Short answer
Estimate the weight before you order: a square of asphalt shingles, meaning 100 square feet, weighs about 250 pounds per layer. Order a heavy debris rated container, typically a 10 to 20 yard, and keep the load free of wood and packaging so it can go to a shingle recycler.
Key numbers at a glance
| Item | Figure | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Weight per square | About 250 lb | 100 sq ft, single layer |
| 2,000 sq ft roof, 1 layer | About 2.5 tons | Before decking or felt |
| Second layer | Roughly doubles the weight | Check the eave before ordering |
| 10 yard container | Up to about 1,500 sq ft | Single layer |
| 20 yard container | Up to about 2,500 sq ft | Single layer |
| Recycling | Available in many markets | Clean loads only |
Why is weight the governing number?
Because asphalt is heavy out of proportion to its bulk. A square of shingles, 100 square feet of coverage, weighs around 250 pounds for a single layer. A typical 2,000 square foot roof is therefore about 2.5 tons before you add felt or decking.
A 20 yard container of shingles reaches its weight limit while looking barely half full. Volume is simply the wrong unit for this job, which is why providers quote a tonnage cap and a per ton rate above it.
How do you count layers reliably?
Lift a shingle at the eave and look at the exposed edge. You will see the layers stacked. Many homes carry two, because a previous re-roof went over the existing covering rather than tearing it off. Three is not unusual on older properties.
This is the single biggest source of overage charges on roofing work. A quote built on one layer and a roof that turns out to have three produces a bill nobody expected. Check before you call, and tell the provider what you found.
What size should you order?
As a working guide for single layer asphalt: a 10 yard up to about 1,500 square feet, a 15 yard to about 2,000, and a 20 yard to about 2,500. For two layers, halve those areas or step up a size with a higher tonnage cap.
Going larger does not help as much as it would with light debris, because the constraint is the weight the truck can legally carry rather than the space in the box.
Can shingles be recycled?
In a lot of markets, yes. Asphalt shingles are ground down and used in road paving material, and some providers route clean tear off loads to a shingle recycler instead of a landfill. Where that is available, the tipping fee is often lower.
The qualifying condition is cleanliness. A load with old felt, plywood offcuts, packaging and general site waste mixed through it cannot be processed and goes to landfill at the standard rate. If recycling matters to you, keep the shingles separate and say so when you book.
What about the mess on the ground?
Plan it before the first shingle comes off. Lay a tarp or plywood between the container and the wall, and position the container close to the eave you are stripping first so material drops where you want it.
Then sweep. A magnetic sweeper over the drive, the path and the lawn edge takes a few minutes and prevents the puncture that arrives a fortnight later.
How to plan a shingle tear off disposal
Measure the roof in squares
Divide the roof area by 100 to get squares. A 2,000 square foot roof is 20 squares, or about 2.5 tons of single layer asphalt.
Count the layers
Lift a shingle at the eave and look at the edge. Many homes carry two layers because a previous re-roof went over the top. Each layer roughly doubles the weight.
Order a heavy debris container
Tell the provider it is a shingle tear off and give them the squares and the layer count. They will quote a tonnage cap and a per ton rate above it.
Protect the ground and keep the load clean
Tarp the drop zone to catch nails, and keep wood, felt and packaging out of the container if a shingle recycler is available locally.
Sweep for nails before collection
Run a magnetic sweeper over the drive and the lawn. Nails are the complaint that outlasts the job by weeks.
Related guides and tools
Rental options
Questions
How much does a square of shingles weigh?
About 250 pounds per 100 square feet for a single layer of standard asphalt shingles. Architectural shingles weigh more.
What size dumpster do I need for a roof tear off?
Roughly a 10 yard for up to 1,500 square feet, a 15 yard to about 2,000, and a 20 yard to about 2,500 of single layer asphalt. Halve those figures for two layers.
Can roofing shingles be recycled?
In many markets, yes. Asphalt shingles can be ground and used in road paving material, but only clean loads qualify. Wood and packaging mixed in sends the load to landfill.
Can the old decking go in the same container?
Usually yes, but it affects both the weight estimate and any recycling option. Tell the provider at booking if decking is coming off too.
Why is a roofing container priced differently?
Because shingles are dense. A container that looks half full is at its weight limit, so providers quote a tonnage cap rather than a flat volume price.
What about the nails in my driveway?
Tarp the drop zone before the first shingle comes off, and run a magnetic sweeper before collection. It is the single most common post job complaint.
Who wrote this page
Written and fact checked by the Dumpster Porta Potty USA editorial team. We check container sizes, servicing intervals and price ranges against published provider rate sheets and federal guidance, then update the page when those change.
Last updated . Read our editorial policy.
Sources