Asphalt Calculator
Asphalt gets ordered by the ton, but you measure your driveway in feet and inches, so there's a conversion in the middle that trips people up. Enter your area and the depth you're paving below. The calculator works out the tonnage using standard hot-mix density, adds a little for compaction, and gives you a cost estimate so you can price the load.
How this is calculated
Multiply length by width by depth (in feet) to get cubic feet of asphalt. Hot-mix asphalt weighs about 145 pounds per cubic foot, so multiply your cubic feet by 145, then divide by 2,000 to get tons. The tool adds a small allowance because asphalt compacts as it's rolled, meaning you place more loose material than the finished thickness suggests.
A worked example
A 20 by 50 foot driveway paved 3 inches deep: 1,000 square feet times 0.25 feet is 250 cubic feet. At 145 pounds each that's 36,250 pounds, or about 18 tons. Add a bit for compaction and you're ordering close to 19 to 20 tons. The calculator gives you that figure as soon as you enter the size.
Common questions
Measure length and width, pick a depth (2 to 3 inches is typical for a residential driveway surface), and the calculator returns tonnage. A rough figure: a standard two-car driveway runs 15 to 20 tons.
At 2 inches deep, very roughly 1 ton covers about 80 square feet. It changes with depth, so enter your real numbers rather than relying on a flat rule.
Two to three inches of asphalt over a solid compacted base for residential work. Heavier loads or poor soil need more. The tool sizes the order for whatever depth you set.
Asphalt compacts under the roller, so loose tonnage placed is more than the finished volume, and edges and transitions eat material. A small overage keeps the crew from running thin on the last pass.
Estimates for planning. Verify against your supplier's units and your local building codes before ordering or building. For anything structural, follow your engineer or local code.