Garbage Bag Size Calculator

Get a suitable liner size in a few steps:

Step 1: Select your trash can shape: circle, square, or rectangle.

Step 2: Choose your preferred units (inches or centimeters).

Step 3: Enter your can dimensions and desired overhang/tie length. - Rectangle: length, width, height - Square: width (side), height - Circle: diameter, height

Step 4: Click Calculate to see bag width and bag height.

Step 5: Review approximate can capacity and thickness suggestion for daily kitchen waste versus heavier cleanup use.

The calculator uses shape-based formulas:

Rectangle and square: - Bag width (Gw) = can length (Tl) + can width (Tw) - Bag height (Gh) = can height (Th) + overhang (Go) + Gw/4

Circle: - Bag width (Gw) = can diameter (Td) × π / 2 - Bag height (Gh) = can height (Th) + overhang (Go) + Td/2

The extra term in the height formula (Gw/4 or Td/2) is used so the bag can cover the bottom adequately while still reaching over the rim.

Choosing trash bags by guesswork often leads to poor fit, ripped liners, and wasted plastic. This calculator improves that by matching bag geometry to the exact shape of your can.

In addition to bag dimensions, overhang is included so the bag can fold over the rim and tie securely. As a practical guideline, around 3 to 6 inches (7 to 15 cm) of overhang works well for many home bins.

Bag durability also matters. Typical kitchen use often works with lighter bags around 0.5 to 0.9 mil, while renovation or sharp debris cleanup is better suited to heavier options around 2.0 to 3.0 mil.

Sizing correctly is also part of reducing unnecessary single-use waste: better fit means fewer failures and fewer extra bags used.