How Big Is a 40 Yard Skip? Size, Capacity & Bin Bag Comparison
If you’re planning a major cleanout, managing a construction site, or relocating a large office, waste disposal can quickly become overwhelming. That’s where large-capacity skips come in – and the 40 yard skip is the biggest commonly available option for commercial and large-scale waste. But how big is it really? How much can it hold? And is it the right choice for your needs?
In this guide, we’ll explore the actual size of a 40 yard skip, how many bin bags it holds, and its ideal usage cases.
Dimensions of a 40 Yard Skip: How Big Is It?
The 40 yard skip size makes it the largest roll-on roll-off (RoRo) container legally permitted for use on most UK roads. While standard builder’s skips (like 6 or 8 yard) are common for home projects, a 40 yard is in a league of its own.
Typical dimensions of a 40 yard:
- Length: 20 feet (6.1 metres)
- Width: 8 feet (2.4 metres)
- Height: 8.5 feet (2.6 metres)
This huge capacity is designed to accommodate a large volume of bulky, light waste – such as furniture, cardboard, plastics, wood, and packaging materials. However, it’s not suitable for heavy materials like soil, rubble, or concrete due to legal weight limits during transportation.
What can fit inside?
- Large office desks and filing cabinets
- Shopfitting waste
- Exhibition and event materials
- Timber, plastic, and general packaging
- Large amounts of household furniture
The physical footprint of a 40 yard means you’ll need ample space for delivery and collection, and when you take 40 yard skip hire cost into account, ensuring the area is accessible helps avoid delays and keeps the hire as efficient and straightforward as possible.
How Much Can a 40 Yard Skip Hold?
The capacity of a 40 yard is where it truly stands out. With space for 40 cubic yards (or approximately 30.6 cubic metres) of waste, this size can accommodate enormous amounts of commercial or domestic rubbish.
To give you a better sense of scale:
- It can hold roughly 400 standard black bin bags of waste.
- That's about four times the capacity of a
10 yard skip.
- It can carry up to 4.5 tonnes
of light waste (depending on the materials).
Because of its design, a 40 yard is usually loaded via large rear doors that swing open, allowing easy access for wheeled bins, trolleys, or manual loading.
Key features:
- Great for volume, not weight – ideal for businesses disposing of light but bulky items.
- Roll-on roll-off (RoRo) style – delivered by a specialised HGV, requiring suitable access.
- Not suitable
for soil, hardcore, or other heavy waste due to road weight restrictions.
How Many Bin Bags Fit in a 40 Yard Skip?
One of the most common questions from customers is: How many bin bags can you fit in a 40 yard skip? The answer is – approximately 400 to 440 full bin bags.
Let’s break that down into something more relatable:
- A standard black bin bag holds about
90 litres of waste.
- With a 40 yard holding just over 30,000 litres, that gives a rough capacity of 400+ bags.
- This is roughly equivalent to:
- Clearing out 6–8 large offices
- A full renovation waste load from a multi-bedroom house
- Debris and leftovers from a medium-sized construction site
- End-of-event waste for a festival or large gathering
For visual comparison:
- 1 skip = 20 small domestic wheelie bins
- 1 skip = 400 bin bags stacked would reach the height of a two-storey building
This makes the 40 yard ideal when you know you’ll be handling significant volumes of dry, bulky rubbish that need to be cleared quickly and efficiently.
Who Needs a 40 Yard Skip & When to Hire One
Not everyone will need a skip this large, but for certain projects — especially when disposing of large volumes of waste in one go — it can be the most economical and practical solution when you factor in the 40 yard skip price, as it often works out cheaper than hiring multiple smaller skips.
Here are some situations where hiring a 40 yard makes perfect sense:
Construction Projects
For large-scale construction jobs – commercial building, retail unit refurbishments, or property developments – waste accumulates fast. A 40 yard reduces the number of collections needed, helping to keep your site clear and compliant.
Office Relocations or Refurbishments
If you're clearing out old furniture, partitions, and office equipment, this skip offers the space needed to dispose of everything at once.
Renovating Large Homes or Estates
Homeowners or landlords overseeing full house renovations or demolitions will benefit from the capacity, especially for bulky furniture, carpets, insulation, and packaging.
Commercial Landscaping
Landscapers working on commercial gardens, estates, or parks may need a skip for green waste, timber, fencing, and other bulky materials – though it’s important to note weight limitations.
Festivals, Events & Exhibitions
Event organisers often face large volumes of mixed waste in a short time. A 40 yard offers a high-capacity solution for post-event cleanup, especially when placed strategically onsite.
Some businesses hire
large skips regularly, while others may only need it once. Whether it’s a one-off for a project or scheduled collections, many providers offer flexible hire periods and competitive rates.
If you’ve searched for 40 yard skip hire near me, make sure to check:
- Access space for delivery
- What materials you’ll be disposing of
- Local waste regulations for large containers
A
40 yard skip is the largest standard skip available in the UK and is built for serious waste disposal jobs. With dimensions of roughly 20ft x 8ft x 8.5ft, and the ability to hold around 400 bin bags of light, bulky waste, it’s perfect for construction, commercial, and large domestic projects.
While it isn’t suitable for heavy waste like soil or rubble, it offers unbeatable convenience and efficiency when dealing with high volumes of general rubbish. From office clear-outs to post-event waste removal, it saves time, cuts costs on multiple smaller skips, and keeps your project tidy.
When choosing your provider, always consider reliability, price, and local knowledge
At
Skip Hire Oxford, we specialise in reliable, professional
skip hire services for Oxford and surrounding areas. Whether you're a construction firm, a business relocating offices, or a homeowner managing a renovation, we offer tailored solutions for your waste removal needs.
Don’t miss it on X:
40 yard skip – full size guide, capacity and bin bag comparison!
You might also like
