How to Pave A Driveway
Learn how to pave a driveway step by step, with the tools, materials, and a free calculator to estimate exactly what you need. To calculate asphalt, multiply length × width × thickness for the volume in cubic feet, multiply by the density (~145 lb/ft³), then divide by 2,000 to get tons. This gives your asphalt requirements in tons for a paving job. A 50×12 ft driveway at 3 inches needs about 10.9 tons, costing roughly $1,800–$4,200 installed.
Get exact numbers
Use the free Asphalt Calculator to estimate your project.
Step-by-step
- 1
Measure the area
Record the paving length and width in feet.
- 2
Set the thickness
Convert inches to feet (3 in = 0.25 ft). Use 2–3 in for driveways.
- 3
Find the weight
Multiply the volume by the asphalt density, about 145 lb/ft³.
- 4
Convert to tons
Divide the weight in pounds by 2,000.
Pro tips
- Avoid: paving too thin — Less than 2 inches of compacted asphalt cracks and ruts under vehicle weight. Use 2–3 inches over a solid base.
- Avoid: skipping the base — Asphalt is only as good as the gravel base beneath it. A weak base means early failure no matter how much asphalt you lay.
- Avoid: forgetting compaction — Loose asphalt covers more area than compacted — estimate for the compacted thickness, not the loose lift.
- Avoid: ignoring labor in the budget — Material is only part of the cost. Installation, base prep, and equipment often exceed the asphalt itself.