Asphalt Calculator
Enter the paved area and the compacted thickness to get the tons of hot-mix asphalt to order. The mix weight starts at the typical 110 lb per square yard per inch, and you can change it to your supplier’s figure.
Asphalt tons = area in square yards × thickness in inches × mix weight (lb per square yard per inch) ÷ 2,000. Square feet ÷ 9 gives square yards. Thickness is the finished, compacted thickness.
Example: a driveway 50 ft × 24 ft is 1,200 ft², or 133.33 yd². At 3 in compacted and 110 lb per yd² per inch that is 133.33 × 3 × 110 ÷ 2,000 = 22.0 tons. With a 5% allowance, 23.1 tons.
Method
How this calculator works
Asphalt is ordered by weight, so the calculator goes from area and thickness straight to tons using a spread rate published by pavement engineers and state transportation departments.
Area in square yards
Spread rates are quoted per square yard, so the area is converted first. A square yard is 9 square feet. For a circle, enter the diameter.
Rectangle: Area (yd²) = L (ft) × W (ft) ÷ 9Circle: Area (yd²) = π × (Diameter (ft) ÷ 2)² ÷ 9Tons from thickness and spread rate
Asphalt Magazine, quoting Asphalt Institute engineers, gives the typical spread rate as 110 lb per square yard per inch of thickness. Tennessee DOT uses the same quantity rule: tons = square yards × pounds per square yard per inch of thickness ÷ 2,000.
Tons = Area (yd²) × Thickness (in) × Rate (lb per yd² per in) ÷ 2,000Why the mix weight is editable
The Pennsylvania Asphalt Pavement Association puts the range at 108 to 120. Tennessee DOT tables run from 88 for open-graded friction course to 115 for base mixes. Aggregate, binder content and in-place density change it, so use your mix design or supplier figure when you have it.
Equivalent density (lb/ft³) = Rate × 12 ÷ 9Allowance
The allowance starts at 5% for edges, thickness variation and load rounding. It has no published source, so treat it as a typical figure and adjust. The thickness is the finished, rolled thickness; the rate already reflects compaction, so no loose-lift factor is added.
Tons to order = Tons × (1 + Allowance ÷ 100)Worked example: a 50 ft × 24 ft driveway, 3 in compacted
Arithmetic checkedMix weight 110 lb per square yard per inch, 5% allowance.
| Step | Math | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Area | 50 × 24 | 1,200 ft² |
| Convert to square yards | 1,200 ÷ 9 | 133.333 yd² |
| Weight of the compacted mat | 133.333 × 3 × 110 ÷ 2,000 | 22.000 tons |
| Add a 5% allowance | 22 × 1.05 | 23.1 tons |
| In metric tonnes | 23.1 × 0.90718474 | 20.96 t |
| Check: compacted volume | 1,200 × (3 ÷ 12) | 300 ft³ |
| Check: equivalent density | 22 × 2,000 ÷ 300 | 146.67 lb/ft³ |
| You would order | about 23.1 tons of hot mix | |
Disclaimer
Results are planning estimates based on the dimensions and assumptions you enter. They are not engineering, structural or building-code advice. Product yields, densities and coverage vary by manufacturer, batch and site conditions. Check product labels, your supplier and your local building department before you order materials or start work. Read the full calculation disclaimer.
Accuracy
What affects your estimate
The area is yours to measure. The weight per inch depends on the mix, and the thickness depends on the job.
Mix weight
A surface mix, a base mix and an open-graded friction course all weigh differently per inch. The state tables behind the default span 88 to 115. Ask your supplier for the number on the mix design.
Thickness depends on traffic
How thick to pave depends on the base, the loads and local practice. There is no single answer, so ask the paving contractor or the local agency. The calculator only converts a thickness you choose into tons.
Compacted, not loose
Hot mix is placed thicker than it ends up and rolled down. Enter the finished thickness. Adding a loose-lift factor on top would double count the compaction.
Minimum loads
Plants and haulers set minimum loads and truck sizes. The order figure is rounded up to the next 0.1 ton, but ask your supplier what they will actually deliver.
Base preparation, thickness for your traffic, drainage and compaction need a paving contractor or your local agency.
Common mistakes
Adding a compaction factor to the rate
The 110 lb figure already describes compacted pavement. Raise the thickness only if you want a thicker mat, not to cover compaction.
Forgetting the base
Asphalt sits on a prepared base, usually crushed stone. The base is a separate material: use the gravel calculator for it. The guide on how much gravel you need covers depth and tons.
Treating 110 as a specification
It is a typical value, not a requirement. A mix designed for 113 or 106 changes the tonnage by a few percent, so enter the supplier’s figure.
Questions people ask
How do I calculate how much asphalt I need?
Convert the area to square yards (square feet ÷ 9), multiply by the thickness in inches and by the mix weight (110 lb per yd² per inch is typical), then divide by 2,000 for tons.
How much asphalt is needed for a 20×20 driveway?
400 ft² is 44.44 yd². At 3 in compacted and 110 lb per yd² per inch, that is 7.33 tons, or 7.7 tons with a 5% allowance. Multiply by your contractor’s price per ton for cost.
How many tons of asphalt for 2,000 square feet?
2,000 ft² is 222.2 yd². At 3 in compacted that is 36.67 tons, or 38.5 tons with a 5% allowance.
How much asphalt for a 100 ft driveway?
It depends on the width. At 12 ft wide and 3 in compacted, 100 × 12 = 1,200 ft², which is 22.0 tons, or 23.1 tons with a 5% allowance.
What thickness should a driveway be?
That is a design question that depends on traffic, base and local practice, so ask a paving contractor. The calculator uses whatever compacted thickness you enter.
Related calculators and guides
Sources
Where the numbers come from
- Asphalt Magazine (Asphalt Institute) Five handy rules of thumb for successful asphalt pavement construction (110 lb per square yard per inch), accessed October 16, 2026.
- Pennsylvania Asphalt Pavement Association Constructing Quality Asphalt Pavements checklist, 2025 (108 to 120 range), accessed October 16, 2026.
- Tennessee Department of Transportation hot mix quantity computations, tables 4-1 and 4-2, accessed October 16, 2026.
- NIST Handbook 44, Appendix C (square yard and ton definitions), accessed October 16, 2026.