Asphalt calculator
Tons of hot mix asphalt or millings for a driveway, parking pad or patch, with cost per square foot.
You need about
11.42 tons
- Pounds
- 22,838 lb
- Volume
- 5.83 cubic yards
- Cubic feet
- 157.5 cu ft
- Material cost
- Per square foot
For 600 sq ft at 145 lb per cubic foot compacted, including the extra you set.
How to calculate asphalt tonnage
Asphalt plants sell by the ton. The calculator finds the volume you're paving, then uses the weight of compacted asphalt to get tons.
- Area = length × width (or 3.1416 × radius² for a circle), in square feet
- Cubic feet = area × compacted thickness in inches ÷ 12, plus your extra percentage (a small allowance, often around 5%, covers uneven base and edges; running short leaves a cold joint where a second load meets the first)
- Pounds = cubic feet × pounds per cubic foot (145 for hot mix)
- Tons = pounds ÷ 2,000
Worked example
A 50 ft × 12 ft driveway, 3 inches of hot mix: 600 sq ft × 3 ÷ 12 = 150.0 cu ft. 150.0 × 145 ÷ 2,000 = 10.88 tons, before any extra.
How much asphalt weighs
Estimating weights for compacted material from the Iowa DOT Design Manual 1B-4 (2026) "Densities for Use in Estimating Quantities". Actual weight depends on the mix, so the plant's mix design governs; enter their figure with "Other".
| Material | Pounds per cubic foot | Tons per cubic yard | Common use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hot mix asphalt | 145 | 1.96 | Driveways, parking pads, patching |
| Asphalt millings (recycled) | 127 | 1.71 | Driveway and lane base, rural drives |
Tons per 100 square feet
| Thickness | Hot mix | Millings | Sq ft per ton of hot mix |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 in | 0.60 | 0.53 | 166 |
| 2 in | 1.21 | 1.06 | 83 |
| 3 in | 1.81 | 1.59 | 55 |
| 4 in | 2.42 | 2.12 | 41 |
| 6 in | 3.62 | 3.17 | 28 |
Asphalt questions
How much does asphalt weigh?
Compacted hot mix asphalt weighs about 145 pounds per cubic foot, the figure state DOTs use for estimating. That's 1.96 tons per cubic yard, or about 109 pounds per square yard for each inch of thickness.
How many square feet does a ton of asphalt cover?
About 83 square feet at 2 inches thick, or 55 square feet at 3 inches. The table above has other thicknesses.
How thick should an asphalt driveway be?
Residential driveways are commonly paved 2 to 3 inches thick after compaction, over a compacted gravel base. Heavier traffic, soft soil or cold climates may call for more; a local paving contractor can advise for your site.
Does my climate change how much asphalt I need?
Not much. Plants choose the binder, the grade of liquid asphalt in the mix (labeled like "PG 64-22"), to suit local summer heat and winter cold, but the compacted weight stays close to the estimating figure used here, so the tonnage barely changes. Climate matters more for thickness: freeze-thaw cycles, deep frost and soft soil often call for a thicker base or surface. Ask a local paving contractor what thickness to use, enter it above, and use your plant's weight with "Other" if they give one.
How much do asphalt millings weigh?
Millings are recycled asphalt, ground up and reused, often for driveways and lanes. Iowa DOT's estimating figure for crushed asphalt used as base ("Crushed HMA for use as subbase") is 127 pounds per cubic foot compacted, or 1.71 tons per cubic yard. Choose "Asphalt millings" above; loose millings fluff up and compact down, so lay them thicker than the finished depth.
How much does an asphalt driveway cost?
This calculator covers material. Enter your plant's price per ton to see the material cost and cost per square foot. A paved driveway also includes base work, equipment and labor, so get quotes from local contractors for the installed price.