Trash Bag and Can Liner Size Chart: Gallons, Dimensions and Thickness

Can liner size chart from gallons to width x length, how to measure a trash can, mil vs micron thickness, and what to check on surplus liner cases.

By Food Service SurplusPublished 9 min read
Buyer guideCleaning & janitorial

Commercial trash bags are sold by flat width x length in inches, not just by gallons. The gallon number on a case is a receptacle range, like "20–30 gal" or "40–45 gal", and different manufacturers make different bag sizes for the same range. For a 33-gallon can, one manufacturer lists a 33 x 40 inch high-density liner and a 33 x 39 inch linear low-density liner.

To pick the right liner, measure the can, work out the width and length you need, then choose the resin and thickness for what goes in the can. When you buy surplus or closeout cases, the case label is the spec sheet. Check the dimensions, gauge, count and color before you pay.

What size trash bag do I need for my can?

The chart below uses published product tables from two can liner manufacturers. Dimensions are width x length in inches. A dash means that source doesn't list that pairing.

Can capacity Inteplast high-density (HDPE) Inteplast linear low-density (LLDPE) Pitt Plastics receptacle chart
7–10 gal 24 x 24 24 x 24 22 x 25 (wastebasket)
12–16 gal 24 x 33 24 x 33 or 24 x 32 24 x 33 HD, 24 x 32 LL (wastebasket)
20–30 gal 30 x 37 30 x 36 —
23 gal slim can 29 x 47 or 28 x 48 — 29 x 44 (Slim Jim)
32–33 gal 33 x 40 33 x 39 33 x 44 LL (32 gal round receptacle)
40–45 gal 40 x 48 40 x 46 —
44 gal 37 x 46 36 x 47 37 x 50 (44 gal round receptacle)
55 gal 36 x 60 36 x 58 41 x 54 (55 gal round receptacle)
56 gal outdoor — — 43 x 48 HD, 42.5 x 48 LL
60 gal 38 x 60 38 x 58 —

Two things stand out. First, even within one manufacturer, high-density and low-density liners for the same can differ by an inch or two. Second, the 32, 44 and 55 gallon rows show that a size chart made for one receptacle may not fit another can with the same gallon rating. Pitt Plastics sizes those rows for specific round receptacles, and its bags are shorter and wider than the generic 55-gallon sizes. Treat any chart as a starting point, then measure the can you actually have.

How do you measure a trash can for a liner?

Manufacturer sizing guides use the same basic formula:

  • Width (round can): half the outer circumference. If you only know the diameter, circumference = diameter x 3.14.
  • Width (square or rectangular can): add all four sides of the opening and divide by 2.
  • Length: the can's height, plus half the bottom diameter so the bag lies flat on the bottom, plus about 3 inches of overhang. For a square or rectangular can, use half the diagonal of the bottom instead of half the diameter.

Pitt Plastics gives the length rule as height + ½ of the container bottom + 3 inches, and says to use the diagonal of the bottom for square cans. AAA Polymer uses the same approach and says a proper fit leaves 3 to 4 inches hanging over the rim.

Worked example: a round can

Say you have a round can with a 20-inch diameter and a height of 26 inches. (These are example numbers, not a specific product.)

  1. Circumference: 20 x 3.14 = 62.8 inches.
  2. Width: 62.8 ÷ 2 = 31.4 inches.
  3. Bottom allowance: 20 ÷ 2 = 10 inches.
  4. Length: 26 + 10 + 3 = 39 inches.

You need a bag at least 31.4 inches wide and about 39 inches long. A 33 x 39 or 33 x 40 inch liner, both sold for 33-gallon cans, fits and leaves a little extra width. A 30 x 37 bag would be too narrow to go over the rim.

For a square can with a 16-inch opening, the width is (16 + 16 + 16 + 16) ÷ 2 = 32 inches. Measure the actual rim. If the can tapers, the opening is where the bag has to fit.

Mil vs micron: how thick should a can liner be?

Can liners come in two main resin families, and each is measured in its own unit:

High-density (HDPE) Linear low-density (LLDPE)
Thickness unit Microns (thousandths of a millimeter) Mils (thousandths of an inch)
Typical range (Pitt Plastics) 6–22 microns 0.37–1.8 mil
Feel Crinkly, stiffer Softer, stretchy
Strengths Good moisture and odor barrier, high tensile strength, uses less plastic High puncture and tear resistance, stretches under load
Weakness Tears easily once punctured by a sharp corner More plastic per bag for the same job
Good fit in foodservice Office, restroom and front-of-house cans; paper towels and other light waste with no sharps Back-of-house kitchen trash with bones, cans, broken glass, crates, cardboard or other jagged items

The conversion is 1 mil = 25.4 microns, so a 16-micron bag is about 0.63 mil (16 ÷ 25.4). But converting the numbers won't tell you which bag is stronger. The two resins fail in different ways: high-density film is strong under load but splits once something punctures it, while low-density film stretches around sharp objects. A 16-micron HDPE bag and a 0.63-mil LLDPE bag are about the same thickness but behave differently in a kitchen. Compare HDPE to HDPE and LLDPE to LLDPE, and choose the resin by what goes in the can.

Gauge also varies between product lines of the same resin. If you're switching suppliers, test a few bags with your real waste before you buy a lot of them.

Star seal, gusset or flat seal?

The bottom seal changes how a liner fits and how well it holds up:

  • Star seal: the bottom is folded and sealed so there are no gaps where leaks start. The bag fits the can's shape and spreads the weight evenly. Inteplast's institutional high-density line uses this seal.
  • Gusseted seal: the sides are tucked in. At the edges the seal goes through four layers of film but through only two in the middle, which Pitt Plastics calls an inherently weak bottom seal.
  • Flat seal: a simple two-dimensional bag. It doesn't leak, but it's awkward to handle.

For wet kitchen waste, a star-seal bottom is usually the safer choice.

What should you check when buying surplus can liner cases?

Closeout and overstock liners can be good value, but only if the bags fit your cans. On a marketplace, ask the seller to confirm:

  • Dimensions on the case label. Look for the width x length, not just the gallon range.
  • Resin and gauge. Check whether the case says microns (HDPE) or mils (LLDPE), and what the exact number is.
  • Count. For example, one manufacturer packs its 33 x 40 high-density liners 25 per roll and 20 rolls per case (500 bags), but packs a heavier gauge of the same size 25 per roll and 10 rolls per case (250 bags). Case counts vary, even within one product line.
  • Color. Clear, natural, black and white liners all exist. Some local rules or waste haulers require clear bags for recyclables. In New York City, for example, businesses that set out metal, glass, plastic and cartons in bags use clear bags, set out separately from trash. Check your own hauler's rules before you buy a pallet of black bags for recycling.
  • Storage history. Ask where the cases were stored, especially if they sat somewhere hot or in direct sun. Check for film that is brittle, discolored or fused together, or rolls that don't come apart cleanly. For compostable liners, check the manufacturer's storage guidance.
  • Sealed vs open cases. Partial cases and loose rolls are fine if the price reflects it and the rolls are labeled.

Cost per bag math

To compare lots, divide the total price by the number of usable bags:

cost per bag = case price ÷ (bags per roll x rolls per case)

Using the counts above, a 250-bag case costs more per bag than a 500-bag case unless it's priced at less than half as much. The unit price calculator compares several case lots at once and can include freight and unusable bags. Only compare lots of the same size and resin. A cheap case of bags that are too small or too thin for your cans isn't a saving if staff end up double-bagging.

Food Service Surplus connects buyers with independent sellers. We don't inspect, ship or guarantee listings, so confirm the specs and condition with the seller before you buy. You can browse liners and janitorial stock in cleaning and janitorial listings.

Seller checklist for listing trash bags and can liners

If you have extra cases to sell, a complete listing saves buyers from asking the same questions. Include:

  • Manufacturer, product line and SKU or product code.
  • Width x length in inches, plus the gallon range printed on the case.
  • Resin type (high-density or linear low-density) and gauge in microns or mils.
  • Color, and whether the bags are scented, printed or have drawstrings.
  • Bags per roll, rolls per case and number of cases.
  • Seal type (star, gusset or flat) if the label shows it.
  • Clear photos of the case label and one unrolled bag next to a tape measure.
  • Whether cases are sealed, opened or partial, and how they were stored.

You can list surplus janitorial and packaging stock through sell surplus restaurant supplies. If you're setting up or restocking a kitchen, the commercial kitchen equipment checklist helps you plan what else you need.

Keep reading

Liners are one part of back-of-house supplies. Also read are nitrile gloves food safe, deli container sizes and buying used restaurant equipment.

Sources

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