Asphalt density chart
Every asphalt tonnage calculation is volume × density. This chart supplies the density — for hot mix, warm mix, cold patch, millings and the aggregate base underneath.
Contents
The density chart
| Material | kg/m³ | lb/ft³ | t/m³ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hot mix asphalt (compacted)145 lb/ft³ — the estimating standard | 2,322 | 145 | 2.32 |
| Hot mix asphalt (loose, in truck)Fluffs ~20–25% before rolling | 1,870 | 116.7 | 1.87 |
| Warm mix asphalt (compacted)Same aggregates, lower placing temp | 2,300 | 143.6 | 2.3 |
| Cold mix / cold patch (compacted)Higher voids than hot mix | 2,200 | 137.3 | 2.2 |
| Asphalt millings (loose)RAP; compacts to ~1,950 | 1,650 | 103 | 1.65 |
| Asphalt millings (compacted)Good base or rural surfacing | 1,950 | 121.7 | 1.95 |
| Asphalt binder (bitumen only)PG binder, ~5–6% of mix by weight | 1,030 | 64.3 | 1.03 |
| Dense-graded aggregate baseUnder the asphalt lifts | 2,240 | 139.8 | 2.24 |
For context, normal-weight concrete sits at 2,400 kg/m³ — about 3% denser than compacted hot mix. If you work both materials, the concrete density chart is the companion reference.
Densities compared
The spread matters commercially: a tandem truck legally hauling 14 tons carries the same weight whether it is hot mix or millings — but the millings occupy about 40% more bed volume and spread further on the ground. Density is why identical tonnages produce different-looking stockpiles.
From volume to weight
Weight = Volume × Density
- Volume
- compacted in-place volume (ft³ or m³)
- Density
- from the chart above (lb/ft³ or kg/m³)
Imperial: ft³ × 145 ÷ 2,000 = US tons. Metric: m³ × 2.322 = tonnes. Divide by 27 nowhere — asphalt is sold by weight, not cubic yards.
One worked line: a 20 ft × 30 ft pad at 3 in compacted is 600 × 0.25 = 150 ft³, times 145 lb/ft³ = 21,750 lb = 10.9 tons. Every asphalt takeoff reduces to that single multiplication once the volume is known.
Loose vs compacted — the 25% trap
Frequently asked questions
- What is the density of compacted asphalt?
- 145 lb/ft³, equal to 2,322 kg/m³ or 1.96 US tons per cubic yard. Real mixes measured under ASTM D2726 land between 142 and 148 lb/ft³ depending on aggregate specific gravity and in-place air voids, but 145 is the estimating standard the industry quotes and plants assume.
- What is the density of loose asphalt?
- About 117 lb/ft³ in the truck bed — roughly 25% fluffier than the same material after rolling. A cubic yard of loose mix therefore weighs about 1.58 tons versus 1.96 compacted. Use loose density only for truck volume checks, never for tonnage takeoffs.
- How much does a cubic yard of asphalt weigh?
- Compacted in place: 145 × 27 = 3,915 lb, call it 1.96 tons — just under 2 tons per yard, which is the shorthand most estimators carry. Loose in a truck the same yard of volume holds only about 3,160 lb, which is why truck beds are measured in tons hauled, not yards.
- How heavy are asphalt millings?
- Loose millings run about 1,650 kg/m³ (103 lb/ft³) and compact to roughly 1,950 kg/m³ (122 lb/ft³). A tandem load of millings therefore spreads noticeably further than the same tonnage of new hot mix. Compacted millings make a serviceable base or rural wearing surface at a fraction of hot mix cost.
- Why do plants sell by weight instead of volume?
- Because weight is invariant and volume is not. The same ton occupies about 17 ft³ loose in the truck and 13.8 ft³ after compaction. Scales at the plant read weight to the pound; nobody can measure a fluffed truck bed to 5%. Every ticket, price and takeoff therefore runs in tons or tonnes.
Related guides and tools
Sources & references
- [1]ASTM D2726: Bulk Specific Gravity of Compacted Asphalt Mixtures — ASTM International, 2021
- [2]MS-2: Asphalt Mix Design Methods, 7th ed. — Asphalt Institute, 2014