Skip Bin Sizes Explained
Picking a size is the one decision that costs money if you get it wrong. Too small and you are paying for a second bin. Too big and you are paying for air. Here is what each size actually measures and what it genuinely holds.
The quick rule
One cubic metre is about one 6×4 box trailer load, or about ten builder’s wheelbarrows, or four 240 litre wheelie bins. Count your trailer loads, then add one. Nearly everyone underestimates, and a second bin costs far more than one size up.
| Size | Typical footprint | Trailer loads | Wheelbarrows | 240L bins |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2m3 | 1.8m x 1.5m x 0.9m | 1 to 2 | about 16 to 20 | 8 |
| 3m3 | 2.5m x 1.5m x 0.95m | 2 to 3 | about 30 | 12 |
| 4m3 | 3.2m x 1.6m x 1.0m | 3 to 4 | about 40 | 16 |
| 6m3 | 3.7m x 1.6m x 1.3m | 5 to 6 | about 60 | 24 |
| 8m3 | 4.0m x 1.6m x 1.6m | 7 to 8 | about 80 | 32 |
| 10m3 | 4.25m x 1.6m x 1.6m | 9 to 10 | 100 to 120 | 40 |
Dimensions vary between operators by a few hundred millimetres, so treat these as typical rather than exact. If clearance is tight, call and we will give you the real measurements of the bin we would send.
Not sure which size? Tell us what you are throwing out.
Every size, and what it is really for
2m3 skip bin
1.8m x 1.5m x 0.9m. Around 1 to 2 trailer loads.
Suits a garage tidy-up, a small yard clean, a single room cleared out.
3m3 skip bin
2.5m x 1.5m x 0.95m. Around 2 to 3 trailer loads.
Suits a bathroom or laundry renovation, a decent garden clean, a small deceased estate.
4m3 skip bin
3.2m x 1.6m x 1.0m. Around 3 to 4 trailer loads.
Suits a kitchen renovation, a furniture clear out, a medium household clean.
6m3 skip bin
3.7m x 1.6m x 1.3m. Around 5 to 6 trailer loads.
Suits a full house clean out, a larger renovation, bulky waste.
8m3 skip bin
4.0m x 1.6m x 1.6m. Around 7 to 8 trailer loads.
Suits a major renovation, a full property clear out, builder’s waste.
10m3 skip bin
4.25m x 1.6m x 1.6m. Around 9 to 10 trailer loads.
Suits major construction, large commercial clean ups, big demolition jobs.
Marrel or hook lift
Two different trucks, two different access requirements. A marrel bin is picked up by chains on hydraulic arms and its footprint is roughly one car parking space, with about three metres of overhead clearance needed for the arms. A hook lift bin rolls off the back of the truck on a hydraulic hook. Hook bins are wider, they need a longer straight approach, and they usually have a full rear door a bobcat can drive into.
Small and mid sizes are almost always marrel. The crossover to hook lift generally happens somewhere between 8m3 and 12m3. It matters because a hook bin that will not fit down your driveway is not a bin you can use, whatever its capacity.
Measure before you book
Three measurements save most of the problems we see. The length of the flat run where the bin will sit. The width of the gate or the driveway the truck has to get through. And the overhead clearance, because power lines, carport roofs and low branches stop more deliveries than narrow driveways do.
What you can put in the bin
- General household waste
- Green waste and garden clippings
- Furniture and white goods
- Renovation and strip-out waste
- Bricks, concrete and rubble
- Soil and excavation spoil
- Timber, plasterboard and offcuts
- Cardboard and packaging
What we cannot take
- Asbestos in any form
- Paint, solvents and chemicals
- Batteries and gas bottles
- Oils, fuels and liquids
- Food waste
- Medical or clinical waste
- Tyres (by arrangement only)
- Anything classified as hazardous
Asbestos is the one to be careful about. If you are stripping a wet area or a ceiling in anything built before the late 1980s, stop and get it tested before it goes anywhere near a skip. Putting asbestos in a general bin is an offence and it is expensive for everyone involved.
Common questions
What size skip bin do I need?
Work in trailer loads. Roughly one 6×4 box trailer fills one cubic metre. Count the trailer loads you think you have, then add one, because almost everyone underestimates.
How big is a 4m3 skip bin?
Typically around 3.2m long, 1.6m wide and 1.0m high, though it varies by operator between about 2.5m and 3.4m in length. It holds three to four trailer loads and fits in a standard parking space.
What is the difference between a marrel and a hook lift bin?
A marrel bin is lifted by chains on hydraulic arms and takes up about one car space. A hook lift bin is rolled off the truck by a hydraulic hook, is wider, and needs a longer straight run for the truck. Smaller bins are marrel, bigger bins tend to be hook, and the crossover is usually between 8m3 and 12m3.
Which sizes have a door?
From 3m3 up, most bins come with a wheelbarrow door. The 2m3 is normally top load only. If you are moving soil, rubble or anything you cannot lift over the side, you want the door.
Can a skip bin fit in my driveway?
Measure the length first. A 4m3 needs about 3.2m of clear run, a 10m3 needs over 4m plus room for the truck to work. Height clearance matters too, since a marrel truck needs around 3m overhead.
Need a bin today? We deliver across Sydney seven days.