How the estimate works
First the calculator works out volume. A full-size pickup bed holds roughly two cubic yards when it's loaded level with the top of the bed rails. A short bed holds a bit less and an eight-foot bed a bit more. For trailers it multiplies length by width by side height and divides by 27 to get cubic yards. A heaped load is treated as roughly 30 to 60 percent more than level-full.
Then it multiplies that volume by a weight range for the material, in pounds per loose cubic yard. The ranges are deliberately wide. Dry leaves and wet grass are both "yard waste", but a yard of wet clippings can weigh several times more. Broken concrete and dirt can top a ton per cubic yard, which is why a pickup can hit its payload limit long before the bed looks full.
Typical weight ranges used
| Material | Typical lb per loose cubic yard |
|---|---|
| Mixed household junk / bagged trash | 150–350 |
| Furniture & bulky items | 80–250 |
| Yard waste: leaves, brush, branches | 150–500 |
| Grass clippings (damp) | 400–1,000 |
| Mixed remodeling / construction debris | 300–800 |
| Lumber & wood scraps | 200–500 |
| Drywall scraps | 400–850 |
| Asphalt shingles (tear-off) | 700–1,300 |
| Broken concrete, brick or block | 1,800–2,800 |
| Dirt / soil | 1,900–2,900 |
| Sod | 1,500–2,500 |
These are rounded ballpark ranges of the kind commonly published for loose material. They're for planning, not certified conversion factors.
Typical item weights used
| Item | Typical weight each |
|---|---|
| Mattress (full, queen or king) | 50–130 lb |
| Box spring | 30–70 lb |
| Passenger car tire, no rim | 18–28 lb |
| Light truck / SUV tire, no rim | 30–55 lb |
| Refrigerator | 150–350 lb |
| Washing machine | 150–230 lb |
| Sofa | 80–250 lb |
| Old tube (CRT) TV | 40–200 lb |
Reading your dump's price list
Most public sites price loads in one of four ways: by weight on a scale (per ton), by volume (per cubic yard), by a flat charge per vehicle or trailer, or per item for things like tires and mattresses. Many mix them, for example a minimum charge that covers light loads plus a per-ton rate above that. If your site charges by the load, the weight estimate still tells you whether your truck or trailer can carry it safely.
Related reading: How much does it cost to go to the dump? · How much can a pickup haul? · Shingles guide · Concrete guide · Mattress guide · Find a dump near you