Free asphalt calculator. Enter length, width and thickness to get cubic yards, tons of hot mix asphalt needed, plus a wastage allowance.
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This calculator converts your paving area into tons of hot mix asphalt in three steps. First it multiplies length × width × thickness (converted to feet) to get cubic feet of compacted asphalt. Then it multiplies by the density of compacted hot mix, about 145 lb per cubic foot, and divides by 2,000 to get US tons. Finally it adds your wastage allowance, because edges, handwork and uneven subgrade always consume extra. The result is the order quantity to give your supplier, alongside cubic yards for comparison with contractor quotes.
Tons = length × width × (thickness in inches / 12) × density / 2000. Worked example: a 40 ft × 20 ft driveway at 3 inches compacted thickness. Volume = 40 × 20 × 0.25 = 200 cubic feet. At the standard compacted density of 145 lb/ft3, that is 200 × 145 = 29,000 lb, or 14.5 tons. Add 5 percent waste and the order quantity is 15.2 tons. In cubic yards, the same job is 200 / 27 = 7.4 yd3, useful when comparing against contractor quotes priced by the yard. Because asphalt tonnage is calculated from compacted dimensions, measure the finished thickness you want, not the loose depth the paver lays. The same formula handles estimating tonnage of asphalt removal: measure the old pavement's area and thickness and run it the same way. How accurate is an online asphalt calculator? Within a few percent when the inputs are right; the real-world error comes from uneven subgrade and handwork, which is exactly what the waste allowance covers.
Thickness is the single biggest lever on tonnage. Residential driveways: 2 to 3 inches of asphalt over 4 to 6 inches of compacted crushed-stone base. Go 3 inches if trucks or RVs will park on it. Commercial parking lots: 3 to 4 inches, usually in two lifts. Roads: 4 inches and up. Coverage per ton at 145 lb/ft3: about 83 sq ft at 2 inches, 55 sq ft at 3 inches, 41 sq ft at 4 inches. Note this is compacted thickness; the paver lays the mix loose and thicker, then the roller compacts it down.
Plant prices for hot mix run roughly $70 to $150 per ton in 2026 depending on region and oil prices. But a driveway quote is really about installation: expect $7 to $13 per square foot installed for a standard residential driveway, including excavation, base, asphalt, labor and equipment. A 24 × 20 ft driveway (480 sq ft) at 3 inches needs about 8.7 tons of mix, and the installed price typically lands between $3,400 and $6,200. Always get the base depth in writing, since a thin base is the most common cause of early failure.
Order 5 percent extra for rectangles and 7 to 10 percent for curves, angles and handwork. Hot mix arrives at 250 to 300 F and must be placed and compacted before it cools, so schedule the crew for the delivery window, not the day. The base matters more than the mat: 4 to 6 inches of compacted crushed stone, properly crowned for drainage, is what keeps the driveway from cracking. Confirm whether your supplier quotes in tons or cubic yards and convert with this calculator before you compare.
Blacktop is simply another name for hot mix asphalt, so this asphalt estimator works for blacktop quotes too. The weight of compacted asphalt is about 145 lb per cubic foot, which is the density the tonnage math uses. Yardage means cubic yards: divide cubic feet by 27, the number contractors often quote in. Coverage chart per ton at 145 lb/ft3: 2 inches covers about 83 sq ft, 3 inches about 55 sq ft, 4 inches about 41 sq ft. To calculate asphalt tonnage by hand for any shape, break the area into rectangles, apply the formula to each, and add the tons together before adding waste.
Asphalt wins on upfront cost and on flexibility in freeze-thaw climates, and damaged sections are cheap to patch. It needs sealcoating every 3 to 5 years and lasts 15 to 25 years maintained. Concrete costs roughly 30 to 50 percent more installed, needs almost no maintenance, resists hot-climate softening, and lasts 25 to 40 years. If you plan to stay in the house for decades and hate maintenance, concrete. If budget and winter performance matter most, asphalt.
It depends on area and thickness. A typical two-car driveway of 24 × 20 ft at 3 inches needs about 8.7 tons before waste. Enter your exact dimensions above: the calculator gives tons, cubic yards and an order quantity with wastage.
About 83 sq ft at 2 inches thick, 55 sq ft at 3 inches, and 41 sq ft at 4 inches, using 145 lb/ft3 density. Thicker lifts cover less area per ton, which is why the thickness input changes the answer so much.
Tons = length(ft) × width(ft) × thickness(in)/12 × density(lb/ft3) / 2000. Example: 40 × 20 ft at 3 in is 200 cubic feet; 200 × 145 / 2000 = 14.5 tons. The page above runs this formula on your numbers.
145 lb per cubic foot is the standard for compacted hot mix asphalt, and it is the default here. Loose or uncompacted mix is lighter, but suppliers sell and crews place compacted tons, so 145 is the right number for ordering.
For a residential driveway: 2 to 3 inches of asphalt over 4 to 6 inches of compacted gravel base. Use 3 inches if you park heavy vehicles on it. Commercial lots and roads go 4 inches and up, often in two lifts. Thickness is compacted thickness, not the loose depth the paver lays.
Hot mix asphalt typically runs $70 to $150 per ton at the plant in 2026, varying by region and oil prices, before delivery and placement. Installed driveway cost is usually quoted per square foot, roughly $7 to $13, which includes base prep, labor and equipment.
Small patches, yes, with bagged cold patch. A full driveway, no: hot mix must be placed at 250 to 300 F and compacted with a roller before it cools, which needs a paver crew and equipment. DIY attempts at full driveways almost always fail on compaction and drainage.
15 to 25 years with sealcoating every 3 to 5 years and prompt crack repair. Without maintenance, expect 10 to 12 years. Water is the enemy: seal cracks before they let water under the mat.
Asphalt costs less upfront and handles freeze-thaw better, but needs sealcoating and lasts 15 to 25 years. Concrete costs more, needs almost no maintenance and lasts 25 to 40 years. In cold climates asphalt usually wins on value; in hot climates concrete resists softening.
5 percent for simple rectangles, 7 to 10 percent for irregular shapes, curves, or handwork around edges and drains. The calculator defaults to 5 percent.
Square yards × 9 = square feet, then apply the tonnage formula: sq ft × thickness(in)/12 × 145 / 2000. Example: 100 sq yd at 3 in is 900 sq ft, which is 900 × 0.25 × 145 / 2000 = 16.3 tons.
Water infiltration, freeze-thaw cycles, a weak or poorly compacted base, heavy loads beyond the design thickness, and age-related binder oxidation. Sealcoating slows oxidation; fixing drainage and the base prevents the structural cracks.