Dumpster Pad Requirements & Thickness Guide

Dumpster Pad Requirements: Engineering for Heavy Loads

Dumpster pads must handle garbage trucks—some of the heaviest vehicles on the road. Standard concrete won't work. This guide covers the exact specifications needed for a pad that actually supports dumpster trucks.

Thickness Requirements

Minimum: 6 inches

Recommended: 8 inches

Garbage trucks create massive point loads. The extra thickness distributes the weight and prevents cracking. Don't skimp on thickness—it's critical for this application.

Reinforcement: Double Rebar Grid

Dumpster pads need heavy reinforcement:

Specification: Double rebar grid—one layer near bottom, one near top

Rebar size: #4 or #5 rebar

Spacing: 12-inch centers in both directions

Single-layer reinforcement isn't enough. The double grid provides strength in both directions to handle the heavy, concentrated loads.

Why Garbage Trucks Are Different

Garbage trucks create:

• Extremely heavy point loads (wheels concentrate weight)
• Repeated loading (daily use)
• Turning forces (lateral stress)

Standard driveway specs won't work. Dumpster pads need heavier engineering.

The Bottom Line

Dumpster pads require: 6-8 inch thickness, double rebar grid, and proper base preparation. Garbage trucks are incredibly heavy—the pad must be engineered to handle these loads, or it will fail quickly.

Don't use standard driveway specs for dumpster pads. They need heavier engineering to handle the extreme loads.

Need a properly engineered dumpster pad? Contact Local Concrete Contractor. We design and install dumpster pads built to handle heavy truck traffic.