CalcCoverageHow much asphalt do I need?
Asphalt is bought by weight — tons in the US, tonnes in metric countries — but you measure a driveway by area and thickness. The bridge is the density of compacted hot mix: about 145 lb per cubic foot.
Tons = area (sq ft) × thickness (in) ÷ 12 × 145 lb ÷ 2,000
Example: a 20 × 10 ft driveway section at 2 inches thick is 200 × 2 ÷ 12 = 33.3 cubic feet × 145 lb = 4,833 lb ≈ 2.42 tons — about 2.66 tons with the 10% allowance.
Thickness by job
| Job | Compacted thickness |
|---|---|
| Patch / skin coat over sound asphalt | 1–1.5 in (2.5–4 cm) |
| Residential driveway top layer | 2 in (5 cm) |
| Full residential driveway (base + top) | 3–4 in total, in two lifts |
| Heavy vehicles / farm traffic | 4 in (10 cm) and up |
Hot mix is ordered in whole or half tons from the plant, and it is unforgiving about timing — it must be laid while hot. Order with the allowance included, confirm the plant's minimum, and have the base compacted and the crew ready before the truck leaves.