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You’ve probably put a lot of thought into what type of materials you want to use as you plan your roofing project, and whether you’ll have to tear off old layers of roofing and how much all of that will cost. In fact, you’ve probably gotten multiple bids from trusted contractors in your area. However, have you considered what type of dumpster you’ll need for all the debris that a roofing project generates?
The first step is to figure out what type of shingles you have on your roof and whether or not they will come off before your new roofing system is installed. That matters, because some are shingle types are heavier than others. And dumpsters, while categorized in cubic yards, also have a weight limit.
The standard shingle is called a “three-tab” shingle, which is among the most commonly used and is lighter than the larger “architectural” shingles. If your home is quite old and was shingled with antiquated materials no longer produced, ask your roofing contractor their opinion on how much they weigh.
Doing the math for asphalt shingles
Your roofing contractor might talk in a different lingo than you’re accustomed to. For instance, have you heard them talk in terms of “square?” In the roofing industry, they’ll say your house is “20 square,” which means your roof has an area of 2,000 square feet. Each square, if you haven’t already done the math, is 100 square feet.
Generally, three bundles of shingles will cover 100 square feet, or one square. Each bundle of three tab shingles weighs between 60 and 80 pounds. So, if you’ve got a 2,000 square foot roof, you’ll have approximately 3,600 to 4,800 pounds of shingles coming off your roof and going into your dumpster.
Weighing in on other materials
If you are tearing off materials other than asphalt shingles, consider the following guideline for the most common weight per square foot of each material:
- Copper - .85 lbs
- Wood shingles – 4.5 lbs
- Slate – 10 lbs
- Clay tile – 12-20 lbs
- Fiberglass shingles – 4.5 lbs
- Aluminum – .50 lbs
- Concrete tile – 8 to 10 lbs
Other materials to consider
Of course, the shingles aren’t the only objects coming off your roof and going into your dumpster. Underlayment, which is commonly referred to as felt paper, and nails also add weight to the project.
To get an accurate determination of how much felt paper will add to the weight of your dumpster, you must consider that there are different sizes used by roofers, and it’s categorized as 15, 30 or 45 pound paper.
Fifteen-pound paper weighs around .2 pounds per square foot. Thirty-pound paper weighs about .3 pounds per square foot, and 45-pound paper comes in at .5 pounds per square foot. This means if you’ve got a 2,000-square-foot roof, you’re accumulating 400 to 1,000 extra pounds in felt paper alone.
The first step is to figure out what type of shingles you have on your roof and whether or not they will come off before your new roofing system is installed. That matters, because some are shingle types are heavier than others. And dumpsters, while categorized in cubic yards, also have a weight limit
Get the right sized unit
The smallest rental units most dumpster companies offer are 6 cubic yards, which hold up to 3,000 pounds of debris. However, considering the weight of roofing materials, this dumpster would only be a good fit for fairly small projects, such as the roofing materials on a detached single car garage.
A more typical rental for a roofing project is a 10 cubic yard or 15 cubic yard dumpster. The smaller of the two will hold 4,000 pounds of waste and the larger will hold 5,000 pounds.
If your roofing project will account for two layers of roofing materials coming off, you will probably want to consider the 20 cubic yard unit, which will hold up to 7,000 pounds of material.
And if that project is on a large roof where multiple layers are taken off, you’ll need to consider a 30 cubic yard unit, which will hold 10,000 pounds of debris.
Renting a dumpster for roofing renovations
Don’t risk getting the wrong size unit – call an expert and get their opinion. At A City Suburban Services, we are the expert for the Chicago area. Our roll off dumpster rental services give you the assurances you need that your project to go off without a hitch. In fact, you can go to our “ask and expert” page on our website and ask your question there, or call us at (773) 295-0303. We’re fast, reliable and ready to assist.
