Roll Off and Front Load Dumpsters: What's the Difference?
Dumpsters come in many different shapes and sizes, but there are two main types: roll off and front load dumpsters.
Knowing which kind you need depends on the debris you have and how often you'll need to dispose of it.
Roll off dumpsters are large, open-topped containers used for one-time jobs like construction projects or home cleanouts that generate high volumes of debris. Renting a roll off dumpster is considered temporary dumpster service.
Front load dumpsters are smaller, lidded bins used for regular trash service at businesses — you'll see these dumpsters behind any restaurant or store. Front load dumpster services are also called permanent dumpster services.
A Full Breakdown of Dumpster Types
Roll Off Dumpsters | Front Load Dumpsters | |
|---|---|---|
Description | Designed to "roll off" the back of specialized trucks to make carting bulky or large amounts of waste simpler. | Designed to be picked up and emptied by the hydraulic arms of front load trucks. |
Typical Rental Period | 7-10 days | Adjustable contract length |
Service Type | Temporary or Ongoing Dumpster Service | Permanent Dumpster Service |
Capacity | Between 10 and 40 cubic yards of waste | Between 2 and 8 cubic yards of waste |
Weight Limit | Between 4,000 and 12,000 pounds | Between 400 and 1,600 pounds |
Common Uses |
FAQs About Dumpster Types
What are the two main types of dumpsters?
Roll off dumpsters and front load dumpsters are the two most common kinds of dumpsters. There are many different sizes of each dumpster type, each designed to handle different kinds and amounts of debris.
What's the main difference between roll off and front load dumpsters?
Roll off dumpsters are large, rectangular dumpsters you can expect to see on construction sites or in driveways during home renovations.
Front load dumpsters are smaller, square dumpsters used behind restaurants, stores and other businesses to handle their weekly trash pickups.
What's the difference between temporary, ongoing and permanent dumpster services?
Temporary dumpster service involves renting roll off dumpsters for short-term projects. It's ideal for homeowners doing home cleanouts or renovations, as well as businesses renovating their offices or stores.
Ongoing dumpster service entails renting roll off dumpsters regularly, and is primarily for contractors, home builders and businesses that require continuous, high-volume debris removal as part of their day-to-day operations.
Permanent dumpster service provides front load dumpsters with scheduled pickup service for restaurants, stores, offices and other businesses.
What's the smallest dumpster I can rent?
The smallest front load dumpster rental available in most markets is usually a 2 yard dumpster. These dumpsters are typically 6 feet long, 3 feet wide and 3 feet high and can typically hold about a dozen 33-gallon trash bags, or four 96-gallon containers-worth of trash.
The smallest roll off dumpster size offered in most cities is usually the 10 yard dumpster. These dumpsters are generally 14 feet long, 7.5 feet wide and 3.5 feet high and can typically hold between 2-3 tons of debris at a time. These dumpsters are great for small-scale cleanouts, demolition projects and outdoor projects.
Get Expert Roll Off & Front Load Dumpster Services
Whether you’re tackling a major construction project, a home garage cleanout or weekly trash collection for your business, we can help. For over a decade, we've helped thousands of homeowners and business owners get the right waste solutions for their cleanup needs.
Variety of Sizes
We offer a number of residential and commercial dumpster sizes nationwide for cleanup needs big and small.
Nationwide Coverage
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Quick & Efficient Service
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