A cubic yard is a way to measure how much space debris or materials will take up inside a dumpster. One cubic yard equals a space that is: 3 feet long × 3 feet wide × 3 feet tall (That’s a total of 27 cubic feet.) ❓ Why does this matter when choosing a dumpster? Dumpster sizes are based on how many cubic yards they can hold. For example: A 20‑yard dumpster holds about 20 cubic yards of material That’s roughly the same as 6 pickup truck loads Understanding cubic yards helps you estimate how much space you’ll need so you can choose the right dumpster for your project.