Asphalt Calculator
Enter the area to pave and the compacted thickness. You'll get the asphalt tonnage — the unit plants and contractors quote in — plus cubic yards and a cost estimate.
Results
How the asphalt calculator works
Asphalt is ordered by weight, so the calculator first finds the volume of your pavement (length × width × compacted thickness), then converts it to tons using the density of hot mix asphalt — about 145 lb per cubic foot compacted, or roughly 2 tons per cubic yard.
Formula: Length (ft) × Width (ft) × Thickness (ft) × 145 ÷ 2,000 = US tons
| Thickness | Coverage per ton |
|---|---|
| 1" | ≈ 165 sq ft |
| 2" | ≈ 80 sq ft |
| 3" | ≈ 55 sq ft |
| 4" | ≈ 40 sq ft |
Note that thickness means compacted thickness. Asphalt compacts about 25% when rolled, so a 3" finished layer is laid roughly 4" loose — your contractor handles that, but if you're ordering material yourself, order by the finished spec and the plant's tonnage math works out.
How thick should asphalt be?
- Residential driveway (cars only): 2–3" of hot mix over a 6–8" compacted gravel base.
- Driveways with occasional heavy vehicles: 3–4" of asphalt, ideally in two lifts.
- Walking paths: 2" over a 4" gravel base is plenty.
- Asphalt millings (recycled) are a budget alternative for rural driveways — laid 3–4" thick and compacted, at roughly a third of the price of hot mix.
Frequently asked questions
How many tons of asphalt do I need for a driveway?
A typical two-car driveway (20 × 40 ft = 800 sq ft) at 3 inches thick needs about 15 tons of hot mix asphalt. Use the calculator with your exact dimensions — tonnage scales linearly with area and thickness.
How much does a ton of asphalt cover?
At 2 inches compacted, one ton covers about 80 square feet. At 3 inches it covers roughly 55 sq ft, and at 4 inches about 40 sq ft.
How much does asphalt weigh per cubic yard?
Compacted hot mix asphalt weighs about 3,900 lb — close to 2 US tons — per cubic yard. Loose (uncompacted) mix is lighter, around 2,700–3,200 lb per cubic yard.
Can I lay asphalt myself?
Cold patch works for DIY pothole repair, but a full driveway needs hot mix at 275–300°F, a paver and a roller — it's one of the few surfaces that's genuinely not DIY-friendly. The calculator is still useful for checking contractor quotes.