The best skip size for a patio removal is a 6-yard builders skip, filled only to about half. Paving slabs are dense, so a patio's worth of them reaches the weight a lorry can lift well before the skip looks full. Decking is the opposite: it's mostly timber, which is light and bulky, so a deck is sized by volume and a 6-yard usually swallows the lot.
Most patio-and-decking jobs are really two waste types in one. The slabs and sub-base are heavy; the timber, membrane and old edging are light. Sizing the skip well means thinking about the heavy half first, because that's what sets the limit.
TL;DR
- For a patio removal, a 6-yard builders skip filled to about half is the right call. Paving slabs are heavy enough that the weight runs out before the space does.
- Never go above a 6-yard for slabs or sub-base. A larger skip full of heavy waste can't be lifted, and most operators refuse it.
- Decking is light timber, so it's sized by volume: a typical deck fits a 6-yard, a large one an 8-yard.
- Watch the sub-base. The hardcore and sand under a patio often weighs as much as the slabs, and it counts as heavy waste too.
A patio is a heavy job and a deck is a light one. Size the slabs by weight (a half-full 6-yard) and the timber by volume, and split them into two skips if the job is big.
What size skip do I need for a patio or decking removal?
A 6-yard builders skip suits almost every domestic patio, filled to about half. For decking, a 6-yard also covers most jobs, and you can fill it closer to the top because timber is light. Step up to an 8-yard only for a large deck or a big combined garden makeover, and never above a 6-yard for the slabs and sub-base.
| Job | Skip size | Fill level |
|---|---|---|
| Small patio (up to ~15 m²) | 4-yard | About half (slabs are heavy) |
| Typical patio (15–40 m²) | 6-yard | About half |
| Decking, typical domestic deck | 6-yard | Most of the way (timber is light) |
| Large deck or patio-and-deck combo | 8-yard timber + 6-yard slabs | Split heavy from light |
Run your job through the skip size calculator, or see the full logic in the skip size guide.
Why do paving slabs need a smaller skip than you'd expect?
Because slabs are heavy. A standard concrete paving slab weighs 15 to 25 kg, and a patio is made of dozens of them. A standard skip lorry can only lift about 10 tonnes including the skip, so a 6-yard reaches its limit at roughly 6 tonnes, around half full of slabs.
Order an 8-yard and you'll hit the same weight before it looks half used, so you pay for space you can't fill. A 10 or 12-yard full of slabs can't be lifted at all, which is why operators refuse heavy waste in those sizes. The same weight rule covers broken concrete and hardcore, set out in the concrete, rubble and hardcore guide. Every size's weight rating is on the skip sizes page.
How many paving slabs fit in a 6-yard skip?
Filled to about half, a 6-yard skip takes roughly a 20 to 40 m² patio's worth of slabs, depending on the type. As a rough guide:
| Slab type | Approx weight each | Rough count in a 6-yard (to half) |
|---|---|---|
| Concrete flag, 600 × 600 | ~20 kg | 120–150 |
| Riven or Indian sandstone, 600 × 600 | ~18 kg | 130–160 |
| Block paving | ~40 kg per m² | A 30–40 m² area's worth |
Load slabs flat and low, not stacked high. Whatever the count, the load has to sit level with the rim, never heaped, or the lorry can't legally take it.
Does decking removal need a different size?
Usually a more generous fill. Decking is timber, which is light and bulky, so a deck is sized by volume, not weight. The boards, joists and frame from a typical domestic deck fit a 6-yard with room, and you can fill it most of the way.
Two parts of a deck still count as heavy waste: the concrete post footings, and any hardcore base underneath. Break those out and treat them like slabs, half-filling a heavy skip rather than burying them in the timber. Treated and painted decking timber is fine in a general skip; it isn't hazardous.
Don't forget the sub-base under the patio
The biggest sizing mistake on a patio is forgetting what's under it. A patio sits on a sub-base of compacted hardcore and sand, often 100 to 150 mm deep. Digging that out can produce as much weight again as the slabs themselves, and it's heavy waste too.
If you're taking the sub-base up as well, plan for it: keep the hardcore and any soil to a 6-yard filled low, separate from the timber. The soil and sub-base side is covered in the soil and garden landscaping guide.
Permit and placement
Put the skip on the driveway if you can. No permit, lower cost, and a hard, level surface, which a heavy slab load needs. A 6-yard half-full of slabs still weighs 5 to 6 tonnes, so never site it on a lawn or the patio you're about to lift.
On the road, you'll need a council permit, typically £25 to £200 depending on the council. Full detail in the skip permit guide.
What does a patio or decking skip cost?
A 6-yard skip runs around £230 to £340 in 2026 depending on region, a 4-yard around £180 to £280, and an 8-yard for the lighter decking work around £280 to £420:
| Size | Typical 2026 range |
|---|---|
| 4-yard midi | £180–280 |
| 6-yard builders | £230–340 |
| 8-yard large builders | £280–420 |
For the slab side, watch for a heavy-waste surcharge and a weight-overage fee if you go past the included tonnage. Both are avoided by filling the heavy skip to the line. Regional breakdowns are in the 2026 skip hire cost guide.
Quick checklist for a patio or decking skip
- Patio slabs: a 6-yard filled to about half; a 4-yard for a small patio
- Decking timber: a 6-yard filled most of the way; an 8-yard for a large deck
- Never order above a 6-yard for slabs, sub-base or concrete post footings
- Remember the hardcore sub-base; it can weigh as much as the slabs
- Split a big patio-and-deck job into a heavy skip and a light skip
- Load slabs flat and level, never heaped; driveway placement on a hard surface
Not sure how heavy your patio or deck will work out? The skip size calculator sizes it for your exact job and gives you a local number to call. A short call with the patio area, whether the sub-base is coming up, and your postcode gets a firm price including delivery, hire and collection.
