Quick answer
Tons of asphalt = square feet × compacted thickness in inches ÷ 12 × 145 lb/ft³ ÷ 2,000, or roughly square feet × inches × 0.006. A 1,000 sq ft driveway at 2 inches needs about 12.1 tons (12.7 with 5% extra). One cubic yard weighs about 2 tons, and hot mix costs about $100 to $150 per ton in 2026.
How to use the asphalt calculator
The calculator turns the size of your job into the quantity you actually order from an asphalt plant, which is sold by the ton. It updates as you type or drag, so you can try different thicknesses and see the tonnage, truckloads and cost change straight away.
- Measure each area in feet. Enter length and width for rectangles, the diameter for a circular turnaround, or base and height for a triangular corner. If you already know the square footage, choose the dashed square and type it in. Add as many areas as the job has; they are summed.
- Set the compacted thickness. Use a preset such as Driveway 2" or Parking lot 4", or drag the slider. This is the thickness after rolling, which is what specifications and quotes refer to.
- Check the mix density. 145 lb/ft³ is the standard figure for compacted hot mix. If your plant gives you a mix weight, enter it for a closer number.
- Add extra and your local price. Keep 5% extra for a typical job, enter the price per ton your plant quoted, and set the truck size they send.
The result panel shows the tons to order, the volume in cubic yards and cubic feet, the area one ton covers, each truckload (including how full the last truck will be) and the material cost per square foot. Use Copy order to paste a clean summary into an email or text, or Share link to send the exact estimate to a client or crew.
Asphalt calculator formula
Asphalt tonnage comes from volume multiplied by weight per cubic foot:
Worked example: a 1,000 sq ft driveway at 2 inches
| Step | Calculation | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Area | 50 ft × 20 ft | 1,000 sq ft |
| Thickness in feet | 2 in ÷ 12 | 0.167 ft |
| Volume | 1,000 × 0.167 | 166.7 cu ft (6.17 cu yd) |
| Weight | 166.7 × 145 lb | 24,167 lb |
| Tons | 24,167 ÷ 2,000 | 12.08 tons |
| Order with 5% extra | 12.08 × 1.05 | 12.69 tons |
A quick field shortcut for standard hot mix is square feet × inches × 0.006 = tons. Some suppliers work in square yards instead and use about 110 pounds per square yard for each inch of thickness, which gives almost the same answer.
How thick should asphalt be?
Thickness drives tonnage more than anything else: going from 2 to 3 inches adds 50% more asphalt. Pick the thickness for the heaviest vehicle that will use the surface, not the everyday one.
| Use | Compacted thickness | Tons per 1,000 sq ft |
|---|---|---|
| Overlay or resurfacing | 1.5 in | 9.1 |
| Driveway, 1–2 cars | 2–3 in | 12.1–18.1 |
| Driveway with trucks, RVs or trailers | 3 in | 18.1 |
| Light-use parking lot | 4 in | 24.2 |
| Heavy-use or truck parking | 6–8 in | 36.3–48.3 |
These are surface thicknesses laid over a compacted aggregate base. Commercial work often goes down in two lifts, a base course and a surface course, so add both layers together, or enter each as its own estimate. Local codes or an engineer’s specification override any rule of thumb.
Asphalt density and weight
Compacted hot mix asphalt usually weighs between 138 and 150 pounds per cubic foot (about 2,210 to 2,400 kg/m³), depending on the aggregate, binder content and how well it is rolled. Most estimators use 145 lb/ft³, which works out to about 1.96 tons per cubic yard. That is why you will often hear the rule that a cubic yard of asphalt weighs about 2 tons.
Use the Light, Standard and Dense presets to see how much the answer moves. On a 1,000 sq ft driveway at 2 inches, the difference between 138 and 150 lb/ft³ is about one ton.
Asphalt cost per ton
Hot mix asphalt commonly sells for about $100 to $150 per ton at the plant in 2026, before delivery. Older cost guides that quote $40 to $80 reflect prices from several years ago. Your number depends on the mix, how far you are from the plant, how much you order and the price of oil, which feeds straight into the binder cost.
The calculator shows material cost only. Installed prices for a finished driveway also include base preparation, grading, labor, equipment and delivery, which is why contractor quotes per square foot are much higher than the material cost shown here. Prices on this page were last reviewed in September 2026.
Ordering asphalt and truckloads
Plants sell hot mix by the ton and deliver it in dump trucks. A tandem truck typically carries about 13 to 20 tons, and larger tri-axle trucks carry more. The truckload view shows how many loads your order takes and how full the last one will be. If the last truck is only a quarter full, it may be cheaper to trim the extra allowance, or to add a small area you were planning to do later.
Hot mix has to be placed while it is hot, so time deliveries to the crew’s pace rather than ordering the whole job at once. For small repairs, bagged cold patch is easier to handle than a truckload of hot mix.
Asphalt calculator FAQ
How many tons of asphalt do I need for a driveway?
Multiply length by width to get square feet, multiply by the compacted thickness in feet, then by the mix density (about 145 lb/ft³) and divide by 2,000. A 20 × 40 ft driveway (800 sq ft) needs about 9.7 tons at 2 inches thick or 14.5 tons at 3 inches, before any extra for waste.
How many square feet does a ton of asphalt cover?
At a standard density of 145 lb/ft³, one ton of asphalt covers about 83 square feet at 2 inches thick, 55 square feet at 3 inches and 41 square feet at 4 inches. Thicker pavement and denser mixes cover less area per ton.
How much does a cubic yard of asphalt weigh?
A cubic yard of compacted hot mix asphalt weighs about 3,900 pounds, or roughly 2 tons, at 145 lb/ft³. Depending on the mix, it can range from about 3,700 to 4,050 pounds.
How do I convert square feet to tons of asphalt?
For standard hot mix at 145 lb/ft³, multiply square feet by the thickness in inches, then by 0.006. For example, 1,000 sq ft × 2 in × 0.006 ≈ 12 tons.
How thick should an asphalt driveway be?
Most residential driveways use 2 to 3 inches of compacted asphalt over a compacted gravel base. Use 3 inches if you park heavy trucks, RVs or trailers. Parking lots typically need 4 inches, and lots with truck traffic 6 to 8 inches.
How much extra asphalt should I order?
Order about 5% more than the calculated amount to cover uneven base, edges and handling. Use 8–10% for patching, irregular shapes or a rough subgrade. It costs less to have a little left over than to call back a truck for a small top-up.
How much does asphalt cost per ton in 2026?
Hot mix asphalt commonly costs about $100 to $150 per ton at the plant in 2026, before delivery. Prices vary by region, mix type and oil prices, so enter your local plant's quote in the calculator for an exact material cost.