Asphalt Calculator
Work out asphalt or tarmac tonnage for a driveway or path from its area and compacted thickness, in US tons and tonnes, with a cost estimate.
Reviewed by Dany, RightSums team · Updated
Runs in your browser. Free, no sign-up.
home-energy · Daily life · UK & US
Pick an example driveway or enter your own areas in feet or metres, then give the compacted thickness in inches or millimetres. The calculator multiplies the area by the thickness to get the volume, then by the density of hot mix asphalt to give the weight in US tons and metric tonnes. The default density comes from the Indiana Department of Transportation, which uses 110 lb per square yard for each inch of compacted asphalt, the same as 146.7 lb per cubic foot or 2,349 kg per m³. You can change it to your supplier's figure. Add an allowance and a price per ton, tonne or area laid. A 12 by 40 ft drive 2 inches thick needs 5.87 tons.
Accepted inputs
- Example driveway sizes
- Area shape and sizes in ft, in, m or cm
- Compacted thickness in inches, mm or cm
- Asphalt density in lb/ft³, kg/m³, tons/yd³ or t/m³
- Extra allowance
- Optional price per ton, tonne, sq yd or m²
Outputs
- Asphalt in US tons
- Asphalt in tonnes and kg
- Area in sq ft and m²
- Volume in cubic yards and m³
- Spread rate in lb/yd² and kg/m²
- Estimated material cost
How to use the Asphalt Calculator
- Choose an example driveway size or add your own areas as rectangles, circles, triangles or L-shapes.
- Enter the compacted thickness of the asphalt in inches, millimetres or centimetres.
- The calculator multiplies the area by the thickness and by the asphalt density, which starts at the Indiana DOT figure of 110 lb per square yard per inch.
- It adds your allowance and shows the weight in US tons and tonnes, the spread rate and a cost if you enter a price.
Frequently asked questions
How much asphalt do I need for my driveway?
Multiply the area by the compacted thickness and the density. A drive 12 ft by 40 ft is 53.33 square yards. At 2 inches thick and Indiana DOT's 110 lb per square yard per inch, that is 220 lb per square yard, or 5.87 US tons (5.32 tonnes) before any allowance.
How many square yards does a ton of asphalt cover?
Using Indiana DOT's 110 lb per square yard per inch, one US ton covers about 18.2 square yards at 1 inch thick, 9.1 at 2 inches and 6.1 at 3 inches. In metric, the same density is 2,349 kg per m³, so a tonne covers about 8.5 m² at 50 mm.
How many tonnes of tarmac do I need for a 3 x 6 m drive?
At 50 mm compacted thickness, 3 m by 6 m is 0.9 m³. At 2,349 kg per m³, that is 2.11 tonnes, or about 117 kg per m². At £90 a tonne the material would cost £190.30, not counting the sub-base, laying or labour.
How much does a cubic yard of asphalt weigh?
Using Indiana DOT's figure of 146.7 lb per cubic foot for compacted asphalt, a cubic yard weighs about 3,960 lb, or 1.98 US tons. A cubic metre weighs about 2.35 tonnes. Mixes vary with the stone and binder, so use your supplier's density if you have it.
Why is my asphalt quote different from the calculator?
The weight depends on density, which varies by mix, and on the thickness after rolling, not before. Contractors also allow for waste and uneven ground. A 20 by 20 ft drive at 3 inches with 5% extra comes to 7.70 US tons or 6.99 tonnes here. Treat this as an estimate and confirm with your supplier.
Sources
The rates and rules in this tool come from:
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