How do I calculate tons of asphalt?

Square yards × compacted thickness in inches × 110 lb ÷ 2,000. A 60 × 12 ft driveway is 720 sq ft = 80 sq yd, so at 3 in it takes 80 × 3 × 110 ÷ 2,000 = 13.2 tons, about 13.9 tons with 5% extra.

How much does a cubic yard of asphalt weigh?

About 2 tons compacted. 110 lb per square yard-inch is 146.7 lb per cubic foot, so a cubic yard is 27 × 146.7 = 3,960 lb, or 1.98 tons.

How many square feet does a ton of asphalt cover?

At 110 lb per square yard-inch, a ton covers 2,000 ÷ 110 = 18.2 sq yd (164 sq ft) at 1 in thick, 82 sq ft at 2 in and 55 sq ft at 3 in.

Is asphalt the same as asphalt millings?

No. Hot-mix asphalt is new mix laid hot and rolled to about 146 lb per cubic foot. Millings are ground-up old pavement, lighter when compacted and laid cold like gravel — see the asphalt millings calculator for those.

Driveway

Asphalt Calculator

Plants sell hot-mix asphalt by the ton, and pavers plan it with a spread rate: about 110 lb per square yard for each inch of compacted thickness. Enter the area and the finished thickness, pick the spread rate, and the calculator returns the tons to order, the square and cubic yards, the aggregate base beneath it and, if you enter one, the cost at your price per ton.

Worked example: 60 × 12 ft driveway, 3 in compacted

Step	Working	Result
Area	60 × 12 = 720 sq ft ÷ 9	80 sq yd
Asphalt	80 × 3 in × 110 lb ÷ 2,000	13.2 tons
Add 5%	13.2 × 1.05	13.86 tons
Stone base, 6 in	720 × 0.5 ÷ 27 × 1.5 t/yd³	20 tons

Tons per 1,000 sq ft by thickness

Compacted thickness	110 lb/sq yd-in	112 lb/sq yd-in	106 lb/sq yd-in
1.5 in	9.17	9.33	8.83
2 in	12.22	12.44	11.78
3 in	18.33	18.67	17.67
4 in	24.44	24.89	23.56
5 in	30.56	31.11	29.44
6 in	36.67	37.33	35.33

Where the numbers come from

Asphalt magazine's “rules of thumb” for paving (Asphalt Institute engineers, 2023) give the typical spread rate as 110 lb per square yard per inch of thickness for dense-graded mix; the Illinois DOT plans with 112 and the Tennessee DOT with 106. That is about 146.7 lb per cubic foot, or roughly 2 tons per compacted cubic yard. Open-graded mixes have more air voids and weigh less, so use your plant's figure for those.

For thickness, the Illinois Asphalt Pavement Association notes that some contractors lay 3 in of asphalt over 6–8 in of compacted aggregate, that 4 in of full-depth asphalt may be adequate (5–6 in is stronger), and that a 1½–2 in surface course usually suffices for an overlay.

The base matters more than the top

Size the stone with the crusher run calculator or road base calculator, and compact it in lifts.
Fix soft spots and grade for drainage before the paver arrives — the fill dirt calculator sizes the fill.
On a budget? Compare with a gravel driveway or asphalt millings.

Get the Gravel & Stone Calculator app for Android

Estimate gravel, stone, sand, and mulch on the job site, save projects, and share quantities with your supplier.

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Frequently asked questions

How do I calculate tons of asphalt?: Square yards × compacted thickness in inches × 110 lb ÷ 2,000. A 60 × 12 ft driveway is 720 sq ft = 80 sq yd, so at 3 in it takes 80 × 3 × 110 ÷ 2,000 = 13.2 tons, about 13.9 tons with 5% extra.
How much does a cubic yard of asphalt weigh?: About 2 tons compacted. 110 lb per square yard-inch is 146.7 lb per cubic foot, so a cubic yard is 27 × 146.7 = 3,960 lb, or 1.98 tons.
How thick should an asphalt driveway be?: The Illinois Asphalt Pavement Association says some contractors put 3 in of asphalt over 6–8 in of compacted aggregate, that 4 in of full-depth asphalt may be adequate with 5–6 in stronger, and that a 1½–2 in surface course will usually do for an overlay.
How many square feet does a ton of asphalt cover?: At 110 lb per square yard-inch, a ton covers 2,000 ÷ 110 = 18.2 sq yd (164 sq ft) at 1 in thick, 82 sq ft at 2 in and 55 sq ft at 3 in.
Is asphalt the same as asphalt millings?: No. Hot-mix asphalt is new mix laid hot and rolled to about 146 lb per cubic foot. Millings are ground-up old pavement, lighter when compacted and laid cold like gravel — see the asphalt millings calculator for those.