Megabac Environnement — dumpster rental
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20 cubic yard Megabac dumpster filled with renovation materials in a residential driveway — wood, drywall and debris bags

What Size Dumpster Do I Need?

Three sizes cover Greater Montreal: 10, 20 and 40 cubic yards. The 20-yard — about the size of a Dodge Caravan — suits most renovations; the 10-yard handles small jobs and heavy materials, the 40-yard demolitions and job sites. Soil, concrete, brick and asphalt each need their own dumpster, in 20 cubic yards only. Free quote at 514 708-2424.

10, 20 and 40 cubic yards 5 dumpster types Same-day delivery when available

The three sizes, in plain terms

Three roll-off dumpsters. Same width for all three, same length for the first two: what really changes is the height.

10 cubic yard Megabac dumpster

10 cubic yards

14' long × 8' wide × 2.5' high · 3 to 4 pickup-truck loads

A 20-yard filled to half its height: same footprint, lower walls.

For small jobs, light projects and heavy materials — a low dumpster loads easily by shovel and fills without going over the truck's load limit.

Choosing it does not free up space in a short driveway: the footprint is identical to the 20-yard.

  • Bathroom renovation
  • Garage and house cleanout
  • Tearing down a small shed
20 cubic yard Megabac dumpster

20 cubic yards

14' long × 8' wide × 5' high · 6 to 8 pickup-truck loads

About the size of a Dodge Caravan — you can already picture it.

The most requested size: most mid-sized renovations, kitchen and bathroom, and big cleanouts.

  • Kitchen and bathroom renovation
  • Big garage and house cleanout
  • Tearing down a shed
40 cubic yard Megabac dumpster

40 cubic yards

20' long × 8' wide × 7' high · 12 to 16 pickup-truck loads

Twice the volume of the 20-yard, and six feet longer on the ground.

For a very large volume of dry materials. It maximizes capacity and cuts the number of hauls — on a job site, every delay costs money.

  • Demolition
  • Construction job sites
  • Full renovation

For guidance only. Megabac Environnement is not on site to assess the volume of your materials: this guide helps you choose, it does not guarantee the size.

Find your size in three questions

Three questions, one recommendation. Every answer is already in the table below: the selector only highlights the right row — nothing is hidden behind a click.

1 What are you throwing out?

This question comes first because it rules sizes out: the four single-material dumpsters only exist in 20 cubic yards.

2 How big is the project?
3 Where will the dumpster sit?

This question does not change the recommended size: it triggers an access warning.

The recommendation, in plain text

What you are throwing outOne room or a cleanoutSeveral rooms, a full floor, a roofWhole house, demolition, job site
Mixed materials 10 yards
3 to 4 pickup-truck loads
20 yards
6 to 8 pickup-truck loads
40 yards
12 to 16 pickup-truck loads
Soil, rocks, sod 20 yards20 yards20 yards
two trips rather than one 40
Concrete 20 yards20 yards20 yards
two trips rather than one 40
Bricks and mortar 20 yards20 yards20 yards
two trips rather than one 40
Asphalt 20 yards20 yards20 yards
two trips rather than one 40

The single-material dumpsters — soil, rocks and sod, concrete, bricks and mortar, asphalt — come in 20 cubic yards only. For a large volume of heavy material, the right answer is two 20-yard dumpsters, not one 40.

A one or two-car driveway

The 10 and 20-yard dumpsters take up 14 ft by 8 — the footprint of a car. The 40-yard needs 20 ft by 8. Leave room in front as well: the truck has to reverse in and lower the box level.

Large driveway or open ground

Every size fits. On grass or soft ground, say so when you book: the spot gets chosen differently.

Short driveway, alley, tight parking spot

Careful: taking a 10-yard does not free up ground space. The 10-yard is a 20-yard filled to half its height — the same 14 ft by 8 on the ground, simply lower. If length is what you are short of, the real answer is to have the truck wait on site while you load. Call 514 708-2424 and we'll look at it with you.

I don't know yet

Describe the access in the form below — that is exactly what the “Materials to dispose of, site access” box is for.

Roofing calculator

Shingle calculator: how many bundles, which dumpster

For a roof, weight decides before volume — and it is counted in bundles. Count the ones going up on the roof, or divide the area by 32: the answer falls out on its own.

32 sq ft covered by 1 bundle of shingles
25 bundles weigh 1 ton
25 bundles or less the 10 yard is enough — its included ton covers it all; at 30 bundles and up, the 20 yard costs less
bundles

Your roofer talks in square feet? Divide by 32 to get bundles. The result is an estimate, but it tracks real jobs closely.

50 bundles → a 20 yard

50 bundles weigh 2 tons: exactly the tonnage included with the 20 yard. The size is ideal — nothing paid for nothing.

75 bundles + a big cleanout → a 40 yard

75 bundles weigh 3 tons. In a 40 yard, you have room left to empty the garage or basement at the same time — the rental works twice.

Conversion benchmarks provided by Megabac Environnement, August 21, 2026.

Which size for which project

From smallest to largest. A named project beats a volume: nobody knows what a cubic yard looks like before renting one.

ProjectSizeDumpster typeWorth knowing
Bathroom renovation10 yardsMixedThe tub and the ceramic add weight fast
Garage cleanout, decluttering10 yardsMixed
Tearing down a small shed10 yardsMixed
Emptying a basement (furniture, carpet, partitions)20 yardsMixedVolume is deceptive: furniture fills without weighing
Kitchen renovation20 yardsMixed
Kitchen and bathroom20 yardsMixed
Whole-house cleanout, estate20 yardsMixed40 yards if the house is emptied completely
Shingle roof tear-off10 or 20 yardsMixedWeight decides, not volume — see the box below the table
Flooring replacement, full floor20 yardsMixed
Full renovation of a dwelling40 yardsMixed
Interior demolition, emptying a house40 yardsMixed
Construction job site40 yardsMixedFewer hauls, less waiting
Sod removal, grading, landscaping20 yardsSoil, rocks and sodNo other material accepted
Broken sidewalk, slab, foundation20 yardsConcreteNo mixing
Brick wall, chimney, masonry siding20 yardsBricks and mortarNo mixing
Redoing an asphalt driveway20 yardsAsphaltNo mixing

A roof is not calculated in volume

For a roof, don't think in volume. Shingles are heavy: it is the tonnage, not the room left in the box, that sets the size — and the overage is billed from the weigh ticket. Give us the number of squares on your roof (1 square = 100 sq ft) and we'll tell you which size leaves without going overweight.

Will it fit at my place?

This is the third most asked question, and it is a question of access, not of size.

Length on the ground

14 ft for a 10 or 20-yard, 20 ft for a 40-yard.

Width

8 ft in all three cases.

Overhead clearance

The truck lifts the box to set it down. Power lines, low branches, temporary car shelters and roof overhangs are the usual obstacles.

Clearance for the truck

There has to be room in front of the spot to back in and set the dumpster down straight.

Surface

Asphalt, pavers, concrete, gravel or grass. The PROTEC-O-SOL planks protect the first three; on grass or soft ground, let us know when you book.

The reminder that matters

Going from 20 to 10 cubic yards does not free up any length. If the driveway is too short, the truck can wait on site while you load — call 514 708-2424.

Free quote

It takes a minute — and the team gets back to you quickly.

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What happens next. Your request is recorded the moment you send it and you get a confirmation by email. An advisor calls you back shortly. For an urgent delivery, call 514 708-2424.

The 5 dumpster types

Size is not the whole story: dumpsters are rented by material type. Each type goes to a different disposal facility — that is why mixed loads bring extra fees.

Dry materials (mixed)

10, 20 and 40 cubic yards

Accepté. Wood, drywall, metal, shingles, insulation, plastic, furniture, clothing, estate items — mixed together, no problem.

Refusé. Tires and chemicals, as in every dumpster.

Interior demolition, residential or commercial construction, big cleanouts, estates.

Soil, rocks and sod only

20 yard — the only size offered

Accepté. Soil, rocks, sod.

Refusé. Everything else — sorting fees apply.

Excavation, grading, sod removal, landscaping.

The full page — calculator included →

Concrete only

20 yard — the only size offered

Accepté. Concrete, slabs, sidewalks, foundations, broken demolition concrete.

Refusé. No soil, metal, wood or garbage — sorting fees apply.

Sidewalks, slabs, foundations, concrete broken out during a demolition.

The full page — calculator included →

Bricks and mortar only

20 yard — the only size offered

Accepté. Bricks, mortar, masonry siding.

Refusé. Everything else — sorting fees apply.

Tearing down a brick wall, a chimney, masonry siding.

The full page — calculator included →

Asphalt only

20 yard — the only size offered

Accepté. Asphalt only — pavement chunks, millings, an old driveway torn out.

Refusé. Everything else — sorting fees apply.

Redoing a driveway, a parking area or an asphalt path, removing old pavement.

The full page — calculator included →

Why it matters

A dumpster rented for concrete that shows up at the disposal facility with wood in it is refused at the concrete rate: the sorting gets billed back. If you have several types of materials, say so in the form or at 514 708-2424 — we point you to the right type, or to two dumpsters when that costs less than sorting fees.

Fees apply if other materials are found in the dumpster.

Contaminated materials do not go into any of these five dumpsters: they call for a specialized service. Describe them in the form or call 514 708-2424 — we point you to the right channel.

Quick summary

Dumpster typeSizes available
Dry materials (mixed)10, 20 and 40 cubic yards
Soil, rocks and sod20 cubic yards — the only size
Concrete only20 cubic yards — the only size
Bricks and mortar20 cubic yards — the only size
Asphalt only20 cubic yards — the only size

Refused in every dumpster: tires and chemicals.

Strictly refused, in every dumpster

For environmental and safety reasons, these materials are not allowed:

Tires refused in every dumpsterTires
Paint and solvents refused in every dumpsterPaint, solvents, oils
Propane tanks refused in every dumpsterPropane, aerosols, acids

Everything else is accepted when it is sorted into the right type of dumpster.

Weight and winter fees

Weight

Every rental includes a tonnage, confirmed with your quote. Beyond that, the overage is billed from the disposal facility's weigh ticket — the real weight, not an estimate. That is also why heavy matter gets a dumpster of its own, offered in 20 cubic yards only: excavation, masonry and paving are booked separately.

Winter scraping fees

These are the fees the disposal facility charges when materials have frozen to the walls of the dumpster.

In winter, snow, humidity and temperature swings make materials stick to the steel; the dumpster does not empty completely when it is tipped, and the facility has to bring out an excavator to break loose what is left.

These fees are imposed by the disposal facility and are outside our control. Megabac Environnement bills them back at actual cost, with no markup — and never without proof: the facility issues a final weigh ticket showing the weight of the dumpster and the scraping fee when it applies. You can ask for it.

How to avoid them

Avoid letting wet or snow-covered materials pile up in the dumpster, and free it up quickly when a thaw is followed by a freeze.

Libération Express

Done early? Pay less.

Every rental includes 7 days — 15 for contractors — whatever the size. But if you work fast, the promotion rewards you:

  1. Your dumpster is delivered The 48-hour clock starts.
  2. You free it up within 48 hours of delivery Dumpster loaded and pickup requested, by phone or text.
  3. You get a $50 credit Applied directly to your credit card — deducted from any extras, or refunded in full if there are none.

More than 48 hours after delivery, the promotion no longer applies — your 7-day rental simply continues, without the credit.

Offer valid during high season (March to October).

Protecting your driveway

A full dumpster is heavy, and drop-off and pickup are when asphalt gets marked. Every Megabac dumpster is fitted with the exclusive PROTEC-O-SOL system: built-in planks that spread the load and protect your asphalt, concrete or paver driveway. Nothing to supply, nothing extra to pay.

Our drivers' tip, for complete protection

Even with the planks, the dumpster is still a steel box. Before the truck arrives, lay four flattened cardboard boxes — or a thin sheet of plywood — where the dumpster will sit: the steel never touches your asphalt or your pavers directly. Two minutes of prep, zero worry.

Frequently asked questions

What size dumpster do I need for a basement?

A 20 cubic yard dumpster in the vast majority of cases. A basement emptied of its furniture, carpet, partitions and boxes fills a dumpster quickly without weighing much: volume is deceptive. A 10-yard is enough for a single room or a cleanout; a 40-yard makes sense when the whole house is being emptied.

How many cubic yards for a roof?

A 10 or a 20-yard — and weight decides, not volume. Shingles are heavy: the included tonnage is reached well before the box is full, and the overage is billed from the weigh ticket. Give us the number of squares on your roof (1 square = 100 sq ft) at 514 708-2424 and we'll tell you which size leaves without going overweight.

What is the difference between a 10 and a 20-yard dumpster?

The height, and only the height. The 10-yard is a 20-yard filled to half its height: 14 ft by 8 in both cases, 2.5 ft high instead of 5. It takes exactly the same room on the ground — picking a 10-yard to gain length in a short driveway does not work.

How many pickup truck loads fit in a dumpster?

3 to 4 pickup-truck loads for a 10-yard, 6 to 8 for a 20-yard, 12 to 16 for a 40-yard. It is the simplest benchmark when you are weighing hauling it yourself against renting a dumpster.

How many feet does the dumpster take up on the ground?

The 10 and the 20-yard lay down the same rectangle: 14 ft long by 8 wide. The 40-yard goes to 20 ft by 8. Then add whatever the truck needs to back in and set the box down straight. Quickest way to check: a 20-yard is about the size of a Dodge Caravan.

Is mixing materials allowed?

Only in the dry materials box, where wood, drywall, metal, shingles and furniture travel together. The other four are each kept to one material and one alone — soil, rocks and sod; concrete; bricks and mortar; asphalt: slipping anything else in moves the whole load to the sorting rate. Tires and chemicals, for their part, belong in no box at all.

Can you get a 40-yard dumpster for concrete, soil or asphalt?

No. The four single-material dumpsters — soil, rocks and sod, concrete, bricks and mortar, asphalt — come in 20 cubic yards only. For a large volume of heavy material, the right answer is two 20-yard dumpsters.

What goes in no dumpster at all?

Two families: tires, and anything chemical — oils, paints, solvents, acids, aerosols, batteries, propane tanks. No size and no type is an exception. Those materials go to an ecocentre or a specialized drop-off point. The rest leaves without trouble, as long as it is in the right box.

How many days does the rental run?

Seven for homeowners — 15 for contractors — from the 10-yard to the 40-yard, and the term stretches by arrangement when a job falls behind. The other way round, a dumpster freed up within 48 hours of delivery earns the $50 Libération Express credit.

Why is there a scraping fee in winter?

Because a frozen load does not fall out when the box is tipped: the disposal facility brings in an excavator to break loose whatever is still stuck to the steel, and it charges for the work. Megabac Environnement passes that on exactly as received, with no markup and the weigh ticket to back it up.

Can the dumpster damage my asphalt or my pavers?

That is the risk, and it is exactly what the PROTEC-O-SOL system prevents: planks built into the dumpster spread the load at drop-off and at pickup, without you having to supply or place anything. Our drivers' tip on top of that: lay four flattened cardboard boxes or a thin sheet of plywood where the dumpster will sit, so the steel never touches the surface directly.

Where we deliver

Megabac Environnement delivers across Greater Montreal, the South Shore, the North Shore and the Montérégie.

Got your size?

Fill in the form and we'll come back to you with the size and the price. For an urgent delivery, call — it is faster.