How Many Tonnes Of Soil Can You Put In A Skip?
If you are undertaking a garden clearance or excavation and need to get rid of large amounts of soil and rubble, skip hire might be a suitable waste management solution for your needs. People sometimes ask ‘Can you put garden waste in a skip?’. The answer is yes, almost all types of garden waste can be added to your skip, making it a quick, convenient, and cost-effective option for most customers.
You can find more advice in our garden waste clearance guide, where we talk about how to plan your project and the different types of waste you might create. Skips for soil can become quite heavy, so it’s good to know approximately how much soil you’ll need to get rid of.
Here’s a handy guide to skip weight limits with an idea of how many tonnes of soil will fit in each skip size, as well as what this equates to in bin bags. We recommend you contact the supplier when arranging skip hire, as they will be able to let you know the maximum skip size you can hire if you intend to fill it with just soil or rubble.
How Many Tonnes Of Soil Fits In A Skip?
Skip weight limits are there for a reason, so don’t ignore them. As long as your load is secure and level, skip lorries can safely lift quite significant weights, but there is always a maximum load limit for safety purposes. As a rule of thumb, each cubic yard of capacity equates to one tonne of waste.
For soil and rubble, the most popular solution is a 4 or 6 yard skip.
How many tonnes in a 4 yard skip?
4 tonnes | 4,000KG | 40-60 bin bags
These small or midi 4 yard skip can hold up to 4 tonnes of waste. This is equivalent to between 40 and 60 bin bags.
How many tonnes in a 6 yard skip?
6 tonnes | 6,000KG | 60-80 bin bags
Up to 6 tonnes of waste will fit into a 6 yard skip, which is around 60 to 80 bin bags full of rubbish. This is one of the most popular skip sizes.
Larger skips sizes are more suited to mixed waste, rather than just soil and rubble.
How many tonnes in an 8 yard skip?
8 tonnes | 8,000KG | 80-100 bin bags
An 8 yard skip is suitable for around 80-100 bin bags of waste. This will weigh around 8 tonnes, which is 8,000kg. These skips are useful for more substantial projects and renovations.
How many tonnes in a 10 yard skip?
10 tonnes |10,000KG | 100-120 bin bags
A 10 yard skip will hold up to 10 tonnes of waste, if this was put into bin bags it would fill between 100-120 of them!
How many tonnes in a 12 yard skip?
12 tonnes | 12,000KG | 120-140 bin bags
Around 12 tonnes of waste can be added to a 12 yard skip. These are known as maxi-skips and tend to be popular with commercial and industrial customers. We would usually propose larger skips sizes (12 yard and above) are used for lighter waste, due to skip weight limits.
How many tonnes in a 14 yard skip?
14 tonnes | 14,000KG | 140-160 bin bags
Although large skips are only suitable for lighter waste, you can usually get 140-160 bin bags full in a 14 yard skip.
How many tonnes in a 16 yard skip?
16 tonnes |16,000KG | 160-180 bin bags
A 16 yard skip is not suitable for carrying soil or rubble, you’d need a smaller skip for this. You can add up to 180 bin bags of waste to a skip of this size, but it needs to be light and bulky as opposed to heavy materials.
Skip weight limits and disposing of your waste
We would us a maximum of a 6 yard skip if you are looking for skips for soil or rubble exclusively. This will ensure the skip lorry can take away your waste safely. Heavier skips can cause damage to roads and surfaces when loaded, so tend to be more suitable for waste with a mix of bulky and lighter items.
Skip hire is also an excellent option if you are disposing of other types of waste. Find out more in our dedicated guide to old furniture disposal, or check out our top tips on preparing for your skip.
