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Home › Weight per cubic yard
Asphalt Weight Per Cubic Yard
A cubic yard of dense-graded hot mix weighs about 3,915 pounds, or 1.96 short tons. This page gives the unit weight for every common mix, and converts any volume into weight.
Short tons
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Metric
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A short ton is 2,000 lb. A metric tonne is 2,204.6 lb, so a tonne is about 10% heavier than a short ton — the metric figure above is in kilograms to avoid the confusion.
Unit weight by mix type
Density is the only variable that matters here, and it ranges from about 100 lb/ft³ for loose millings to 152 for stone mastic. Everything else is multiplication.
| Material | lb/ft³ | lb/yd³ | Tons/yd³ | kg/m³ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hot mix (HMA) | 145 | 3,915 | 1.96 | 2,323 |
| Warm mix (WMA) | 142 | 3,834 | 1.92 | 2,275 |
| Stone mastic (SMA) | 152 | 4,104 | 2.05 | 2,435 |
| Recycled millings, compacted | 130 | 3,510 | 1.76 | 2,082 |
| Cold patch | 120 | 3,240 | 1.62 | 1,922 |
| Recycled millings, loose | 100 | 2,700 | 1.35 | 1,602 |
For comparison, water weighs 62.4 lb/ft³ and a cubic yard of water is 1,685 lb. Asphalt is about 2.3 times heavier than the same volume of water, which is why a cubic yard of it will not fit in a wheelbarrow in any practical sense.
How many tons in a cubic yard of asphalt?
Divide the pounds per cubic yard by 2,000. Hot mix at 145 lb/ft³ gives 3,915 ÷ 2,000 = 1.96 tons per cubic yard. Stone mastic comes out at 2.05, cold patch at 1.62.
Most people round this to two tons per yard, which is accurate to within 2% for hot mix and is the right number to use for a quick estimate. For an order, use the real figure: two cubic yards of hot mix is 3.92 tons, not 4.
| Volume | Cubic feet | Pounds | Short tons |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 cubic foot | 1 | 145 | 0.073 |
| 1 cubic yard | 27 | 3,915 | 1.96 |
| 5 cubic yards | 135 | 19,575 | 9.79 |
| 10 cubic yards | 270 | 39,150 | 19.58 |
| 20 cubic yards | 540 | 78,300 | 39.15 |
| 1 cubic metre | 35.31 | 5,121 | 2.56 |
Why density varies between mixes
Asphalt is aggregate, binder and air. Aggregate is roughly 2.6 to 2.9 times as dense as water; binder is close to 1.0. Neither changes much. What changes is how much air is trapped between the stones after rolling, and that is set by the mix design.
- Air voids. A surface mix is designed for about 4% air voids after compaction. A drainage mix or an open-graded friction course runs far higher, which is why it weighs much less per yard.
- Aggregate gradation. A gap-graded or coarse mix with large stone and stone-to-stone contact packs denser than a fine, sand-heavy mix.
- Binder content. More binder and less stone lowers the density slightly, because binder is lighter than aggregate.
- Compaction effort. The same mix rolled to 92% of its theoretical maximum density weighs less per cubic yard than one rolled to 96%. This is the variable that changes on site, and it is the one you can influence.
Loose versus compacted: the 20% problem
Every figure on this page is for compacted material. Asphalt arrives loose, at roughly 80% of its final density, and gains the rest under the roller. That means:
- If you measure a loose pile, divide its volume by about 0.8 before applying the table above, or you will over-order by 25%.
- If you order by weight and place to a loose depth, the finished thickness will be about 80% of what you expected. Two inches loose becomes 1.6 inches compacted.
- For millings the gap is wider, because they are not hot and do not bind as tightly: about 100 lb/ft³ loose against 130 compacted.
This is the most common source of short material on small jobs, and it is entirely avoidable by ordering weight for finished depth.
How to get the real density for your mix
Published unit weights are averages. If you need accuracy, there are three ways to get the actual number, in order of cost:
- The mix design sheet. The plant that supplies you has a design with a theoretical maximum density. Ask for it. This is free and it is the right number.
- A core sample. A 4 inch core taken from the finished surface, weighed in air and in water, gives the in-place density directly. Standard practice on any job with a compaction specification.
- A nuclear or non-nuclear gauge. Measures in-place density without cutting, in under a minute, but it needs calibration against a core to be meaningful.
For a driveway, the published average is fine. For a job with a pay quantity measured by weight, get the design sheet.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a cubic yard of asphalt weigh?
About 3,915 lb, or 1.96 short tons, for compacted dense-graded hot mix at 145 lb/ft³. Stone mastic is heavier at 4,104 lb, and cold patch is lighter at 3,240 lb.
How much does a cubic foot of asphalt weigh?
145 lb for compacted hot mix, 152 lb for SMA and 120 lb for cold patch. Multiply by 27 for the weight of a cubic yard.
How many tons is a cubic yard of asphalt?
1.96 tons for hot mix, 2.05 for stone mastic, 1.62 for cold patch and 1.76 for compacted recycled millings.
Is asphalt heavier than concrete?
Slightly lighter. Asphalt runs about 145 lb/ft³ and normal-weight concrete about 150 lb/ft³, so a cubic yard of concrete is roughly 4,050 lb against 3,915 lb for asphalt.
What is the density of asphalt in kg/m3?
2,323 kg/m³ for compacted hot mix, 2,435 for SMA, 2,082 for compacted millings and 1,922 for cold patch. Multiply lb/ft³ by 16.02 to convert.
Does loose asphalt weigh less than compacted?
Yes, about 20% less. Loose hot mix is roughly 116 lb/ft³ and gains weight per unit volume as the roller closes the air voids. Recycled millings go from about 100 loose to 130 compacted.
How much does a cubic yard of millings weigh?
About 3,510 lb, or 1.76 tons, when compacted. Loose millings in a pile run closer to 2,700 lb per cubic yard, so the same pile shrinks noticeably once it is rolled.
Why does my supplier quote a different density?
Because density is specific to the mix design and to the compaction achieved, not to the material category. A plant running a coarse, stone-rich mix will legitimately quote 150 or more where another quotes 143 for a fine surface mix.