provider network: 2 tons on a 10 or 15 yard and 3 on a 20 or 30.5 Your hauler's limit may differ.
Assumptions
Weight comes from the shingle maker's per-square figures, space from EPA's loose weight for torn-off roofing, and the box from the tons typically included on quotes. Where sources disagree, we use the heavier figure so the estimate errs high.
| Item | We use | What the sources say |
|---|---|---|
| 3-tab shingles | 200 lb per square | IKO: a maximum of about 190 lb, plus 10 lb for underlayment, nails and other debris.1 CertainTeed XT 25: 190 to 203 lb.2 |
| Laminate shingles | 240 lb per square | IKO: most brands under 230 lb, plus 10.1 CertainTeed Landmark: 217 to 229 lb; Landmark PRO: 231 to 240 lb, depending on the plant.2 |
| Premium shingles | 300 lb per square | IKO: 230 to 450 lb, with 290 a reasonable estimate, plus 10.1 CertainTeed Landmark Premium: 300 lb; Landmark TL: 305 lb.2 Heavy designer lines can run well past this. |
| Layers | Same shingle on every layer | IKO says a second layer doubles the dumpster you need and suggests weighing it separately, since the bottom layer may be a different shingle.1 |
| Loose volume | 731 lb per cu yd | EPA's figure for composition and other asphalt roofing.3 |
| Decking | 1.7 lb per sq ft, 268 lb per loose cu yd | Boise Cascade: 15/32 or 1/2 in plywood or OSB weighs 1.4 to 1.7 lb per sq ft.4 EPA: clean engineered wood, 268 lb per loose cubic yard.3 |
| Typical tons included | 2 tons on a 10 or 15 yard, 3 on a 20 or 30 | Median on quotes across our provider network.5 IKO's sizing chart estimates under 2 tons for a 10 yard, 2 for a 15, 3 for a 20 and 4 for a 25, and notes rental companies may use different limits.1 |
Not counted: water in the debris, skylights, metal roofing, gutters and anything else that goes in the box. If the tons on a quote sit between the typical figure and the upper quartile of quotes, the calculator suggests asking for those tons in writing; past that, it splits the job into hauls.
Using the estimate
Send the squares, layers, shingle and dates with the address. Request a roll-off quote and the tons included come back in writing.
Compare the estimate with the tons on the quote, not just the yards. Raising the tons before delivery is a normal request. See dumpster weight limits.
If the answer is more than one haul, ask for a swap when the first box reaches its weight rather than loading it to the top.
Rain adds weight the scale counts. Overages are billed from the disposal site's ticket, so ask for a copy.
Call with the address, the squares, the layers and the dates. We come back with the container, the tons included and a price from local providers in the markets we serve.
Questions
IKO estimates about 200 pounds per square for 3-tab shingles, 240 for laminate and 300 for premium, counting underlayment, nails and other debris. One layer of laminate on a 25 square roof is about 6,000 pounds, or 3 tons.
Size it by weight first. A 25 square laminate tear-off fills only about 8 loose cubic yards but weighs about 3 tons, so a 20 yard with 3 tons included holds it where a 10 yard would be over. Confirm the tons included with your hauler.
By space, about 30 squares of laminate. By weight, about 16 squares reach the 2 tons a typical 10 yard quote includes, so weight runs out first.
Roughly, if both layers are the same shingle. The calculator assumes they are. If the bottom layer is a different shingle, run it as its own calculation and add the two.
No. IKO's per-square figures add 10 pounds for underlayment, nails and other debris. Decking is separate: add the sheets you are replacing.
100 square feet of roof surface. A 2,500 square foot roof is 25 squares. Measure the roof itself, since a pitched roof has more surface than the floor below it.
Call sales at (888) 588-2607 or request a quote with the address, the squares, the layers and the dates.
Related guides
Sources