Asphalt Calculator: Asphalt Driveway Cost Calculator

Looking to make your paving projects run more smoothly? For precise material requirements estimation, our Asphalt Calculator is the ideal tool.

This tool takes the guesswork out of ordering the correct quantity of asphalt for a driveway, parking lot, or sidewalk. Embrace the freedom to stop overspending or underestimating our user-friendly Asphalt Calculator has you covered.

With the help of our user-friendly application, streamline your planning procedure and increase project efficiency right now!

How to Calculate Asphalt?

Calculating how much asphalt you need for a paving project involves a few steps. First, measure the area you want to cover by multiplying the length and width to get the total square feet.

Then, decide how thick you want the asphalt layer to be, usually in inches. Convert this thickness to feet (since there are 12 inches in a foot), and multiply it by the area to find the volume in cubic feet. Asphalt is usually sold by weight, so you need to convert the volume to weight.

The density of asphalt is about 145 pounds per cubic foot. Multiply the volume by this number to get the total weight you need. This way, you can accurately estimate how much asphalt to buy and use for your project.

How Much Asphalt Do I Need?

• Measure the Area: Find out the length and width of the space you want to cover with asphalt (use feet or meters).

• Calculate the Surface Area: Multiply the length by the width to get the total area (in square feet or square meters).

• Choose Asphalt Thickness: Decide how thick you want the asphalt layer to be (use inches or centimeters).

• Match Thickness Units: Make sure the thickness is in the same units as your area (e.g., if the area is in feet, convert inches to feet).

• Find the Volume: Multiply the area by the thickness to get the total volume of asphalt needed (in cubic feet or cubic meters).

• Convert Volume (Optional): If needed, change the volume into tons or metric tons for buying the asphalt.

Also Read About Fencing Calculator: Calculate Your Fence Length

Example of Calculating Asphalt:

Let’s say you’re working on resurfacing a parking lot that measures 100 feet by 50 feet, and you need to apply a new layer of asphalt that is 2 inches thick.

• Determine Surface Area:

Area = Length × Width

Area = 100 ft × 50 ft = 5000 square feet

• Select Asphalt Thickness:

Thickness = 2 inches

• Convert Thickness Units:

Since the surface area is in square feet, convert inches to feet: 2 inches = 2/12 feet = 0.1667 feet

• Calculate Volume:

Volume = Area × Thickness

Volume = 5000 sq. ft × 0.1667 ft = 833.5 cubic feet

• Convert Volume Units (Optional):

Assuming 1 cubic yard of asphalt is approximately 1.25 tons, you can convert cubic feet to tons:

Tons = Volume (cubic feet) / 27 (cubic feet per cubic yard) × 1.25 (tons per cubic yard)

Tons = 833.5 / 27 × 1.25 ≈ 38.75 tons

Types of Asphalt

Bitumen, another name for asphalt, is a black, viscous, thick substance derived from petroleum. Mostly, it’s utilized for building roofs and roadways. There are numerous varieties of asphalt, and each has special attributes and uses. Let’s examine the primary types in more detail:

Porous Asphalt

Water can permeate porous asphalt, allowing more water to seep into the ground and reducing the amount of water that runs off surfaces. Compared to ordinary asphalt, it has more vacant spots.

Applications of Porous Asphalt:

• Driveways
• Parking lots
• Sidewalks
• Recreational areas

Hot Mix Asphalt (HMA)

Warm Blend To manufacture asphalt, rocks must first be dried to remove water and then asphalt must be heated until it becomes more liquid. This kind of asphalt is frequently used to build parking lots, driveways, and roadways.

Types of Hot Mix Asphalt (HMA):

• Stone Matrix Asphalt (SMA): High-strength mix, designed to resist rutting.
• Dense-Graded Mixes: Most common, used for all types of pavement structures.
• Gap-Graded Mixes: Contains a small range of aggregate sizes to create more voids.

Applications Hot Mix Asphalt (HMA):

• High-traffic roadways
• Airports
• Highways
• Driveways and parking lots

Cold Mix Asphalt:

Cold mix asphalt is made without heating. It can be stored for a long time and uses a special type of asphalt mixed with water. This asphalt is mixed at normal room temperature and is used to repair small sections of damaged roads.

Applications of Cold Mix Asphalt:

• Pothole repairs in adverse weather conditions
• Low-traffic roads and temporary surfaces
• Road patching and pothole repairs

Cutback Asphalt:

To make asphalt easier to work with at lower temperatures, it’s mixed with a liquid that helps thin it out. This liquid goes away after the asphalt is put down, leaving just the asphalt behind.

Types of Cutback Asphalt:

• Rapid-Curing (RC): Uses a highly volatile solvent (e.g., gasoline).
• Medium-Curing (MC): Uses a less volatile solvent (e.g., kerosene).
• Slow-Curing (SC): Uses a low-volatility solvent (e.g., diesel oil).

Applications of Cutback Asphalt:

• Patchwork and surface treatments
• Maintenance of existing pavements
• Priming coat for new pavement

Mastic Asphalt:

One kind of asphalt that is cooked and mixed in a specialized cooker is called mastic asphalt. It is distributed using a machine or with hands after being poured out while still hot. It creates a watertight, seamless surface.

Applications of Mastic Asphalt:

• Bridge decks
• Roofing
• Waterproofing
• Industrial flooring

Polymer-Modified Asphalt (PMA):

Similar to ordinary asphalt, polymer-modified asphalt has additional polymers and special materials added to it. These extra pieces enable the asphalt to expand farther and resist compression as vehicles pass over it.

It is less common for this kind of asphalt to develop cracks or bumps. In extremely hot or cold temperatures, it performs excellently as well.

Applications of Polymer-Modified Asphalt (PMA):

• Heavy-traffic roads
• High-stress pavements
• Airports

Warm Mix Asphalt (WMA):

Warm Mix Asphalt is created by mixing regular asphalt with special additives like waxes, zeolites, or liquid asphalt. This allows it to be mixed and laid down at temperatures that are 30-40°C cooler than the usual hot asphalt. This helps save energy and reduces air pollution.

It also makes the asphalt stick together better in cold weather. Moreover, it lets construction workers continue paving roads for a longer time, even when it starts to get cold outside.

Applications of Warm Mix Asphalt (WMA):

• Similar to HMA, including urban streets and highways
• Ideal for areas with stringent air quality regulations

Recycled Asphalt Pavement (RAP):

Recycled asphalt pavement is when they reuse old asphalt from roads. They mix this old asphalt with new asphalt and gravel.

This saves money and is good for the environment.

Applications of Recycled Asphalt Pavement (RAP):

• Maintenance and repair work
• Base and sub-base layers
• New pavement construction

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Use of Asphalt Calculator in Different Industries:

• Making Places Pretty: Planning where to put asphalt paths, bike trails, and fun spots.
• Big Engineering Jobs: Working out how much asphalt is needed for building bridges, airport runways, and big yards.
• Fixing Roads: Deciding how many asphalt materials are needed to patch up holes, seal cracks, and put new layers on roads.
• Building Stuff: Figuring out how much asphalt to use for making roads, driveways, and parking lots.

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