Deck Removal Dumpster: Size and Weight for Old Decks

A 300 square foot wood deck comes apart into roughly 4 to 6 cubic yards of decking and framing, and railings and stairs add 3 or 4 more, about 1 to 1.5 tons in all. That makes a 10-yard the usual deck removal dumpster for a plain deck and a 15-yard the safe choice with railings and stairs. Composite boards add weight more than volume, roughly a quarter to a half more for the same deck, so a 15-yard with at least a 2-ton allowance is the right box. Concrete footings need a heavy-debris box of their own.

How much debris a deck produces: square feet to yards

Torn-out deck lumber takes up two to three times the space of the solid wood in it, even when it's stacked.

A workable rule is to multiply the deck's surface area by 0.015 to 0.02 to get loose cubic yards of decking and framing. A 12 x 16 ft deck (192 sq ft) comes to about 3 to 4 cubic yards, a 300 sq ft deck to 4 to 6, and a 20 x 24 ft deck (480 sq ft) to 7 to 10. Add about 1 cubic yard per 20 linear feet of railing and 1 to 2 for each set of stairs.

For weight, a pressure-treated wood deck runs about 5 to 7 lb per square foot of surface, decking and framing together. A 300 sq ft deck is 1,500 to 2,100 lb, or 0.75 to 1.05 tons, and rails and stairs push it toward 1.5. The EPA's figure for loose lumber in our how much debris weighs guide, 169 lb per cubic yard, assumes a jumble full of air. Stacked deck boards pack denser, so the per-square-foot rule is the better guide.

Wood vs composite: the weight difference

Manufacturers list standard 1 x 5.5 inch composite deck boards at roughly 2 to 2.5 lb per linear foot (Trex, for example, publishes 2.2 lb for its Select board). A dried-out treated pine board the same size is roughly 1.3 to 1.6 lb, so composite is about one and a half times as heavy. The framing underneath stays wood, so the whole deck comes out a quarter to a half heavier. Typical totals, dry:

The composite column is where size and weight part ways. A 480 sq ft composite deck fits a 20-yard by volume, yet it can weigh more than a ton over a 2-ton allowance.

Which size: 10, 15 or 20 yards by deck size

• Under about 200 sq ft, wood, few rails: a 10-yard (12 x 8 x 3.5 ft, 1 to 2 tons included).
• 200 to 400 sq ft, wood, with rails and stairs: a 15-yard dumpster (16 x 8 x 4 ft, 1 to 2 tons included).
• Over 400 sq ft, two levels, or composite over about 250 sq ft: a 20-yard, or a 15-yard if the volume fits, with the allowance in the quote matched to the weight. On composite, say so when you ask for the price.

If the deck is part of a bigger backyard job, size one box for everything. The fence removal dumpster and shed removal dumpster guides give those volumes, and a deck, a fence and a small shed together often fit one 20-yard. The dumpster rental by project guide sizes other common jobs the same way.

Treated lumber, screws and nails: what landfills accept

Pressure-treated deck lumber usually goes in the dumpster as ordinary construction debris, with the nails, screws and joist hangers still in it. Bend over anything sticking out so nobody gets hurt loading.

Don't burn it or chip it for mulch. Decks built before about 2004 were often CCA-treated (chromated copper arsenate), and newer treatments still contain copper. Creosote railroad ties used as edging are a different material and are refused in many areas, so mention them if you have any. Composite boards go in as regular debris.

Concrete footings and the heavy-debris rule

The concrete under the posts is often the heaviest thing on the job. A pier 12 inches across and 42 inches deep is about 2.75 cubic feet, and solid concrete weighs about 140 to 155 lb per cubic foot, so each footing is roughly 400 lb. Eight of them come to about 3,200 lb, or 1.6 tons, which is more than a typical 300 sq ft wood deck weighs.

Concrete, dirt, brick and rock go in a 10-yard only, filled to a line the hauler marks, as a clean load, because a bigger box full of it can't be lifted or driven legally. There are three ways to handle footings:

1. Leave them in place. If a new deck or patio covers the spot, cut the posts flush.
2. Pull them and order a separate heavy-debris 10-yard for the concrete, soil and any old slab, kept clean with no wood in it.
3. Take a few to a concrete recycler yourself. Three at about 400 lb each is 1,200 lb, within most full-size pickups' payload, but check yours.

Keep them out of the deck box. Two footings add about 0.4 tons, a big bite out of a 1 to 2-ton allowance, and a mixed load with concrete in it can be reclassified at the scale.

Tear-down order that makes loading faster

Taking the deck apart in roughly the reverse order it was built keeps the pieces manageable and easy to stack.

1. Rails and balusters first, in sections, laid flat in the bottom of the box.
2. Stairs next: treads, then stringers, cut in half.
3. Decking boards, pried up with a flat bar and stacked in the box in one direction as you go.
4. Joists and beams, cut to 8 feet or less and laid in the gaps between layers of decking.
5. Posts last, cut flush at the footing or pulled with the pier attached.

Boards thrown in crossways trap a lot of air. On a deck near the top of the 10-yard range, stacking everything flat and in one direction can keep you out of a 15-yard.

What sets the price of a deck removal dumpster

Across the market, a 10, 15 or 20-yard rental typically comes with 7 days and 1 to 2 tons included, and the price depends on the size, your ZIP code and the weight allowance. Most wood decks under 400 sq ft fit one of the first two, and a 2-ton allowance covers nearly all of them. For composite or a very large wood deck, get a bigger allowance in the quote rather than paying per ton over at the scale. Our 15-yard and 20-yard each include a 30-day rental and up to 3 tons of disposal, enough for most composite decks, and your quote shows the price and the per-ton rate beyond that. Footings aren't part of that, and a heavy-debris 10-yard for them is quoted on its own. For a weekend job, ask about a 3-day rental.

Frequently asked questions

What size dumpster do I need for deck removal?

A 10-yard for a wood deck under about 200 sq ft, a 15-yard for 200 to 400 sq ft with rails and stairs, and a 20-yard (or a 15 with at least a 2-ton allowance) for bigger decks and composite.

How much does a deck weigh?

A pressure-treated wood deck weighs roughly 5 to 7 lb per square foot of surface including framing, about 1 to 1.5 tons for a 300 sq ft deck with rails and stairs. With composite decking, the same deck comes to about 1.3 to 2.2 tons.

Can I put pressure-treated wood in a dumpster?

Yes, in most areas. Treated deck lumber is accepted as construction debris, fasteners and all, but it shouldn't be burned or chipped for mulch.

Can concrete footings go in the same dumpster as the deck?

No. At around 400 lb each, footings are heavy debris, so they go in a 10-yard heavy-debris box as a clean load or stay in the ground. Mixed in with the boards, they can push the load over its allowance.

Tell us the deck's size and material and we'll quote the box that fits it, with the allowance to match. Get my price.