Drywall from a remodel or repair can go in a roll-off dumpster with the rest of the remodel debris, and it is one of the materials Austin's bulk pickup will not take. How to dispose of drywall comes down to weight, whether the boards are wet and what's on them. The tear-out is what produces the debris. This post is about where those boards go once they're down, and how to load them.
Where Drywall Can and Can't Go
A remodel's worth of sheets is heavy and bulky, so it is not a good fit for a household trash cart. City bulk collection will not take it either. Torn-down drywall is renovation debris, and renovation debris does not qualify for Austin bulk collection.
It does go in a roll-off for a home remodel. Our containers take "Furniture, household junk, remodel debris, drywall, flooring, shingles, yard waste and most appliances." For most remodels, getting rid of drywall means a container on the driveway, not a pile at the curb.
Drywall is also construction and demolition debris, and even a modest stack of sheets adds up faster than it looks. Gypsum drywall is fully recyclable, but much of it still goes to landfills, and the outlets that take it vary.
Check for Asbestos Before Older Drywall Comes Down
Set aside anything that might contain asbestos before the rest of the debris is loaded. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency lists "Textured paint and patching compounds used on walls and ceilings" among products that may contain asbestos, and it warns that disturbing such material during remodeling can release fibers.
If you don't know what's in the joint compound or texture on older walls, have it tested before demo.
We don't accept asbestos, and we don't test for it or remove it. Keep anything that might contain it out of the container.
Why Drywall Weighs More Than It Looks
Drywall disposal is often a weight problem before it is a space problem. Drywall runs about 50 pounds per 4-by-8 half-inch sheet, or around 500 pounds per cubic yard, which is why weight fills a container before volume does. A stack that still looks short in the container can already be a heavy load.
Wet drywall weighs far more than dry. Water soaks into the gypsum, so a water-damage tear-out can get heavy well before the boards reach the top. Tell us when the debris is wet and we will size it for that.
Because drywall is heavy, the tons included with a container matter as much as its yard size.
How to Load Drywall Into a Dumpster
Stack it so the weight sits low and even, and keep water and prohibited items out of the load. A neatly stacked bed of sheets leaves room for what else is going in the container, and it is easier on the truck:
- Break sheets down or stack them flat, rather than tossing them in on edge.
- Keep the drywall dry, or tarp the container if rain is coming.
- Pull stray nails as you go, and keep screws with the debris.
- Keep paint cans, solvents and other items we can't take out of the load, and set them aside.
- If anything else is going in the container, spread the heavy debris low.
We set boards under the container where it touches the drive. If your driveway is pavers, stamped or fresh concrete, tell us on the call and we'll choose the spot with that in mind.
Picking a Container Size for Drywall
No need to choose a size before you call. The right one depends on how much drywall is coming out, whether it's wet and what else is going in the container, and we'll match the load to one of our four dumpster sizes.
Prices for the two sizes that usually fit a bath or a kitchen, as listed on our home dumpster page:
- 10 yard: $369 + tax, 1.5 tons included
- 20 yard: $469 + tax, 2 tons included
The same page notes, "Every size includes delivery, pickup, disposal up to the weight shown and a 7-day rental; weight over the allowance is $75 per additional ton." Its rule of thumb is "A bath remodel fits a 10; a kitchen usually needs a 20."
That is a starting point, not a rule for every house. A bath with a short run of boards may fit the smaller container. A kitchen with cabinets coming out at the same time may not.
Contractors with a larger tear-out can use our construction dumpsters the same way: tell us the material and we'll size the container to the load.
Details That Help Us Size a Drywall Load
Name the material first, then the amount.
When you book, it helps to have these details ready:
- That the load is drywall, and a rough count of sheets or rooms.
- Whether the boards are wet or dry.
- What else is going in the container, such as cabinets or flooring.
- Where the container should sit, and what the driveway is made of.
- Whether the work is a small repair or a full-room tear-out, so we size for the actual pile, not a guess.
Get the Drywall Hauled Off
Call or text (512) 688-7000 and tell us how much drywall is coming out and whether it's wet. We will size the container, drop it with boards under the contact points and pick it up when you're done. When you're ready, schedule a delivery online and we'll confirm the size before the truck heads out.
