Quick Answer: One cubic yard of compacted asphalt at standard density (145 lb/ft³) weighs 1.958 US short tons (3,915 lb) or 1.776 metric tonnes. At 150 lb/ft³, it weighs 2.025 short tons. For loose asphalt delivered from the plant, 1 cubic yard weighs roughly 1.485 short tons. Use our Square Feet to Tons Calculator or Asphalt Tonnage Calculator to convert area and depth to exact order weights.
Asphalt cubic yards to tons formula
A cubic yard contains 27 cubic feet. Multiply those cubic feet by density in pounds per cubic foot to find pounds. Divide by 2,000 for US short tons. This keeps the volume and mass units visible through every step.
For metric tonnes, multiply pounds by 0.45359237 and divide by 1,000. One cubic yard is 0.764554857984 m³. You can therefore also multiply cubic yards by 0.764554857984 and by density in kg/m³, then divide by 1,000.
Source: NIST volume, mass and density conversion factors. The examples below are calculated from the stated inputs; they are not supplier specifications.
Cubic yards to asphalt tons conversion table
| Cubic yards | US short tons | Metric tonnes |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1.958 | 1.776 |
| 2 | 3.915 | 3.552 |
| 3 | 5.872 | 5.327 |
| 5 | 9.787 | 8.879 |
| 10 | 19.575 | 17.758 |
| 15 | 29.363 | 26.637 |
| 20 | 39.150 | 35.516 |
| 25 | 48.938 | 44.395 |
Keep the column label with the number when requesting a quote. “Ten tons” is ambiguous across markets: ten metric tonnes weigh about 11.023 US short tons. The table rounds only its final results.
Density also changes the conversion. At 140 lb/ft³, one cubic yard is 1.89 short tons; at 150 lb/ft³, it is 2.025 short tons. At 125 lb/ft³, it is 1.6875 short tons. None of these inputs is a universal value for every mix or stockpile.
Worked example: a 600-square-foot area at 3 inches
Suppose a rectangular paved area is 30 ft by 20 ft and its specified compacted asphalt depth is 3 inches. Assume a compacted density of 145 lb/ft³. First find volume from the area and finished depth.
| Step | Calculation | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Area | 30 × 20 | 600 ft² |
| Depth in feet | 3 ÷ 12 | 0.25 ft |
| Volume | 600 × 0.25 | 150 ft³ |
| Cubic yards | 150 ÷ 27 | 5.5556 yd³ |
| US short tons | 150 × 145 ÷ 2,000 | 10.875 short tons |
An illustrative 5% allowance changes the planning mass to 11.419 short tons. Choose any allowance based on measured irregularities and the installer’s plan, rather than assuming every project needs the same percentage.
Use the square feet to tons calculator when starting from dimensions. If you already have a known mass and need coverage, reverse the formula: area in square feet equals short tons × 2,000 divided by density and depth in feet.
Does this work for loose asphalt and truck deliveries?
The formula works for any bulk material if the density matches the measured condition. A compacted pavement’s volume is not the same as loose volume in a truck. Do not use compacted density with a loose truck-body measurement and assume the result equals the delivered ticket weight.
For asphalt millings, ask for the supplier’s bulk density or weight-per-yard conversion. Then use the millings calculator and millings coverage guide. Recycled particles, voids and moisture can change a delivery’s volume-to-mass relationship.
To plan truckloads, divide the mass by the haulier’s confirmed usable legal payload and round up. A truck’s rated body volume does not establish its legal weight capacity. Delivery access and unloading restrictions also affect the usable load.
For reverse conversion at 145 lb/ft³, divide short tons by 1.9575. One short ton corresponds to about 0.511 cubic yards in that condition. Ten short tons correspond to about 5.109 cubic yards.
Before ordering, confirm material condition, density source, ton unit and the quote’s billing basis. Keep the supplier ticket with the estimate so differences can be traced to density, depth, area or allowance. The asphalt density conversion table helps reconcile metric and imperial inputs.
Questions and answers
How many tons are in 1 cubic yard of asphalt?
At an assumed 145 lb/ft³, one cubic yard weighs 1.9575 US short tons, approximately 1.96. It weighs about 1.776 metric tonnes. Use your material-specific bulk density for an order.
How many tons are in 10 cubic yards of asphalt?
Using 145 lb/ft³, 10 cubic yards weigh 19.575 US short tons, or approximately 17.758 metric tonnes. These values exclude any project-specific allowance.
How many cubic yards are in one ton of asphalt?
At 145 lb/ft³, one US short ton occupies approximately 0.511 cubic yards. Divide short tons by 1.9575 to calculate cubic yards at that density.
Is 2 tons per cubic yard accurate enough?
At 145 lb/ft³, the exact calculated value is 1.9575 short tons per cubic yard. Rounding it to 2 adds about 2.17%. A different actual density may produce a larger error, so confirm the input first.