Asphalt Calculator

Asphalt tonnage for driveways and patching: area and compacted thickness give tons or tonnes at 145 lb per cubic foot, with an optional price per ton.

Asphalt (tarmac in the UK) is sold by the ton or tonne, so you need the weight of the compacted layer. Hot-mix asphalt compacts to about 145 lb per cubic foot (2.32 tonnes per m³), which is about 110 lb per square yard for every inch of thickness. A driveway 50 ft long and 12 ft wide at 3 inches compacted is 150 cubic feet, about 10.9 US tons before extra. Enter the area and compacted thickness and this calculator gives the tons or tonnes, the volume and an optional cost, and it counts 50 lb or 25 kg bags for cold patch repairs. Asphalt sits on a compacted base of crushed stone, which you can work out with the crusher run or road base calculator.

Units
Bag sizes
Area
ft
ft
in
Feet and inches work too: type 12'6 or 12.5.
t/yd³
%
Hot-mix asphalt compacts to about 145 lb per cubic foot (2.32 t/m³).
Weight
1.52 tons

3,049 lb · 1.38 tonnes

Volume
0.78 yd³

21 ft³ · 0.595 m³

Cold patch bags
61

50 lb bag

Bags needed by size
50 lb bag61
25 kg bag56
How it was worked out
  1. Area: 12 ft × 10 ft = 120 ft²; × 2 in (0.167 ft) deep = 20 ft³
  2. 20 ft³ ÷ 27 = 0.74 yd³
  3. Plus 5% extra = 0.78 yd³
  4. 0.78 yd³ × 1.96 tons per yd³ = 1.52 tons (3,049 lb)
  5. 3,049 lb ÷ 50 lb per bag = 60.98, rounded up to 61 bags
Typical weights of common materials
Materialt/m³tons/yd³lb/ft³
Concrete2.402.02150
Gravel1.601.35100
Pea gravel1.601.35100
Crushed stone / crushed rock1.601.35100
River rock1.501.2694
Landscape rock / pebbles1.501.2694
Crushed limestone1.601.35100
Decomposed granite1.501.2694
Crusher run1.601.35100
Road base1.701.43106
Crusher dust1.501.2694
Aggregate (20 mm)1.601.35100
All-in ballast1.651.39103
MOT Type 1 sub-base1.801.52112
Sand1.601.35100
Topsoil1.301.1081
Garden soil1.301.1081
Fill dirt1.401.1887
Mulch0.350.2922
Bark chippings0.300.2519
Asphalt (compacted)2.321.96145

Loose, as-delivered figures; asphalt and concrete are as laid. Moisture, stone size and source change the real weight, so use your supplier's figure when you have it. Tons are US short tons (2,000 lb).

Common use cases

  • Tonnage for a new driveway or parking area
  • Resurfacing or overlaying an old driveway
  • Cold patch bags for potholes and small repairs
  • Checking an asphalt quote by the ton

How to use

  1. Choose your units.
  2. Enter the area's length and width, or add several areas for an odd shape.
  3. Enter the compacted thickness of asphalt, not including the stone base.
  4. Read the tons or tonnes, and add a price per ton or tonne for a cost estimate.

FAQ

How many tons of asphalt do I need for a driveway?

Multiply the area in square feet by the thickness in feet, then by 145 lb per cubic foot, and divide by 2,000. A 600 ft² driveway at 3 inches: 600 × 0.25 × 145 ÷ 2,000 = 10.9 tons. Add a little for edges and uneven base.

How thick should an asphalt driveway be?

Residential driveways are commonly 2 to 3 inches (50 to 75 mm) of compacted asphalt over a well-compacted stone base, often laid as a base course and a surface course. Heavier traffic and poor ground need more.

How much does asphalt weigh per square yard?

About 110 lb per square yard per inch of compacted thickness, so a 2-inch layer is about 220 lb per square yard. In metric, about 23 kg per m² for every 10 mm.

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