Material calculator
5" Asphalt Tonnage Calculator
Tonnage, yardage and delivered cost for asphalt placed at 5" compacted — the depth used for commercial drive lanes and dumpster pads.
Your project
Crews typically order 5-10% extra to cover compaction, spillage and uneven subgrade.
Asphalt needed at 5"
15.23
US tons
- Area
- 480 sq ft
- Compacted thickness
- 5"
- Volume
- 7.78 cubic yards
- Truckloads (20-ton)
- 1
- Delivered material cost
- $1,523 – $3,045
Prices are national planning averages. Asphalt is tied to crude oil and freight costs, so your local quote can land well outside this range. Always confirm with a paving contractor before budgeting.
How much asphalt is a 5" lift?
Compacted hot mix asphalt weighs about 145 lb per cubic foot. At 5" that works out to roughly 60.417 lb per square foot, or 30.21 tons per 1,000 square feet. A 20-ton truckload therefore covers about 662 square feet at this depth.
The formula is simple: area in square feet × (5 ÷ 12) × 145 ÷ 2,000 = tons. Everything the calculator above does is that one line, plus a waste allowance and a mix-density swap.
When 5" is the right depth
5" is the depth used for commercial drive lanes and dumpster pads. It should sit on 10" of compacted aggregate base. Asphalt is a flexible pavement — it spreads load into the base rather than bridging over it, so a thin mat on a strong base outperforms a thick mat on a soft one almost every time.
Going thinner than the application calls for is the most common DIY mistake. A 5" mat placed where 4" was specified will not fail immediately; it will ravel at the edges and alligator-crack in the wheel paths within three to five winters.
Order a little more than the math says
Every crew orders 5-10% extra. Subgrade is never perfectly flat, the screed leaves a slightly heavy first pass, and asphalt that cools below about 185°F cannot be placed. Running short mid-pour means a cold joint, which is a permanent weak line in the pavement.
5" asphalt tonnage by area
Compacted hot mix at 145 lb/ft³, no waste allowance added.
| Area | Tons | Cubic yards | Material cost range |
|---|---|---|---|
| 500 sq ft | 15.1 | 7.72 | $1,510 – $3,021 |
| 1,000 sq ft | 30.21 | 15.43 | $3,021 – $6,042 |
| 2,000 sq ft | 60.42 | 30.86 | $6,042 – $12,083 |
| 5,000 sq ft | 151.04 | 77.16 | $15,104 – $30,208 |
| 10,000 sq ft | 302.08 | 154.32 | $30,208 – $60,417 |
Depth by application
| Application | Asphalt depth | Base depth |
|---|---|---|
| Residential driveway (surface course) | 2" | 4-6" aggregate base |
| Residential driveway (full depth) | 3" | 6-8" aggregate base |
| Overlay / resurfacing | 1.5-2" | Existing pavement |
| Parking lot — cars only | 3" | 6" aggregate base |
| Parking lot — light truck traffic | 4" | 8" aggregate base |
| Commercial drive lane / heavy truck | 5-6" | 10-12" aggregate base |
| Private road | 4-6" | 8-12" aggregate base |
| Walking path / bike trail | 1.5-2" | 4" aggregate base |
Frequently asked questions
+How many tons of asphalt do I need for 1,000 square feet at 5"?
About 30.21 tons of compacted hot mix, before any waste allowance. Add 5-10% and you are ordering roughly 32.48 tons.
+How much does 5" of asphalt weigh per square foot?
Roughly 60.417 lb per square foot compacted, using the standard 145 lb/ft³ density for hot mix asphalt.
+Is 5" thick enough for a driveway?
Yes for normal passenger vehicles, provided it sits on 10" of compacted aggregate base. If delivery trucks or an RV use the driveway regularly, step up to 3-4".
+Does loose depth equal compacted depth?
No. Asphalt compacts roughly 20-25% during rolling, so a 5" compacted mat is laid at about 6.25" loose. Tonnage is always calculated on the compacted depth.