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EXCAVATOR • HOW TO

Excavator Bucket Size

Chart: How To Choose
the Right Type
By: Dustin Eusebio on August 8, 2022
If your next construction job requires an excavator, it’s
important to be mindful of excavator bucket sizes and
types. Our excavator bucket size chart can help you
choose the right equipment. The table below shows the
approximate bucket sizes that excavators can
accommodate. However, make sure to check your
model’s specifications.
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Excavator Bucket Size

Chart
When it comes to excavator bucket sizes, it is important
to match the bucket to the appropriate type of
excavator and its intended uses. Buckets are typically
measured by their inside width. The larger the excavator,
the larger the bucket it can handle, and the bigger the
load it can move.

Excavator Standard Bucket Grading Bucket Width

Weight (tons) Width (inches) (inches)
>0.75 6-24 30
1-1.9 6-24 36-39
2-3.5 9-30 48
5-6 12-36 60
7-8 12-36 60-72
10-15 18-48 72
19-25 18-60 84

How To Calculate
Excavator Bucket
Capacity
The bucket capacity of an excavator will vary based on
many factors including material density, fill factor, and
production rate. The bucket that worked for crushed
stone may not work for loose soil.

EXCAVATOR
BUCKETCAPACITY

HeapedCapacity StruckCapacity
 Thevolumeofthebucket Thevolumeofthebucke
plusamountofmaterialon afterithasbeenleveled
topwhennotleveledoff. acrossthestrikeplane,
topofthebucket.

Calculatethisby: Calculatethisby:
Measuringthebucket's Measuringthe
insidevolumeand bucket'svolume.
addingthematerial'sangle
ofrepose. •Lengthxwidthxheigh

•2:1ratioforwheelloader
buckets:1:1forhydraulic
excavatorbuckets.

Whenmeasuringcapacityforexcavatorbucketsizes,
considerthefollowing:

When calculating excavator bucket capacity, follow

these steps:

Materialcubic Fill Cycles Hourly

1. Determine factorof whatever
the standard weight
weightanddensity per hour
material production
you will need to lift, using a reputable source. Each
bucket will come with a fill factor sheet that lists
various materials. These values will tell you how
000)
 much of a certain material the bucket can handle
based on
Anmaterial
gleof density.
Lengthof Equipment Jobsite
swing boom condition conditions

2. Next, time the digging operation of the excavator.

Start when the bucket begins to dig in, and stop
when it starts to dig on the next load. Divide that
number by 60 to find the cycle timeRENT
for the excavator.

3. Use the cycle time to determine an hourly production

rate. Divide the hourly goal weight of loaded material
by the cycle time. For example, if you must move 500
tons per hour, and the cycle rate is 120 cycles per
hour, you must move 500/120 = 4.17 tons per cycle.

4. Divide the cycle payload amount by the material

density discovered in the first step. This will provide
you with the bucket’s nominal capacity.

5. Finally, divide the nominal capacity by the material’s

fill factor to get the needed capacity of each bucket
for whatever material you need.

Brands will typically provide a chart that shows the

bucket capacity based on bucket size and material.
How To Calculate Lift
Ratio
Once you’ve determined the capacity your bucket
needs, you have to be sure the excavator can safely lift
it. This is determined by the machine’s lift ratio, which
is essential to ensure safe and e!cient machine
operation.

1. First, obtain the maximum lift capacity of the

excavator. This should be listed with the machine
spec data or obtained from the original equipment
manufacturer.

2. Next, add the maximum lift capacity to the weight of

the bucket listed by the OEM. This combined value is
called the adjusted lift capacity.

3. Add the weight of any additional arm attachments,

such as quick couplers and thumbs.

4. Use standard charts to find the density of the

material you need to move.
5. Multiply the bucket capacity by the material density
to find the potential max fill weight of the bucket.
Then, add that to the total attachment weight to
determine the total lift weight.

6. Finally, divide the lift weight by the adjusted lift ratio

to find the lift ratio. If the ratio is less than 1.0, it is
suitable for the job. If it is larger than 1.0, the bucket
is too big for the specified job.

In other words, a ratio above 1.0 indicates that the

machine is lifting loads larger than it should be. Either a
larger excavator is necessary or a smaller bucket is
needed to ensure safe operation.

Types of Excavator
Buckets
There are several types of excavator buckets. Grading
buckets are more shallow than standard buckets,
allowing for confined work like ditch cleaning.
Meanwhile, trenching buckets are narrow and designed
to make quick work of trenching operations.
Ensuring you have the right one for the job will help you
make the most of your time, productivity, and budget.

Standard Buckets

Standard buckets, also known as general purpose

buckets, are versatile. They’re commonly used for
digging or loading materials like topsoil or loam.

They are usually the lightest of all bucket types due to

the lack of any reinforcement to the bucket itself.
Therefore, standard buckets can typically lift higher
volumes of material in each cycle because they are
lighter and the excavator is not expending as much
energy on them.

Standard buckets are commonly used for:

Excavation of dirt, topsoil, silt, loam, and more.

Backfilling soil.

Loading piles of fine gravel into trucks.

Grading Buckets

Grading buckets, or ditching buckets, are designed for

cleaning ditches as well as sloping and grading for
finishing jobs. Grading buckets are usually more shallow
and compact than other buckets to allow for tight and
sloped conditions. They may also have drainage holes.

Grading buckets are commonly used for:

 Cleaning ditches of debris.

Grading sloped areas.

Moving material that is mixed with liquid.

Heavy Duty Buckets

Heavy duty buckets are designed for the toughest jobs.
They come in three categories: heavy duty, severe duty,
and extreme duty. Extreme duty buckets feature the
heaviest reinforcement armor along with specialized
abrasion-resistant tips and materials for greater
breakout force. They also use side cutters on the
outside of the bucket to help break through dense
material.

Heavy duty buckets are commonly used for:

Breaking through highly dense materials.

Moving highly abrasive materials.

Repeated and deep digging in rocky areas.

Trenching Buckets
Trenching buckets are narrow and designed for
trenching applications. They can be used for general soil
digging and movement, but their straight cutting edge
and long floor design are ideal for digging deep trenches
in narrow areas.

Trenching buckets are commonly used for:

Digging trenches for utility work.

General excavation and backfilling in standard-duty

soil types.

High-precision projects, such as digging between

pipes.

Tilt Buckets
Tilt buckets are a type of grading bucket. Featuring
specialized hydraulic components, they can tilt 45
degrees right and left. This allows for more specific
applications and helps them cover a larger work area
without frequent repositioning.
Tilt buckets are commonly used for:

Precision slope grading.

Cleaning oddly shaped ditches and trenches.

Specialized landscaping needs.

Specialty Buckets
There are also several bucket styles designed for
specialized needs. From sifting operations to buckets
intended to break through the toughest materials,
there’s a bucket for every job.

Riddle buckets: Riddle buckets are like standard

buckets with holes or slots in the back. They are used
to process and separate aggregate at a job site, such
as sifting stones from the soil.

V-buckets: V-buckets are trenching buckets that

create a V-shaped trench instead of a flat-bottom
channel.

Rock buckets: Rock buckets have sharp teeth and

 extra reinforcement to break through rocky
environments. They may also feature side wear plates
and high-strength rippers to dig into rocky surfaces.

Hard-pan buckets: Like rock buckets, hard-pan

buckets are reinforced to break through tough soil
and thick rock while ensuring durability. They also
have an extra row of teeth to further break up
material during digging.

Cemetery buckets: As the name suggests, cemetery

buckets are designed to dig a cemetery plot with
straight walls and a flat bottom.

How To Choose the Right

Excavator Bucket for
Your Job Site
Choosing the right excavator bucket depends on many
factors. Di"erent job sites will have di"erent ground
conditions that can demand specialized buckets. Other
factors, including climate, location, and surrounding
hazards, must be assessed. It is essential to factor in all
variables before renting an excavator and any
accessories.
Job Site Conditions
First, consider the condition of the job site. Is it
development in the cold mountains, digging through
dense rock and frozen ground? Or perhaps a residential
area that can only fit a mini excavator?

Ground Conditions
Likewise, you must know the type of ground you will be
digging into. High-sand soils are much more abrasive.
Unstable soil can also force you to use a smaller, lighter
excavator, limiting the maximum bucket size available to
you.

Material Weight and Type

What will you be digging through? Heavier materials will

require heavy-duty buckets with reinforcements and
specialized bucket teeth. Lighter materials may allow
for a larger bucket size that lets you get the job done
more quickly.

Do You Need Excavator

Attachments?
Excavators can fit many specialized excavator bucket
attachments designed for specific job uses. For
example, hammers can help break up hard earth or
asphalt and thumbs can hold debris in the bucket or
clamp down on di"erent materials.

If your excavator bucket provides all the capabilities you

need, you may want to consider excavator attachments
to help.

Conclusion
Excavators are rugged machines known for their
versatility on the job site. They can handle tough digging
conditions, clean-up jobs, and nearly everything in
between. Knowing what kind of bucket to use for each
job is just as important as the excavator itself.

Look for the bucket that fits all of your job site needs.
Remember to consider material composition, climate,
and even maneuverability needs.

If you need to rent an excavator or any type of heavy

equipment for your next job, BigRentz is your heavy
equipment rental expert.

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