Asphalt Calculator: Common Questions & Answers

To calculate asphalt tonnage, you need to determine the area and thickness of the asphalt layer. First, measure the length and width of the area to be paved and multiply them to find the area in square feet or square meters. Next, determine the thickness of the asphalt layer in feet or meters. Multiply the area by the thickness to get the volume in cubic feet or cubic meters. Convert this volume to tons using the density of asphalt, which is approximately 145 pounds per cubic foot or 2,400 kilograms per cubic meter. For example, an area of 1,000 square feet with a thickness of 0.5 feet would require about 36.25 tons of asphalt.

To calculate the quantity of asphalt for a road, measure the length and width of the road and determine the thickness of the asphalt layer. Multiply the length by the width to get the area, then multiply by the thickness to find the volume. Convert this volume to tons using the density of asphalt. For example, if the road is 2,000 feet long, 24 feet wide, and the asphalt layer is 0.5 feet thick, the volume is 2,000 × 24 × 0.5 = 24,000 cubic feet. If the density is 145 pounds per cubic foot, then the total weight is 24,000 × 145 = 3,480,000 pounds or 1,740 tons.

To calculate the spread rate for asphalt, divide the total quantity of asphalt by the area to be covered. For example, if you have 50 tons of asphalt and need to cover 10,000 square feet, the spread rate is 50 tons ÷ 10,000 square feet = 0.005 tons per square foot. Convert this to other units if needed.

To calculate the cost of asphalt, multiply the total tonnage of asphalt needed by the cost per ton. For example, if you need 100 tons of asphalt and the cost is $70 per ton, the total cost would be 100 × $70 = $7,000. Include additional costs for labor, equipment, and other materials as needed.

o calculate asphalt for a driveway, measure the length and width of the driveway and decide on the thickness of the asphalt layer. Multiply the length by the width to find the area. Then, multiply the area by the thickness to get the volume. Convert this volume to tons using the density of asphalt. For example, if the driveway is 30 feet long, 12 feet wide, and the asphalt layer is 0.3 feet thick, the volume would be 30 × 12 × 0.3 = 108 cubic feet. If the density is 145 pounds per cubic foot, then the weight would be 108 × 145 = 15,660 pounds or about 7.83 tons.