Dumpster Sizes in Harrisburg, PA
Five sizes, one principle: choose by weight, not by volume. Get that right and the rest of the job takes care of itself.
Size Comparison at a Glance
| Size | Dimensions | Capacity | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 Yard | Roughly 12 ft long × 8 ft wide × 3.5 ft high | About 3 to 4 pickup truck loads | Concrete, brick, block and masonry |
| 15 Yard | Roughly 16 ft long × 8 ft wide × 4 ft high | About 5 to 6 pickup truck loads | Mid-size roof tear-offs |
| 20 Yard | Roughly 22 ft long × 8 ft wide × 4.5 ft high | About 8 pickup truck loads | Whole-floor and multi-room renovations |
| 30 Yard | Roughly 22 ft long × 8 ft wide × 6 ft high | About 12 pickup truck loads | New construction and major renovation |
| 40 Yard | Roughly 22 ft long × 8 ft wide × 8 ft high | About 16 pickup truck loads | Commercial and industrial clear-outs |
10 Yard Dumpster
Roughly 12 ft long × 8 ft wide × 3.5 ft high. About 3 to 4 pickup truck loads.
Best for: concrete, brick, block and masonry.
See details →15 Yard Dumpster
Roughly 16 ft long × 8 ft wide × 4 ft high. About 5 to 6 pickup truck loads.
Best for: mid-size roof tear-offs.
See details →20 Yard Dumpster
Roughly 22 ft long × 8 ft wide × 4.5 ft high. About 8 pickup truck loads.
Best for: whole-floor and multi-room renovations.
See details →30 Yard Dumpster
Roughly 22 ft long × 8 ft wide × 6 ft high. About 12 pickup truck loads.
Best for: new construction and major renovation.
See details →40 Yard Dumpster
Roughly 22 ft long × 8 ft wide × 8 ft high. About 16 pickup truck loads.
Best for: commercial and industrial clear-outs.
See details →The One Rule That Matters
Volume is what you rent. Weight is what you pay for.
A cubic yard of mixed household junk weighs perhaps 150–250 lbs. A cubic yard of drywall weighs around 500 lbs. A cubic yard of concrete weighs roughly 4,000 lbs.
Which means a 20 yard container filled with furniture and cardboard is comfortably inside its weight allowance, while the same container filled with masonry could never legally be lifted onto a truck. This is why we ask what is going in before we tell you what to book — and why the answer is sometimes a smaller, cheaper container than the one you called about.
Heavy debris — concrete, brick, tile, plaster, soil, wet carpet, shingles — belongs in a 10 yard container, regardless of how little space it takes up.
Frequently Asked Questions
What size dumpster do most people need?
The 20 yard container. It covers the majority of home renovations, clear-outs and light construction work in the Harrisburg area without the weight risks of a larger box.
Why does heavy debris need a smaller dumpster?
Because roll-off trucks have a legal transport weight limit. A cubic yard of concrete weighs roughly 4,000 lbs — two tons. A large container full of masonry cannot legally be lifted or hauled, so heavy material goes in a 10 yard box.
What is the difference between a 20 and a 30 yard dumpster?
Height. Both are around 22 feet long and 8 feet wide, but the 30 yard has six-foot sidewalls instead of four and a half. You get 50% more volume in exactly the same ground footprint — so if a 20 fits your driveway, a 30 will too.
How much space do I need for delivery?
Roughly 60 feet of straight approach, about 10 feet of width, and around 23 feet of overhead clearance for the hoist. Low limbs and service lines are the usual obstacles.
Not Sure Which Size?
Describe the job on the phone and we will size it in two minutes. It costs nothing and it usually saves money.