Weight guide
How Dumpster Weight Is Weighed and Billed
Your load is weighed on the landfill's certified scale. You pay only for the pounds over your included tons, and the scale ticket comes with your invoice so you can check the math.
How is a dumpster load weighed?
A dumpster load is weighed twice on the landfill's certified truck scale. The truck is weighed full (gross weight), then empty after dumping (tare weight). Gross minus tare equals the net weight of your debris. That net weight, in tons, is compared with the tons included in your rental.
Gross weight is the truck, the dumpster and your debris together. Tare weight is the same truck and empty dumpster after the load is tipped out. The difference is only your debris.
One ton is 2,000 pounds. A net of 6,800 lb is 3.40 tons.
The landfill prints these numbers on an official digital weight ticket. We attach that certified ticket to your final invoice.
Questions about the tons on your size? Ask before you book.
Call (325) 241-7006How much is the overage if the dumpster is overweight?
The overage is $75 per ton for every pound over the included weight, pro-rated by the exact pound. That works out to $0.0375 per pound. Nothing is rounded up to the next full ton, so a load 0.4 tons over costs $30, not $75.
| Size | Tons included | Example net on ticket | Tons over | Overage at $75/ton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10-yard | 2.00 | 2.25 | 0.25 | $18.75 |
| 15-yard | 2.50 | 3.10 | 0.60 | $45.00 |
| 20-yard | 3.00 | 3.40 | 0.40 | $30.00 |
| 30-yard | 4.00 | 3.80 | 0.00 | $0.00 |
The 40-yard dumpster holds about 5 to 6 tons; its included weight is set on your quote, and weight over that is billed the same $75 per ton by the pound.
Overage calculator
0.40 tons over = $30.00 at $75 per ton, charged by the exact pound ($0.0375 per lb).
Every pound on the bill comes with its scale ticket.
Call now(325) 241-7006Which materials hit the weight limit first?
Concrete, dirt, brick, rock, sand, tile and roofing shingles hit the weight limit long before a dumpster looks full. Furniture, cardboard, clothing and framing lumber are bulky but light, so volume runs out first. Mixed remodel debris falls in between, and wet debris of any kind weighs more.
| Debris | What runs out first | Size to start with |
|---|---|---|
| Concrete, dirt, brick, sand, rock | Weight, fast | 10- or 15-yard only, half full |
| Asphalt shingles | Weight | 15-, 20- or 30-yard by roof size |
| Tile, plaster, drywall | Weight, in bathrooms and kitchens | 10- to 20-yard by room |
| Furniture, boxes, household clutter | Space | 15- or 20-yard |
| Framing lumber, packaging | Space | 20-, 30- or 40-yard |
For pounds-per-cubic-yard figures by material, see the EPA Volume-to-Weight Conversion Factors (checked Oct 21, 2026). Your own load can differ, so use them as a guide.
How do you work out the weight of a roof tear-off?
A roof tear-off weighs your bundle weight times bundles per square times squares times layers. If your shingles weigh 80 lb per bundle and a square takes 3 bundles, one square weighs 240 lb. A 25-square roof with one layer is 6,000 lb, which is 3 tons. Use the weight on your own shingle wrapper.
Shingle weight calculator
About 6,000 lb = 3.00 tons. That fits the 3 tons in a 20-yard.
For sizing a roof by squares and layers, see the roofing dumpster guide.
What are the rules for heavy debris?
Concrete, dirt, brick and sand go only in our 10-yard and 15-yard dumpsters, and only halfway up the walls. Highway weight limits are the reason: a full box of concrete would be too heavy to haul legally. A load of one clean material, such as concrete only, can qualify for special clean-fill pricing.
Mixed loads lose clean-fill pricing. One bag of trash or a few boards in a concrete load make it a mixed load. Keep heavy material separate if you want the clean-fill price.
Does rain make a dumpster heavier?
Rain makes an open dumpster heavier because drywall, cardboard, carpet, insulation and soil soak up water, and the scale weighs the water too. Covering the load with a tarp when rain is coming keeps that weight off your scale ticket. Pull the tarp before pickup so the driver can check the load.
When do you get the scale ticket and final bill?
The final invoice is emailed 3 to 5 business days after pickup, once the landfill processes its disposal log. The certified landfill scale ticket is attached, showing gross, tare and net weight. Any overage or extra days appear on that one invoice, with the ticket as proof of every pound.
- PickupThe driver hauls your dumpster to the landfill.
- Weigh in & outThe certified scale records gross and tare weight.
- TicketThe landfill issues the official digital weight ticket.
- InvoiceEmailed 3 to 5 business days after pickup, ticket attached.
Dumpster weight questions
How can I tell if my dumpster is getting too heavy?
Count the heavy material. Shingles, tile, plaster and concrete use up tons fast. If most of the load is heavy material and the box is more than half full, call us before you keep loading.
Is a ton the same as a cubic yard?
A ton measures weight and a cubic yard measures space. A 20-yard dumpster holds 20 cubic yards of space but includes 3 tons of weight, and the two run out at different times.
Can I see the scale ticket before I pay?
The certified scale ticket is attached to your final invoice, so you see the gross, tare and net weight on the same page as the charge.
What if I think the weight on my ticket is wrong?
Call us with your invoice and ticket in hand. The ticket shows the landfill's date, time and certified weights, so we can check it with you line by line.
Does a bigger dumpster cost less per ton?
Every size is billed $75 per ton over its included weight. The bigger sizes include more tons, so a 30-yard dumpster gives you 4 tons before any overage.
Pick a size that fits your weight
Tell us what you're throwing out. We'll match the size and the included tons so the scale ticket holds no surprises.
Deliveries 7:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Book by 3:00 PM for next-day delivery.