A complete set of dumpster enclosure details shows a dimensioned plan with interior clear size, clear gate opening and gate swing arcs; elevations with height and a finish color; a gate detail with latch, cane bolts and slab sleeves; a post, base plate and anchor detail; the slab, apron and drainage; bollards; and hauler clearances. General notes assign structural design to a delegated engineer and list submittals.
What should a dumpster enclosure detail set include?
A complete set of dumpster enclosure details lets a contractor build the enclosure and a hauler service it without guessing. City standard details and hauler guides cover the same core items: a dimensioned plan, elevations, a gate detail, a post foundation detail, the pad and apron, bollards and drainage. For example, one city's standard dumpster enclosure drawings include a dimensioned plan, front, rear and side elevations, and separate gate and hinge details.
| Detail | What it should show | Who sets the values |
|---|---|---|
| Plan | Interior clear size, outside footprint, container outlines and clearances, gate swing arcs, cane bolt sleeve locations, bollards | Architect, checked against the hauler's standard |
| Elevations | Height, wall or slat face, gate elevation, finish and color callout | Architect |
| Gate detail | Clear opening, leaf arrangement, gate posts, hinges, latch, cane bolts and slab sleeves | Architect, coordinated with the manufacturer |
| Post, base plate and anchors | Post size, plate size, anchor count and type, labelled as typical | Delegated design engineer |
| Slab and apron | Thickness, thickening at posts, reinforcement, joints, slope, apron size | Project engineer |
| Drainage | Slope direction, drain or no drain, discharge point | Civil engineer and the AHJ |
| General notes | Design criteria, delegated design, sealed calculations, submittals | Architect of record |
How should the plan dimension the enclosure?
Dimension the plan by interior clear size and clear gate opening, not by a nominal label. A "12 by 12 enclosure" can mean outside of posts, post centerlines or inside faces, and those differ by several inches. Hauler standards measure what the truck sees: Republic Services' site design standards call for at least 11.5 ft of entrance clearance per container after gates, poles and other hardware are installed, plus minimum side and rear clearances between the container and the walls.
Show the interior clear width and depth, the outside footprint as an overall dimension, and the clear gate opening at the gate line. Draw the container outlines with your hauler's clearances so a reviewer can check them at a glance.
Alpine Citadel example configurations (8 ft)
| Size | Interior clear (W × D) | Outside footprint | Gate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12 × 16 ft single | 16 ft 8 in × 12 ft 2 in | 17 ft 4 in × 13 ft 2 in | One 12 ft clear |
| 24 × 12 ft double | 26 ft 2 in × 12 ft 2 in | 26 ft 10 in × 13 ft 2 in | Two 12 ft clear on a shared center post |
Custom layouts are solved to the architect's drawing, with overall dimensions met within ±1 in. Some jurisdictions prohibit a center post in a double enclosure; a double with one wide opening is then a custom design. For sizing by container count, see dumpster enclosure dimensions and clearances.
What belongs in a dumpster enclosure gate detail?
A dumpster enclosure gate detail should show the clear opening, the leaf arrangement, the gate posts, the latch, and how each leaf is held open and closed.
- Clear opening. State the clear dimension between gate posts with hardware installed, and say "clear" on the drawing.
- Swing. Draw the full arc of every leaf on the plan and check it against curbs, parking stalls and drive aisles. Requirements vary: one city's enclosure guidelines require gates to open to at least 180 degrees when secured open without infringing on traffic aisles, while Republic's standard drawing shows a minimum 110-degree swing.
- Hold-open and closed positions. Show cane bolts dropping into sleeves set in the slab or apron, and dimension the sleeve locations for both the closed and the full-open position of each leaf.
- Gate posts. Detail gate posts and their foundations separately from line posts, because they carry the leaf weight and the swing loads.
Alpine Citadel standard gates are 12 ft or 16 ft clear, double leaf, swinging out, on 8 in round gate posts. Hardware includes a heavy-duty lockable latch box, cane bolts with slab sleeves and hold-open cane bolts, and every gate is function-tested before shipping. A 20 ft clear gate, a 6 ft single leaf, corner-hinged gates, multiple gates and pedestrian gates are custom options. Because the leaves swing out, keep the area in front of the enclosure clear for both leaves at full open.
How should the post, base plate and anchor detail be drawn?
Draw the post, base plate and anchors as a typical detail labelled "typical configuration, engineered per project". Anchor type, embedment and edge distance depend on the site's wind design and the slab, so the final values come from the sealed calculations, not from a stock detail.
For reference, Alpine Citadel's typical configuration is:
- Posts: 4 in square structural steel tube (HSS 4 × 4) at line and corner posts; 8 in round gate posts; all capped.
- Base plates: hot-dip galvanized ¾ in steel. Line 10½ × 8 in, corner 10½ × 10½ in, gate 18½ × 13 in.
- Anchors: ¾ in anchors, four per line or corner plate and eight per gate plate. The type is selected and engineered per project: adhesive threaded rod or a code-listed mechanical anchor.
Where a site needs more capacity, the engineer can use closer post spacing, heavier plates and anchors, or embedded posts. Shop welding is to AWS D1.1, so the detail should not call for field welding.
What should the slab, apron and drainage details show?
The slab detail should be designed by the project engineer, using the manufacturer's slab and base-plate requirements as input. The architect makes sure the detail exists and lines up with the post layout.
Alpine provides the slab and base-plate requirements for each project. The typical configuration is concrete with f′c of at least 4,000 psi, thickened to 12 in at posts, with 30 × 30 × 12 in thickenings at gate posts. The project engineer designs the slab for the site, the soils and the truck loads.
Apron
The apron in front of the gates carries the truck's front wheels while the container is lifted. The same city guidelines cited above recommend a reinforced concrete apron at least 10 ft wide by 10 ft long that can carry a 20-ton stationary load. Show the apron's size, thickness, reinforcement and joint to the enclosure slab.
Slope and drainage
Slope the pad enough to shed water but not so much that containers roll. Republic's standards call for a pad slope of 0.5–1.0%, and the city guidelines above describe 0.5% as typical and no more than 2%. Show slope arrows and where the water goes.
Drainage rules are local. Many jurisdictions do not allow enclosure drains to connect to the storm drain, and food-service sites may need wash water routed through a grease interceptor to the sanitary sewer. Confirm with your AHJ.
Where do bollards and hauler clearances go on the drawings?
Bollards and hauler clearances belong on the enclosure plan and the site plan, dimensioned from the walls and the gate line.
- Bollards. Republic's standards call for at least two bollards per container, placed 1 ft from the interior back wall and 4 ft from the interior sides, at least 5 ft above grade. Keep bollards out of the gate swing and the container path. Alpine offers bollards as an option.
- Overhead. The same standards require at least 24 ft of height clearance over the container. Show trees, canopies, signs and overhead lines near the service point.
- Approach. Show the truck approach in front of the gates, using the requirements of the hauler serving the site.
What should the elevations and finish callout say?
Elevations should give the height above slab, the infill, the gate elevation and a finish specification with a color. Height affects permitting: the 2024 International Building Code, Section 105.2, exempts fences not over 7 ft high (other than swimming pool barriers) from a building permit, so 8 ft and roofed enclosures usually need one. Local amendments apply.
For Alpine Citadel, the elevation callouts are typically:
- Height: 6 ft, 7 ft or 8 ft standard; built from 5 ft to 10 ft; other heights by engineering.
- Infill: solid steel tube slats, 0.79 × 3.15 in, captive and stacked tight for a 100% opaque face. Custom slat spacing and perforated metal panels are available where airflow or visibility is wanted.
- Finish: galvanized steel, powder coated to Qualicoat standards, superdurable polyester with UV protection. Any RAL color is available on request, so name the RAL number on the elevation.
How should the notes handle delegated design, sealed calculations and submittals?
The general notes should state who designs the enclosure structure, to what criteria, and what they submit.
- Delegated design. State that the enclosure structure, base plates and anchorage are designed by a licensed engineer engaged by the manufacturer, with sealed calculations. Some cities require this outright: the standard drawings cited earlier require signed and sealed engineering drawings for structures taller than 6 ft.
- Design criteria. Give the basis for the site: ASCE 7-22, with ultimate wind speed from the ASCE Hazard Tool, exposure category and risk category as determined for the project.
- Deferred submittal. If the enclosure is a deferred submittal, the 2024 IBC, Section 107.3.4.1, requires the building official's prior approval and the registered design professional in responsible charge to list it on the construction documents. The deferred items are not installed until approved.
- Submittals. List shop drawings with the layout, sealed calculations, anchor product data, gate hardware data and a finish color sample.
Alpine Citadel is engineered to ASCE 7-22 for each site's wind speed, exposure category and risk category, with sealed calculations available in all 50 states. The sealed site engineering package is included for example configurations. The project engineer and the AHJ make the final decisions; see how Alpine engineers each site.
Where can you get CAD details for a steel slat enclosure?
You can request Alpine Citadel CAD details in PDF and DWG, plus a guide specification, from the Alpine resources page. Use them as a starting point and coordinate the slab and design criteria with the project engineer.
If you have a site plan or a city standard to meet, send it through the Alpine Citadel quote request. Alpine will solve the layout to your drawing and confirm the gate, post and slab requirements for your project.
Sources
- City of Hollywood, Florida, Department of Design and Construction Management. Dumpster Enclosures, standard drawings. 2003.
- City of Escondido. Dumpster Enclosure Guidelines. Revised 2019.
- Republic Services. Site Design Standards for Solid Waste Containers (copy published by a municipality). Updated 2024.
- International Code Council. 2024 International Building Code, Chapter 1, Sections 105.2 and 107.3.4.1 (via UpCodes). 2024.
- American Society of Civil Engineers. ASCE Hazard Tool. Accessed 2026.