Asphalt Calculator
Enter the paved area and compacted thickness to find how many tons of hot mix asphalt to order. The density defaults to 145 pounds per cubic foot and can be changed to match your mix.
Result
- Pounds
- 21,750 lb
- Metric tonnes
- 9.87 t
- Volume
- 150 cu ft
- Cubic yards
- 5.56 cu yd
- Area
- 600 sq ft
Formula
- Volume (cu ft) = length (ft) × width (ft) × thickness (in) ÷ 12
- Tons = volume × density ÷ 2,000
- Compacted hot mix asphalt ≈ 145 lb per cubic foot
How the Asphalt Calculator works
Asphalt is ordered by weight. Find the volume of the compacted mat and multiply by the mix density. Most hot mix asphalt compacts to between 140 and 150 pounds per cubic foot, so 145 is the usual estimating figure.
Residential driveways are commonly paved 2 to 3 inches thick over a compacted stone base. Commercial lots and heavy traffic areas use 4 inches or more.
Worked example
A driveway 50 ft × 12 ft paved 3 in thick has a volume of 50 × 12 × 0.25 = 150 cu ft. At 145 lb per cubic foot that is 21,750 lb, or 10.88 tons.
Frequently asked questions
How many square feet does a ton of asphalt cover?
At 2 inches thick, one ton covers about 83 square feet. At 3 inches it covers about 55 square feet, using 145 pounds per cubic foot.
Is blacktop the same as asphalt?
Blacktop is a common name for asphalt pavement, usually for driveways and residential roads. The calculation is the same.
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