how high to pile a skip

[sm_jamieson]

I have a 8 yard (cubic) skip with a door. We are sorting out the patio whic h was built too high years ago. We barrowed the soil type waste into the sk ip, then shut the door and piled up with broken concrete. Its level with th e top of the skip and topped out with broken slabs that we found under the concrete. I would have buried the concrete in the soil a bit more, but I ha d people helping and so we just did it the fastest way possible. Of course various folks always say "you can put more in than that", and pre viously I had a driver say "you can put more in than that mate". However they obviously need a stable load, and a pile of soil above the lev el of the skip will hold together, but if I put more broken slabs on top th e could slide off. Also added to this, they now give you a form with instructions on ! For a s kip ! Before you just got the skip and that was it. But I suppose new regs on recycling etc. are the reason for the paperwork. An the instructions say don't load higher than the top. However, again, the various skips you see around are often piled very high

- usually by builders - and they obviously get away with it. I suppose its just common sense and they need a stable load and sometimes t he drivers will pull a tarp or net over if they think it needs it. So ... How high should I pile the skip ? I'll need another one at some point anyway, but not enough for a full load yet.

[Tim Watts]

Don't take the piss. That's the basic rule.

And think of the driver - who does not want to be busted for dropping crap all the way down the highway.

If you have more of a mound, level at the edges, about 12" higher in the middle, usually no problem.

I often have offcuts of old OSB going in (used as shuttering or something) or pavings slabs.

I insert those around the edges or the ends where it is lower to form a

6" high wall. That allows quite a bit more to go in without a) being an obvious piss take, b) being unstable.

You can get away with a lot more (12-18" higher) if it's just light stuff like celotex offcuts, pipe, plastic as the tarp will contain those.

[matthelliwell]

When I've used an 8 yard skip before, I've been warned that if I overfill it with concrete and soil then the skip lorry won't be able to lift it and I'll have to take some off. So if that's all that's in it, I wouldn't add much more.

Matt

[Roger Mills]

What does the "form with instructions on" say?

[John Williamson]

It's not only the load stability that's the problem. If you've got heavy stuff like soil in it, even if it's only level with the top, he can have problems lifting it onto the lorry as it's overweight. Most of the "piled as high as we can" skips are full of light stuff like plumbing and plasterboard.

You don't want the situation where he hooks up the chains and starts to lift, at which point the lorry's front wheels come off the ground.

[Tim Watts]

That's happened a couple of times with me.

However, the driver just extends the rear steadies out a bit more and jacks then down harder.

The biggest risk IME is the load on the rear jacks will crack your drive

- or punch a hole in the pavement!

[mark]

I recently filled one with soil. It said 'FILL LEVEL' on the side. Mine was filled level but about two feet higher than the rim. I bevelled it and whacked it with the back of a shovel to minimise debris falling off. I wasn't about when it was collected but it went.

mark

[sm_jamieson]

which was built too high years ago. We barrowed the soil type waste into th e skip, then shut the door and piled up with broken concrete. Its level wit h the top of the skip and topped out with broken slabs that we found under the concrete. I would have buried the concrete in the soil a bit more, but I had people helping and so we just did it the fastest way possible.

previously I had a driver say "you can put more in than that mate".

level of the skip will hold together, but if I put more broken slabs on to p the could slide off.

a skip ! Before you just got the skip and that was it. But I suppose new r egs on recycling etc. are the reason for the paperwork. An the instructions say don't load higher than the top.

igh - usually by builders - and they obviously get away with it.

es the drivers will pull a tarp or net over if they think it needs it.

It says level and not above the height of the skip ! But that's always been the official rule. Simon.

[Rick Hughes]

official answer form any skip company will be level fill only ... they won't get too upset by a slight mound but if you pile it up to much they can simply refuse to take it.

Had skip last month and the driver was mentioning overfilling issue, the previous week came to a grossly overfilled skip even had old doors stuck in sides to allow more load. They would not take it ... the guy refused to empty any, so they just upended the skip where it was and left him with the pile on his drive.