What Size Bedding Box Do I Need?

Choosing the Right Gravel Box for Your Excavator and Project

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Choosing your size depends on job site and equipment capabilities.

Selecting the right bedding box size is key to balancing efficiency, equipment capability, and job-site workflow. A box that’s too small will require constant refilling, slowing production. A box that’s too large can overload your equipment or create unnecessary fuel burn. The right size keeps your crew productive, your machines safe, and your material where it belongs, in the trench, not on the ground.

The process eliminates double handling of material. Instead of repeatedly traveling back to a pile, the operator simply drags the bedding box forward along the trench line as work progresses. 

Understanding Bedding Box Sizes

9 Yard Bedding Box

Ideal for compact excavators, light utility work, and small trench runs. 

12 Yard Bedding Box

Balanced for mid-size crews doing residential or small municipal projects.

14 Yard Bedding Box

The industry’s most common “sweet spot” for production trenching and utility contractors.

16 Yard Bedding Box

Built for heavy excavation and long trench runs with 30,000+ lb excavators.

18 Yard Bedding Box

Maximum capacity for large infrastructure or highway projects where uptime is critical.

Case Study: Reduced Loader Travel Times by 45 mins per day

Project: 800-foot water line replacement
Equipment: 35,000-lb excavator & 14 yard Box

Before using a bedding box, the contractor’s crew constantly traveled between the gravel pile and the trench, losing 8–12 minutes each trip and scattering stone along the work area.

This back-and-forth slowed production, wasted material, and caused unnecessary fuel consumption.

By introducing a 14-yard bedding box positioned beside the trench, they were able to load material in bulk each morning and let the excavator pull from it directly as the job advanced.

The bedding box kept stone contained, eliminated repeated loader runs, and allowed the operator to drag it forward along the trench line.

The result was a cleaner, safer site with faster progress and reduced waste, showing how a properly sized bedding box streamlines excavation from start to finish.

 

Results:

  • Reduced loader travel time by roughly 45 minutes per day

  • Minimized stone waste by an estimated 15–20%

  • Maintained a clean, organized site with less rework

  • Completed the project one full day ahead of schedule

 

 

Outcome:
By using a properly sized bedding box, the contractor not only increased efficiency but also reduced fuel and labor costs enough to offset the cost of the box within the first few jobs.

Summary: A productivity Tool

A bedding box is more than a container, it’s a productivity tool.

Choosing the right size for your excavator and project ensures you move material efficiently, save fuel, and protect your bottom line.

At Bedding Boxes Direct, we build heavy-duty, American-made bedding boxes with reinforced steel, welded skid plates, and optional custom colors for fleet branding.

Whether you’re digging a short residential trench or tackling multi-mile infrastructure work, we’ll help you find the perfect box to match your machine and workflow.

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