Asphalt Coverage Calculator — Square Feet per Ton
One ton of dense-graded hot mix covers roughly 81 square feet at 2 inches of compacted thickness. This page gives the full coverage table for every thickness from ¾ to 8 inches, adjusts for mix density, and shows how to use coverage to check a contractor's quoted tonnage.
Asphalt coverage calculator
Enter your area and thickness and the calculator reports the coverage rate — square feet per ton or square metres per tonne — alongside the tonnage. To work the other way, from a known tonnage to the area it will cover, use the reference tables below.
How many square feet does a ton of asphalt cover?
One ton of dense-graded hot mix covers about 81 square feet at 2 inches compacted. The relationship is inverse: double the thickness and the coverage halves.
| Compacted thickness | Sq ft per ton | Sq yd per ton | Tons per 1,000 sq ft | Tons per 100 sq ft |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0.75" | 220.7 | 24.5 | 4.5 | 0.45 |
| 1" | 165.5 | 18.4 | 6.0 | 0.60 |
| 1.5" | 110.3 | 12.3 | 9.1 | 0.91 |
| 2" | 82.8 | 9.2 | 12.1 | 1.21 |
| 2.5" | 66.2 | 7.4 | 15.1 | 1.51 |
| 3" | 55.2 | 6.1 | 18.1 | 1.81 |
| 3.5" | 47.3 | 5.3 | 21.1 | 2.11 |
| 4" | 41.4 | 4.6 | 24.2 | 2.42 |
| 5" | 33.1 | 3.7 | 30.2 | 3.02 |
| 6" | 27.6 | 3.1 | 36.3 | 3.63 |
| 8" | 20.7 | 2.3 | 48.3 | 4.83 |
Coverage by mix type
Coverage is inversely proportional to density, so a light mix goes considerably further per ton.
| Mix | Density | Sq ft per ton at 2" | Sq ft per ton at 3" | vs dense HMA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Porous asphalt | 100 lb/ft³ | 120.0 | 80.0 | +45% |
| Open-graded friction course | 115 lb/ft³ | 104.3 | 69.6 | +26% |
| RAP millings | 125 lb/ft³ | 96.0 | 64.0 | +16% |
| Cold mix | 140 lb/ft³ | 85.7 | 57.1 | +4% |
| Dense-graded HMA | 145 lb/ft³ | 82.8 | 55.2 | baseline |
| DBM | 148 lb/ft³ | 81.1 | 54.1 | −2% |
| SMA | 150 lb/ft³ | 80.0 | 53.3 | −3% |
| EME 2 | 152 lb/ft³ | 78.9 | 52.6 | −5% |
Metric coverage
| Compacted thickness | Coverage per tonne | Tonnes per 100 m² |
|---|---|---|
| 2.5 cm | 17.2 m² | 5.8 t |
| 4.0 cm | 10.8 m² | 9.3 t |
| 5.0 cm | 8.6 m² | 11.6 t |
| 6.0 cm | 7.2 m² | 13.9 t |
| 8.0 cm | 5.4 m² | 18.5 t |
| 10.0 cm | 4.3 m² | 23.3 t |
| 12.0 cm | 3.6 m² | 27.8 t |
| 15.0 cm | 2.9 m² | 34.5 t |
| Thickness | m² per tonne (dense HMA) | Tonnes per 100 m² |
|---|---|---|
| 20 mm | 21.5 | 4.65 |
| 30 mm | 14.4 | 6.97 |
| 40 mm | 10.8 | 9.29 |
| 50 mm | 8.6 | 11.61 |
| 60 mm | 7.2 | 13.94 |
| 80 mm | 5.4 | 18.58 |
| 100 mm | 4.3 | 23.23 |
| 150 mm | 2.9 | 34.84 |
Using coverage to check a quote
Coverage is the quickest sanity check on a supplier or contractor quote. If a contractor proposes 15 tons for a 1,200 sq ft driveway at 3 inches, run it: 1,200 ÷ 55.2 = 21.7 tons before any buffer. They are 30% short, which usually means they are quoting 2 inches and calling it 3, or they have made an arithmetic error. Either way it is worth a phone call before the crew arrives.
| Scenario | Check | What a mismatch means |
|---|---|---|
| Quote tonnage vs your area | area ÷ coverage rate | Thickness or density assumption differs |
| Delivered tonnage vs placed area | measure the finished area | Thin placement or short delivery |
| Two quotes with different tonnage | back-calculate each one's implied thickness | They are not quoting the same job |
| Millings quote against hot mix quote | apply the 125 vs 145 density | Coverage differs by 16% |
Frequently asked questions
How many square feet does a ton of asphalt cover?
About 81 sq ft at 2 inches of compacted dense-graded hot mix, 54 sq ft at 3 inches, 40 sq ft at 4 inches and 27 sq ft at 6 inches.
How many square feet will a ton of asphalt cover at 2 inches?
Approximately 81 square feet, or 9 square yards. Halve the thickness to 1 inch and it covers about 162 sq ft.
How much area does 1 tonne of asphalt cover?
8.6 m² at 50 mm compacted, 10.8 m² at 40 mm and 5.4 m² at 80 mm, for dense-graded mix at 2,322.7 kg/m³.
How much asphalt is in a ton?
By volume, 13.79 cubic feet or 0.511 cubic yards of dense-graded hot mix. Spread at 2 inches that covers about 81 square feet.
Does coverage change with mix type?
Substantially. A ton of porous asphalt at 100 lb/ft³ covers about 45% more area than a ton of dense-graded mix at the same thickness, because it is lighter per unit volume.
How do I work out coverage from a supplier's quote?
Take the tonnage quoted, enter it in the calculator with your intended thickness, and it returns the area that tonnage will cover. That tells you immediately whether a quote is short of your site area.
Sources and further reading
Related calculators and guides
Tonnage calculator
Tonnage from dimensions.
Square yards to tons
For DOT bid schedules.
Weight calculator
Weight in four units.
Density guide
Why coverage varies by mix.
Thickness guide
Choosing the thickness to cover at.