Enter length, width and thickness to see how many tons of hot-mix asphalt a driveway or path needs — at standard compacted density.
How asphalt is ordered
Asphalt plants sell by the ton, but you measure a driveway in feet and inches — this calculator does the conversion. It multiplies the dimensions into cubic feet and applies the standard compacted hot-mix density of about 145 lb per cubic foot, returning the tonnage suppliers quote against.
How to use it
- Enter length and width in feet.
- Enter the compacted thickness in inches — residential driveways typically run 2–3″, heavier use 4″+.
- Read the tons, with the cubic volume shown for cross-checking.
The formula
tons = L × W × (thickness ÷ 12) × 145 ÷ 2000
A worked example
A 40 × 12 ft driveway at 3″ compacted is 120 cubic feet — 8.7 tons of hot mix. Thickness is the budget lever people miss: the same driveway at 2″ needs 5.8 tons, at 4″ needs 11.6 — every inch of depth is a third more material on this footprint.
Common questions
Does the tonnage include the gravel base?
No — the base course (typically 4–8″ of compacted aggregate) is separate. Run its volume through the gravel calculator on this site.
Loose or compacted thickness?
The formula uses compacted thickness — what remains after rolling. Crews spread roughly 25% thicker loose to compact down to spec; the plant’s tonnage covers that.
Why do quotes vary from my number?
Mix density varies slightly (140–148 lb/cu ft), edges and transitions add material, and plants round to delivery increments. Treat this as the ordering estimate it is, and let the paver confirm.