Asphalt Calculator

Free asphalt calculator. Instant cubic yards plus tons at 3,240 lb/yd³, with 25% compaction built in. For driveways, patches, and full-depth replacement. No sign-up.

Asphalt is a hot-mix or cold-patch aggregate bound with bitumen. The most common residential use is driveways, where asphalt is laid 2–3 inches thick for a resurface and 3–4 inches thick for a full-depth replacement over a gravel base. A cubic yard of asphalt weighs about 3,240 lb (1.62 US tons) compacted.

The 25% compaction factor in the calculator reflects the roller pass at the end of the job — asphalt arrives loose and compacts down by about 20–25% under a 2–3 ton roller. If you're using cold-patch (the bagged stuff) for repairs, compaction is much less critical.

How much asphalt do I need for a driveway?

A standard 2-car residential driveway is 10 ft wide × 50 ft long = 500 ft². At 3 inches compacted:

• 500 × (3 ÷ 12) ÷ 27 = 4.63 yd³ = 7.5 tons

Order 5 yd³ / 8 tons with a 10% waste buffer. Most asphalt plants won't deliver less than 3 tons, so small repair jobs usually go with bagged cold-patch.

Hot-mix vs cold-patch

• Hot-mix asphalt arrives at 300°F and must be laid and compacted while it's still hot. This is what every asphalt plant delivers and what professional paving crews use. For anything over 1 ton, hot-mix is far cheaper and far more durable than cold-patch.
• Cold-patch asphalt is bagged at home improvement stores, ready to use, can be walked on immediately. It works for pothole repair and small patches but doesn't last as long as hot-mix. A cold-patch patch typically lasts 1–3 years; a hot-mix patch can last 10+.

Driveway base preparation

Asphalt needs a stable base. Standard practice is 4–6 inches of compacted crushed stone (#57 or similar) under the asphalt. Skip the base and the asphalt will crack within a few seasons as the subgrade moves. The calculator above computes the asphalt volume only — figure the base separately with the gravel calculator.

Frequently asked questions