Free asphalt calculator — cubic yards, weight and cost
Work out how much hot-mix asphalt to order for a driveway, parking area or overlay. Add as many areas as you need and get tonnage, cubic yards and cost — asphalt is sold by the ton, so tonnage is the number that matters.
How thick should asphalt be?
Compacted thickness drives everything. Two inches is an overlay over sound existing pavement. Three inches is a typical residential driveway surface. Four inches or more of asphalt over a proper aggregate base is what you want for anything carrying vehicles heavier than cars.
Asphalt compacts by roughly 20 to 25% from loose to finished, so the loose depth you place is meaningfully more than the compacted depth you specify. If you are ordering against a compacted spec, account for that.
The base underneath matters more than the asphalt thickness. Six to eight inches of well-compacted aggregate under three inches of asphalt outperforms four inches of asphalt on a poor base every time — and failures almost always start underneath.
Coverage at a glance
How far one cubic yard goes, and what 1,000 square feet takes, at each common depth:
| Depth | One cubic yard covers | 1,000 sq ft needs |
|---|---|---|
| 2" | 162 sq ft | 6.2 cu yd |
| 3" | 108 sq ft | 9.3 cu yd |
| 4" | 81 sq ft | 12.3 cu yd |
| 6" | 54 sq ft | 18.5 cu yd |
Weight and delivery
Hot-mix asphalt runs about 1.96 tons per cubic yard, or roughly 145 pounds per cubic foot. It is sold and priced by the ton, and it has to be placed hot, so scheduling matters as much as quantity.
Before you order, check access. Bulk material is tipped, not carried — the truck needs room to back in and raise its bed, and most suppliers will not tip on a surface they might damage. Ask about the delivery fee and the minimum order separately, because both change the maths on small jobs.
Turn it into a quote
Hit Copy order and the whole breakdown goes to your clipboard, ready to paste into an estimate. Add your labour, price it with the profit margin calculator, and send it with the estimate generator.
Related: cubic yard calculator, gravel, topsoil, mulch and concrete calculators, plus state-by-state rate data for what landscapers and contractors earn.
FAQ
How much asphalt do I need?
Asphalt is ordered by weight. A rough rule is 110 pounds per square yard per inch of thickness. A 1,000 square foot driveway at 3 inches works out to roughly 18 tons. This calculator does the conversion for you.
How many tons of asphalt are in a cubic yard?
About 1.96 tons for standard hot mix, based on roughly 145 pounds per cubic foot. Mix designs vary somewhat, so confirm the figure with your plant if you are working to a tight budget.
How much does asphalt cost per ton?
It moves with oil prices, which is why we do not quote a fixed number — put your own current supplier price into the calculator. Ask your plant for today's rate, and be aware that small loads often carry a surcharge.
How thick should a residential asphalt driveway be?
Three inches of compacted asphalt over six to eight inches of compacted aggregate base is a sound residential specification. Going thinner on the base to afford thicker asphalt is a false economy — base failure is what cracks driveways.
Can asphalt be laid over an existing driveway?
Yes, if the existing surface is structurally sound. A two-inch overlay is common and cost-effective. But if the old surface has alligator cracking or areas that move underfoot, those are base failures and an overlay will simply crack in the same places within a season or two.