Asphalt Calculator
Work out how much asphalt you need for a driveway or parking area. Enter the area and thickness to get the volume in cubic yards and an estimated weight in tons.
Asphalt calculator
Volume is exact geometry. Weights and bag counts assume typical densities and bag yields — treat them as an estimate, not a quote.
How to use it
- Measure the length and width of the area in feet.
- Set the depth in inches.
- Pick the material, then read off the cubic yards (and bags or tons) you need.
The calculator multiplies area by depth for an exact volume, then converts to cubic yards and estimates weight or bag count from typical material figures.
How it's calculated
We multiply the area (length × width) by the depth to get the volume, then convert to cubic yards (27 cubic feet = 1 cubic yard). Where it helps we also estimate the weight from the material's typical density, or divide by the bag or pallet size — always rounding up so you don't come up short.
Frequently asked questions
- How much asphalt do I need?
- Multiply the area by the thickness for the volume, then convert to tons (hot-mix asphalt weighs about 145 lb per cubic foot). A 2-inch layer over 1,000 ft² needs roughly 12 tons.
- How thick should asphalt be?
- A residential driveway is usually 2–3 inches of asphalt over a 4–8 inch compacted gravel base; parking lots and heavier loads need more.
- How many tons of asphalt are in a cubic yard?
- About 2 tons per cubic yard for compacted hot-mix asphalt, depending on the mix.
Last updated June 2026.