Asphalt calculator
A 10 ft by 10 ft area covered 3 inches deep needs 0.93 compacted cubic yards of asphalt, about 1.83 tons at 3,960 lb per compacted cubic yard. The calculator uses 3,960 lb per compacted cubic yard (Penn State Superpave Center).
Finished, compacted thickness
0 uses the published 3,960 lb/yd³
Optional; 0 leaves cost out
A 10 ft by 10 ft area covered 3 inches deep needs 0.93 compacted cubic yards of asphalt, about 1.83 tons at 3,960 lb per compacted cubic yard. No document gives the loose volume of asphalt per compacted cubic yard; ask the supplier how much to order.
- Cubic yards, compacted in place
- 0.93
- Cubic feet
- 25
- Tons
- 1.83
- Pounds
- 3,667
- Tons at the published range, same condition
- 1.43–2
How it is calculated
- Area = 10 ft × 10 ft = 100 sq ft.
- Volume = 100 sq ft × 3 in ÷ 12 = 25 cu ft.
- Cubic yards = 25 ÷ 27 = 0.926 yd³.
- Weight = 0.926 yd³ × 3,960 lb/yd³ = 3,667 lb; ÷ 2,000 lb per ton = 1.83 tons.
How to calculate asphalt in cubic yards and tons
The worked numbers use the calculator's defaults: a 10 ft by 10 ft area 3 inches deep, the calculator's default depth for asphalt.
Step 1: area in square feet
Rectangle: length × width
Circle: π × diameter² ÷ 4
Triangle: base × height ÷ 2
Example 10 ft × 10 ft = 100 sq ft
Split an irregular area into rectangles, circles and triangles and add their areas.
Step 2: cubic feet from area and depth
Cubic feet = area in sq ft × depth in inches ÷ 12
Example 100 × 3 ÷ 12 = 25 cu ft
Step 3: cubic yards from cubic feet
Cubic yards = cubic feet ÷ 27
Example 25 ÷ 27 = 0.926 compacted cubic yards
Step 4: tons from cubic yards
Tons = cubic yards × pounds per cubic yard ÷ 2,000
Example Asphalt at 3,960 lb per compacted cubic yard (Penn State Superpave Center): 0.926 × 3,960 ÷ 2,000 = 1.83 tons
Asphalt for common areas
| Area, sq ft | 1.5 inches deep | 2 inches deep | 3 inches deep | 4 inches deep | 4.5 inches deep | 5.5 inches deep |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 50 | 0.23 yd³ · 0.46 t | 0.31 yd³ · 0.61 t | 0.46 yd³ · 0.92 t | 0.62 yd³ · 1.22 t | 0.69 yd³ · 1.38 t | 0.85 yd³ · 1.68 t |
| 100 | 0.46 yd³ · 0.92 t | 0.62 yd³ · 1.22 t | 0.93 yd³ · 1.83 t | 1.23 yd³ · 2.44 t | 1.39 yd³ · 2.75 t | 1.7 yd³ · 3.36 t |
| 200 | 0.93 yd³ · 1.83 t | 1.23 yd³ · 2.44 t | 1.85 yd³ · 3.67 t | 2.47 yd³ · 4.89 t | 2.78 yd³ · 5.5 t | 3.4 yd³ · 6.72 t |
| 500 | 2.31 yd³ · 4.58 t | 3.09 yd³ · 6.11 t | 4.63 yd³ · 9.17 t | 6.17 yd³ · 12.22 t | 6.94 yd³ · 13.75 t | 8.49 yd³ · 16.81 t |
| 1,000 | 4.63 yd³ · 9.17 t | 6.17 yd³ · 12.22 t | 9.26 yd³ · 18.33 t | 12.35 yd³ · 24.44 t | 13.89 yd³ · 27.5 t | 16.98 yd³ · 33.61 t |
How much does a yard of asphalt cover?
One compacted cubic yard of asphalt covers 108 sq ft at 3 inches deep; one ton at 3,960 lb per compacted cubic yard covers 55 sq ft at the same depth.
| Depth, in | 1 compacted cubic yard covers, sq ft | 1 ton covers, sq ft |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 324 | 164 |
| 2 | 162 | 82 |
| 3 | 108 | 55 |
| 4 | 81 | 41 |
| 6 | 54 | 27 |
| 8 | 41 | 20 |
- 1 compacted cubic yard
- 1 ton
Recommended asphalt depth by use
Published depths for asphalt run from 1.5 inches to 5.5 inches, depending on the use; each row names its document.
| Use | Depth, in | 1 cubic yard covers, sq ft | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Residential driveway, asphalt over aggregate base (recommended minimum) | 3 | 108 | Colorado Asphalt Pavement Association |
| Residential driveway, full-depth asphalt (recommended minimum, good to poor subgrade) | 4.5–5.5 | 59–72 | Colorado Asphalt Pavement Association |
| Overlay of an existing driveway, surface mix | 1.5–2 | 162–216 | Colorado Asphalt Pavement Association |
| Heavy use area, light use, compacted bituminous concrete minimum (over 4 in gravel) | 4 | 81 | USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service |
Asphalt weight per cubic yard
Published weights of a cubic yard of asphalt run from 3,096 to 4,320 lb across 3 values from 2 documents, measured in different conditions. The calculators use 3,960 lb per compacted cubic yard (Penn State Superpave Center), because it is the worked example of the Penn State Superpave Center for a compacted mix; Missouri DOT gives a compacted range around it. One ton of asphalt is about 0.51 compacted cubic yards.
| Pounds per compacted cubic yard | 3,960 |
|---|---|
| Published as | “Asphalt mix at 94% of maximum density”, 110 lb/yd² per inch, Penn State Superpave Center; condition: compacted. |
| Published range, same condition, lb | 3,096–4,320 |
| Tons per compacted cubic yard | 1.98 |
| Compacted cubic yards per ton | 0.51 |
Every published value with its source, and tables of weight by volume and yards by tons: Asphalt weight.
Asphalt questions
How much asphalt do I need?
A 10 ft by 10 ft area covered 3 inches deep needs 0.93 compacted cubic yards of asphalt, about 1.83 tons at 3,960 lb per compacted cubic yard. One compacted cubic yard of asphalt covers 108 sq ft at 3 inches deep, so divide the area in square feet by 108 for the compacted cubic yards at that depth.
Why the asphalt you need can differ from the result
The weight of asphalt changes with the source, the moisture and how tightly it is packed, so published values differ (here from 3,096 to 4,320 lb per cubic yard across all conditions). Before ordering, ask the supplier for the weight per yard of their own material and enter it as your own density under More options.
The weight used for asphalt is a compacted weight, so the depth is the finished, compacted thickness and the tons need no allowance. No document gives the loose volume per compacted cubic yard of asphalt; ask the supplier how much loose material to order.