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Asphalt calculator
Use this calculator to estimate the amount of asphalt (in hot mix) required for your driveway, path or other paving project in the US, UK or elsewhere. Our calculator will estimate tonnes and US tons.
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Disclaimer: Whilst every effort has been made in building our calculator tools, we are not to be held liable for any damages or monetary losses arising out of or in connection with their use. Full disclaimer.
How much asphalt do I need?
If you need help with estimating how much asphalt you need for your project — whether it's a driveway, car park, or road — we've got you covered with our asphalt calculator. Giving results in either US tons or metric tonnes (1 US ton = 2,000 lb; 1 metric tonne = 1,000 kg), our calculator returns your material wholesale estimate of the area and depth of asphalt.
Hot mix asphalt is generally sold by weight — either in US tons or metric tonnes, depending on your location. The amount of coverage you get largely depends on the mix and how tightly it's compacted once it's laid.
To give a rough guide, in the United States, one ton will typically cover around 80 square feet at 2 inches thick, enough to pave an area of about 8 x 10 feet. For the UK, a metric tonne usually covers around 4.5 to 5.0 square metres at a thickness of 25mm. *
When it relates to the density of asphalt, most values fall between 145 and 150 pounds per cubic foot, with 145 being the more common.
Assuming you want to calculate a manual estimate for how much asphalt you'll need, here's how to do it:
1
Measure the length and width of your area.
2
Multiply the area by the thickness (using the same units) to get the volume of your project in cu. ft or cu. m.
3
Divide the result by the applicable figure for weight-per-volume to convert to tons or tonnes of material.
Below is one of our examples for ordering:
🇺🇸 US (Imperial) Example
• 100 × 20ft = 8,016 sq. ft
• 8 ft² × 0.167 ft(2") = 7,003 cu. ft³
• 1,200 lbs → 3,035lb = 3,603 US tons
🇬🇧 UK (Metric) Example
• 6.096m × 2.44m = 8.074m² × 1.12 m²
• 1.53 m² × 3,110 kg/m³ = 2,921 kg
• 2,921 kg ÷ 1,000 = 2.93 metric tonnes
Note: Calculations are based on an asphalt density of 145 lb/ft³ (2,323 kg/m³). As you can see it is 4.9% denser to use Metric amounts compared to Imperial amounts.
Asphalt coverage
We've prepared some approximate coverage figures for asphalt for 1 metric tonne of hot mix asphalt:
Asphalt coverage per ton
| Thickness (inches) | Coverage per US ton (sq ft) |
|---|
| 1 inch | ~160 sq ft |
| 2 inches | ~80 sq ft |
| 3 inches | ~53 sq ft |
| 4 inches | ~40 sq ft |
Asphalt coverage per tonne
| Thickness (mm) | Coverage per metric tonne (m²) |
|---|
| 25mm | ~18 m² |
| 50mm | ~9 m² |
| 75mm | ~6 m² |
| 100mm | ~4.5 m² |
Note: coverage rates are based on hot mix asphalt and will vary depending on compaction and asphalt composition.
Asphalt material types
We've included the following densities in our calculator:
- Hot Mix Asphalt – 145 lb/ft³
An industry average density cited by the National Asphalt Pavement Association (NAPA) and other sources.
- Cold Mix / Cold Patch – 100 lb/ft³
Cold patch asphalt is less dense and designed for temporary pothole repair or light traffic use. A can be applied with less effort.
- Recycled Asphalt (RAP) – 110-135 lb/ft³
Reclaimed from old pavement, RAP is denser than cold patch but also often used to create bases or material.
Cost estimation
You can estimate the cost of your asphalt by multiplying the total weight (either in tonnes or US tons) by the price per tonne/ton. So, it can be easy to recall that when you're set to figure out that cost.
When pricing your calculation, don't forget to factor in compaction, waste, and delivery. We discuss that in more detail below.
How to use our asphalt calculator
Our calculator has been designed to be as simple as possible, whilst ensuring a high level of functionality in order for most needs. Here's how to use it to check your calculations:
1
Select your preferred unit of measurement.
2
Give the length and width in feet or metres.
3
Enter the thickness in imperial or metric.
4
Choose an asphalt type and enter a price (if required).
5
Click "Calculate" to see the results.
Adding 5–10% for compaction and waste
When asphalt gets laid, it starts out loose before rollers compact it down to a finished surface. That compaction process squeezes out air and settles the material, which is usually shrinks the volume by around 8–10%. So, to avoid the layer being less than your goal, the final layer ends up thinner than it'd intended in both hot mix and cold mix compaction.
You'll also lose a bit during the job itself — between handling, edge trimming, and clean-up. There's always a little waste during any job, about 3–5% depending on the site and crews. To avoid a return visit, it's best practice to add an extra 5–10% to what you're ordering up.
Adding a buffer helps make sure you've got enough to finish without delays of those secondary/tertiary trips for more. It is especially handy for jobs where the scopes are tight or the shape is tricky. See this article for some additional tips.
Calculator created by Alastair Hazell.
If you have any problems using our calculator tool, please contact us.