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Asphalt Calculator

To estimate asphalt tonnage, multiply the area in square yards by the compacted thickness in inches and by 110 lb, then divide by 2,000. That's the Asphalt Institute's standard spread rate, equal to about 147 lb per cubic foot. A 12 × 50 ft driveway (66.7 square yards) paved 3 inches thick needs about 11 tons of hot-mix asphalt.

What do you want to work out?
Material
Measure by
Tons
11
Cubic yards
5.56
Square yards
66.7
Round up to
11 tons
Estimated cost
—

How to calculate asphalt tonnage

  1. Measure the area. Multiply length × width in feet for square feet, then divide by 9 for square yards.
  2. Choose the compacted thickness. Use the finished, compacted thickness in inches.
  3. Multiply by 110. Square yards × inches × 110 gives the weight of hot-mix asphalt in pounds.
  4. Divide by 2,000. Divide the pounds by 2,000 to get tons.
  5. Round up. Add extra if you want a margin, and round up to your asphalt plant's minimum order.

Worked example: 12 × 50 ft = 600 sq ft = 66.7 square yards; 66.7 × 3 × 110 = 22,000 lb; ÷ 2,000 = 11 tons.

Square yards to tons of asphalt

Tons = square yards × compacted thickness in inches × 110 ÷ 2,000. Every inch of hot-mix asphalt adds 110 lb per square yard:

Hot-mix asphalt by thickness, at 110 lb per square yard per inch
ThicknessPer square yardPer 100 square yards
1 in0.055 tons5.5 tons
2 in0.11 tons11 tons
3 in0.165 tons16.5 tons
4 in0.22 tons22 tons

State transportation departments use slightly different rates for their own mixes, from 106 lb (Tennessee DOT) to about 114 lb (Washington State DOT) per square yard per inch. If your asphalt plant gives you a rate, enter it as the spread rate in the calculator.

Asphalt cubic yards to tons (and back)

One cubic yard of compacted hot-mix asphalt weighs about 1.98 tons (3,960 lb), because a cubic yard is one square yard 36 inches thick: 36 × 110 = 3,960 lb. One ton fills about 0.505 cubic yards.

Cubic yards of compacted hot-mix asphalt to tons
Cubic yardsTons
11.98
23.96
59.9
1019.8

Asphalt millings calculator

Asphalt millings, also called recycled asphalt pavement (RAP), are lighter than new hot-mix asphalt. The Federal Highway Administration reports that milled or processed RAP weighs 120–140 lb per cubic foot, or 1.62–1.89 tons per cubic yard. Choose Asphalt millings in the calculator to use that range, or enter your supplier's figure.

For example, a 12 × 50 ft driveway covered 4 inches deep takes 7.41 cubic yards of millings, about 12.0–14.0 tons.

Which density this calculator uses

For hot-mix asphalt the calculator uses 110 lb per square yard per inch, the typical spread rate published by the Asphalt Institute and used in the Minnesota Asphalt Pavement Association's calculator. That equals 146.7 lb per cubic foot, or 1.98 tons per cubic yard.

Many online calculators instead assume 145 or 150 lb per cubic foot. Those give about 1% less and 2% more asphalt than the 110 rule, so small differences between calculators are expected. Your plant's mix design is the final word: enter its rate if you have it.

Frequently asked questions

How do you calculate tonnage for asphalt?

Multiply the area in square yards by the compacted thickness in inches and by 110 lb, then divide by 2,000. For example, 66.7 square yards at 3 inches is 22,000 lb, or 11 tons of hot-mix asphalt.

How many tons are in a cubic yard of asphalt?

About 1.98 tons (3,960 lb) of compacted hot-mix asphalt, based on the Asphalt Institute's 110 lb per square yard per inch. State DOT factors run from about 1.91 to 2.05 tons.

How many cubic yards are in a ton of asphalt?

About half a cubic yard (0.505) of compacted hot-mix asphalt at 110 lb per square yard per inch.

How do you convert square yards of asphalt to tons?

Tons = square yards × thickness in inches × 110 ÷ 2,000. One square yard at 2 inches is 220 lb (0.11 tons), at 3 inches 0.165 tons, and at 4 inches 0.22 tons; per 100 square yards that's 11, 16.5 and 22 tons.

How much do asphalt millings weigh?

Milled or processed recycled asphalt weighs about 120–140 lb per cubic foot, or 1.62–1.89 tons per cubic yard, according to the Federal Highway Administration. A 12 × 50 ft area 4 inches deep takes about 12–14 tons.

Related calculators

Sources and methodology

Hot-mix asphalt: tons = square yards × compacted thickness (in) × spread rate (lb per square yard per inch) ÷ 2,000, with a default spread rate of 110. A spread rate entered in lb per cubic foot is converted by × 0.75, since one square yard one inch thick is 0.75 cubic feet. Millings: tons = cubic yards × 1.62–1.89 (120–140 lb/ft³). Tons are US short tons (2,000 lb). The order amount is rounded up to the next whole ton.