Get the most out of your skip hire by using every square inch of space inside. But don’t forget how important loading up your skip safely is! Follow our advice for the best way to fill a skip.

Before you hire a skip with McCarthy, we can help you choose the right skip for your project, discussing it with you and giving you our advice based on our decades of experience in skip hire. Whatever size of skip you hire, You’ll want to avoid overloading the skip while getting the most out of its capacity – and to do that, you’ll need to get organised!

Sort and Organise Your Waste

Barring hazardous waste (which generally can’t go in a skip anyway), you should aim to have four main groups of waste when sorting: flat objects, uniform shapes, bulky waste and loose debris. You should plan to fill your skip in that order, so make sure you have these groups defined in some way before you start filling. Layering your skip in this way will make sure the waste is safe and stable, and let you use the space more efficiently.

You might want to source a good wheelbarrow to make hauling waste to your skip easier, too.

1. Flat Objects

All your flat waste should go down first: cardboard, carpet and flooring, chipboard, doors and old timber included. If it’s flat, it’s part of your first layer! Cardboard and softer items will be squashed flat as heavier waste is added on, helping to fill in the gaps and make more of the space.

2. Uniform Shapes

After flat items have lined the base of the skip, it’s time to add uniform shapes – any objects that will slot or fit together. Bricks, concrete blocks, paving and tiling: if they’re pattern-forming objects, arrange them into a tightly-packed formation, avoiding any air gaps.

3. Large, Bulky Waste

Once you’ve layered flat and uniform objects, it’s time to take care of the big stuff! Large, bulky items like furniture should go in next but if possible, break them down into smaller parts. Try to continue doing this in layers to avoid large gaps.

4. Loose Debris

Rubble, soil, sand and gravel should go in very last. A wheelbarrow can help you to get more waste over in a single trip. These small particles will percolate down through the gaps in the lower layers, filling up any air pockets and further securing the waste in place. If there’s space left over, you can add on any garden waste you might have, too!

Limitations

Besides hazardous waste limitations, the only other thing to remember is overloading: while we can still take an overloaded skip, we will only do so if it is safe – but it will incur an overload charge. We do expect every skip we collect to be level loaded and safe to transport.

Overfilling your skip doesn’t just incur an additional cost: it can be really unsafe, too. Poorly loaded and stacked items could slip or collapse, causing injury to yourself or others.

Skip Safety

Don’t forget to practice good safety when loading your skip. Wear gloves when handling materials to avoid cuts and nasty splinters, and wear proper eye protection when breaking items down. Don’t attempt to lift heavy items on your own – excessively large items should be raised with a hoist or a grab.

Domestic Skip Hire Specialists

For reliable, professional skip hire, contact McCarthy on customerservices@mccarthymarland.co.uk

Skip Hire

Need to get rid of some rubbish? Hiring a skip may be the most convenient and cost-effective option for your needs. Once you’ve ordered your skip, it will be delivered and picked up by your skip hire company. Depending on the job in hand, you will need to order a suitable skip size for your individual requirements.

Skip Sizes – Which One?

Knowing which size skip to order that will fully accommodate your needs is an important decision as purchasing the wrong size can inconvenience you and could even hold up your project if you are unable to get rid of waste.

So, after accurately assessing how much rubbish you’re likely to have – you’ll have a better idea of which size skip you’ll need, from McCarthy’s extensive range of affordable rubbish disposal units.

But, if you’re not sure as to what size you’ll need – here’s our recommendation:

• For small households, domestic or DIY jobs: A mini or a small skip would suit here. The mini skip is 4 foot long and three foot wide. The small skip or 4yd skip is slightly larger than the mini, at 6 x 4.3 ft.
• For larger household or commercial ‘builders’ jobs, a medium, (6yd) skip, and large (8yd or 10yd) skip would be the best option as they are suitable for heavier, bulkier waste. The 6yd skips are available as open, enclosed and drop end skips. Large skips measure up at 12 x 5.6ft, perfect for slightly larger jobs.
• For big, industrial jobs a RO/RO container should be the choice here. These are available in 20, 35 and 40 yard options. To find out more about waste containers, click here.

How Many Bags?

The container that holds the most refuse bags is the RO/RO waste container, with a maximum of 400 refuse bags. The smallest skip, the Mini, holds 25 bin bags of waste.

The small, the 4yd, holds 15 more than the mini, at 40 refuse bags maximum – perfect for a small clearance. The medium skip, or 6yd, holds 65 bags of bulky ‘builders waste’ and the large skips, either 8yd or 10yd, hold a total of up to 85 bags of rubbish.

Contact McCarthy Skip Hire

At McCarthy, we pride ourselves by connecting users with affordable skip hire, whenever it may be needed. We currently service a wide variety of areas in Oxfordshire, Berkshire, Wiltshire and surrounding areas, offering our professional, environmentally friendly services – whether it be for a single skip or a fully integrated waste disposal program.

Need a skip? Get a free quote here. For any other information, please get in contact on 01235 764831 or email customerservices@mccarthymarland.co.uk.