Asphalt Weight Calculator — Pounds, Kilograms, Tons and Tonnes
Dense-graded hot mix asphalt weighs 145 lb per cubic foot, or 2,322.7 kg per cubic metre. Enter your dimensions to get the weight in all four common units at once, using the density of your actual mix rather than a fixed assumption.
Asphalt weight calculator
Enter your dimensions and this returns the weight in pounds, kilograms, US short tons and metric tonnes simultaneously, using the density of the specific mix you select.
Asphalt weight at a glance
Dense-graded hot mix asphalt weighs 145 lb per cubic foot.
That is 2,322.7 kg/m³, 3,915 lb per cubic yard, or 2.32 tonnes per cubic metre. One US short ton occupies 13.79 cubic feet or 0.511 cubic yards.
Weight per unit volume
| Volume | Dense-graded HMA | RAP millings (125 lb/ft³) | Crushed stone base (105 lb/ft³) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 cubic foot | 145 lb / 65.8 kg | 125 lb / 56.7 kg | 105 lb / 47.6 kg |
| 1 cubic yard | 3,915 lb / 1.96 tons | 3,375 lb / 1.69 tons | 2,835 lb / 1.42 tons |
| 1 cubic metre | 2,322.7 kg / 2.32 t | 2,002 kg / 2.00 t | 1,682 kg / 1.68 t |
| 10 cubic yards | 39,150 lb / 19.6 tons | 33,750 lb / 16.9 tons | 28,350 lb / 14.2 tons |
| 100 cubic metres | 232.3 tonnes | 200.2 tonnes | 168.2 tonnes |
Weight per unit area
Useful when you need to know what load a structure is carrying — a rooftop car park, a bridge deck or a suspended slab.
| Compacted thickness | lb per sq ft | kg per m² | tons per 1,000 sq ft | tonnes per 100 m² |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1" | 12.1 | 59.0 | 6.0 | 5.90 |
| 1.5" | 18.1 | 88.5 | 9.1 | 8.85 |
| 2" | 24.2 | 118.0 | 12.1 | 11.80 |
| 2.5" | 30.2 | 147.5 | 15.1 | 14.75 |
| 3" | 36.3 | 177.0 | 18.1 | 17.70 |
| 4" | 48.3 | 236.0 | 24.2 | 23.60 |
| 5" | 60.4 | 295.0 | 30.2 | 29.50 |
| 6" | 72.5 | 354.0 | 36.3 | 35.40 |
kg per m² = thickness (m) × 2,322.7
A 50 mm asphalt surfacing on a suspended deck adds about 116 kg/m² of dead load — a number a structural engineer will want before it goes on.
Weight by mix type
| Mix type | lb/ft³ | kg/m³ | t/m³ | Air voids | Typical use | Standard |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dense-graded HMA | 145 | 2,322.7 | 2.32 | 3–5% | Standard surface and binder courses for driveways, lots and roads | AASHTO M 323 / Superpave |
| Stone Matrix Asphalt (SMA) | 150 | 2,402.8 | 2.40 | 3–4% | High-traffic highways, rut-resistant surface course | AASHTO M 325 / EN 13108-5 |
| Warm Mix Asphalt (WMA) | 143 | 2,290.7 | 2.29 | 4–6% | Same uses as HMA, produced 30–100 °F cooler | AASHTO M 323 (WMA appendix) |
| Open-Graded Friction Course | 115 | 1,841.8 | 1.84 | 15–22% | Thin porous wearing course for spray and noise reduction | AASHTO M 323 / NAPA IS-115 |
| Porous / Permeable Asphalt | 100 | 1,601.8 | 1.60 | 18–25% | Full-depth permeable pavement, stormwater infiltration lots | NAPA IS-131 |
| Cold Mix Asphalt | 140 | 2,242.6 | 2.24 | 6–10% | Pothole patching, temporary repairs, low-traffic rural surfacing | ASTM D4215 |
| RAP Millings (recycled) | 125 | 2,002.3 | 2.00 | 8–14% | Driveways, base layers, rural roads, temporary access | AASHTO M 323 §RAP |
| Dense Bituminous Macadam (DBM) | 148 | 2,370.8 | 2.37 | 3–6% | Binder / base course in India and South Asia | MoRTH Clause 507 |
| Bituminous Concrete (BC) | 147 | 2,354.7 | 2.35 | 3–5% | Surface course in India (MoRTH), equivalent to dense HMA | MoRTH Clause 509 |
| Bituminous Macadam (BM) | 135 | 2,162.5 | 2.16 | 5–10% | Open-graded base / profile-correcting course, India | MoRTH Clause 504 |
| BBSG 0/10 (Béton Bitumineux Semi-Grenu) | 148 | 2,370.8 | 2.37 | 5–8% | Couche de roulement standard en France, 5–7 cm | NF EN 13108-1 / NF P 98-130 |
| BBME (Béton Bitumineux à Module Élevé) | 150 | 2,402.8 | 2.40 | 4–6% | Couche de roulement à fort trafic, liant modifié | NF EN 13108-1 / NF P 98-141 |
| Grave Bitume (GB3/GB4) | 149 | 2,386.8 | 2.39 | 4–7% | Couche d'assise / de base, France | NF EN 13108-1 / NF P 98-138 |
| EME 2 (Enrobé à Module Élevé) | 152 | 2,434.8 | 2.43 | 2–5% | Couche de base à très fort trafic, épaisseur réduite | NF EN 13108-1 / NF P 98-140 |
| Hot Rolled Asphalt (HRA) | 143 | 2,290.7 | 2.29 | 3–6% | Traditional UK surface course with pre-coated chippings | BS EN 13108-4 / BS 594987 |
| Bitumen binder (PG 64-22 / 60-70 pen) | 65 | 1,041.2 | 1.04 | — | Liquid binder only — tack coat, prime coat, seal coat | AASHTO M 320 / EN 12591 |
Weight unit conversions
| From | To | Multiply by |
|---|---|---|
| Pounds | Kilograms | 0.45359 |
| Kilograms | Pounds | 2.20462 |
| US short tons | Metric tonnes | 0.90718 |
| Metric tonnes | US short tons | 1.10231 |
| US short tons | Pounds | 2,000 |
| Metric tonnes | Kilograms | 1,000 |
| Long tons (UK) | US short tons | 1.12 |
| lb/ft³ | kg/m³ | 16.0185 |
| lb/yd³ | kg/m³ | 0.59328 |
Why asphalt is sold by weight, not volume
Three practical reasons. First, weight is unambiguous — a plant scale gives a number that does not depend on how loosely the material is piled. Second, the binder content that governs the cost of the mix is specified as a percentage by weight. Third, haulage is regulated by axle weight, so the trucking side of the transaction is denominated in tons anyway.
Volume only enters the picture in two places: when a supplier sells millings or cold mix by the cubic yard from a stockpile, and as the intermediate step in converting your site dimensions into a tonnage. This calculator shows both so you can compare a per-cubic-yard quote against a per-ton quote directly.
Truck payload and axle limits
| Vehicle | Payload | Gross vehicle weight | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Six-wheel dump | 10–12 tons | ~33,000 lb | Tight access, low clearance |
| Tri-axle dump | 18–22 tons | ~73,000 lb | The default delivery vehicle |
| Quad-axle dump | 22–26 tons | ~80,000 lb | Where access and bridge limits allow |
| Tractor + live bottom | 22–25 tons | 80,000 lb | Continuous discharge to a paver |
| Material transfer vehicle | 25+ tons | — | Remixes on site to prevent segregation |
The 80,000 lb federal gross limit in the US is the practical constraint on payload, and state and local bridge postings can be lower. On a site with a weight-restricted access road or a private bridge, the delivery vehicle may be dictated by the route rather than by the tonnage.
Frequently asked questions
How much does asphalt weigh?
Dense-graded hot mix weighs 145 lb per cubic foot, which is 2,322.7 kg/m³, 3,915 lb per cubic yard or 2.32 tonnes per cubic metre. One US short ton occupies about 13.79 cubic feet.
How much does a cubic yard of asphalt weigh?
3,915 lb (1.96 US tons / 1.78 tonnes) for dense-graded hot mix. For RAP millings at 125 lb/ft³ it is 3,375 lb, or 1.69 tons.
What is asphalt weight per cubic foot?
145 lb/ft³ for dense-graded hot mix. Across all common mixes the range is 100 lb/ft³ for porous asphalt to 152 lb/ft³ for French EME 2 high-modulus base.
How much does 1 ton of asphalt weigh in kg?
A US short ton is 907.2 kg. A metric tonne is 1,000 kg, about 10% heavier. Getting these two confused is a 10% costing error.
How much does a square foot of asphalt weigh?
At 2 inches of compacted dense-graded mix, about 24.2 lb per square foot. At 3 inches, 36.3 lb. At 4 inches, 48.3 lb. Multiply thickness in inches by 12.08 to get pounds per square foot.
Does asphalt weight change with temperature?
Marginally. Hot mix at 300 °F is a few percent less dense than the same material cooled to ambient because the binder expands. What actually changes the weight you order is compaction state, not temperature.
Why do I need asphalt weight rather than volume?
Because asphalt is sold by weight almost everywhere. Plants meter by the ton or tonne, trucks are weighed on a scale, and invoices are per ton. Volume is only useful as an intermediate step, or when buying millings by the cubic yard.
How much weight can my driveway carry?
That is a structural question about the whole pavement section, not about the asphalt's own weight. A typical 3 inch residential driveway on 6 inches of base handles passenger cars and occasional light trucks. Loaded delivery lorries need 4 inches or more over a deeper base.
Sources and further reading
Related calculators and guides
Tonnage calculator
Weight expressed as an order quantity.
Density guide
Why 145 lb/ft³, and when it is wrong.
How to calculate
The full formula.