Question 1

How thick should my asphalt be?

Accepted Answer

Residential driveways: 2–3″ of compacted hot-mix over a properly prepared 6–8″ granular base. Commercial parking and any surface that'll see truck traffic: 4″+ asphalt over 8–12″ base, sometimes with a binder course.

Question 2

Why does the calculator ask for density?

Accepted Answer

Asphalt is sold by the ton, but you measure your job in volume. Density (mass per unit volume) is the conversion factor. 145 lb/ft³ is the safe default for standard hot-mix; specialty mixes vary.

Question 3

Should I set a compaction factor?

Accepted Answer

Default flow: enter the finished, compacted thickness (the depth you actually want after rolling) and leave the compaction factor at 0%. The 145 lb/ft³ density figure already represents compacted hot-mix, so the tonnage math comes out right. Escape hatch: if your supplier quotes loose tonnage instead of compacted, set the compaction factor to about 25%. Loose asphalt compacts roughly 20–25% during rolling, so a 25% bump on the volume side closes the gap.

Asphalt Calculator

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