Asphalt Driveway Cost per Linear Foot: Tons per Foot Math
Asphalt driveway cost per linear foot is the easiest way to think about a long, narrow driveway: every foot you pave has the same width and the same thickness, so it uses the same amount of hot mix. Work out the tons in one foot, multiply by your supplier's or contractor's price per ton, and you have a per-foot material figure you can stretch over 200 feet or a quarter mile.
Driveway asphalt calculator →Tons of asphalt in one linear foot
One foot of driveway is a slab that is 1 foot long, as wide as the driveway, and as thick as the compacted asphalt. Multiply width (ft) × thickness (inches ÷ 12) to get cubic feet per foot of length, then multiply by the mix density and divide by 2,000 for tons. Our calculators use about 145 pounds per cubic foot for compacted hot mix, a common planning figure; your plant's mix may run a little lighter or heavier.
| Width | 2 in thick | 3 in thick | 4 in thick |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 ft | ~0.12 t/ft (12.1 t per 100 ft) | ~0.18 t/ft (18.1 t per 100 ft) | ~0.24 t/ft (24.2 t per 100 ft) |
| 12 ft | ~0.15 t/ft (14.5 t per 100 ft) | ~0.22 t/ft (21.8 t per 100 ft) | ~0.29 t/ft (29.0 t per 100 ft) |
| 16 ft | ~0.19 t/ft (19.3 t per 100 ft) | ~0.29 t/ft (29.0 t per 100 ft) | ~0.39 t/ft (38.7 t per 100 ft) |
| 20 ft | ~0.24 t/ft (24.2 t per 100 ft) | ~0.36 t/ft (36.2 t per 100 ft) | ~0.48 t/ft (48.3 t per 100 ft) |
These are compacted tons with no waste. Most buyers add a few percent for edges, low spots and handwork; see ordering extra asphalt for waste for how much cushion makes sense.
Turning tons per foot into dollars per foot
Material cost per foot is simply tons per foot × price per ton. If a plant quoted you, say, $100 per ton just as an example number, a 12-foot driveway with 3 inches of asphalt would run about 0.22 × $100 ≈ $22 per linear foot in mix alone. Swap in your own quote; asphalt prices move with oil, region, season and the mix you order, which is why asphalt cost per ton gives ranges rather than a single number.
A paving contractor's per-foot price will be higher than the mix cost, because it also covers:
- Base work. Grading, new crushed stone, and compaction under the asphalt. A long rural drive often needs more base than a short suburban one.
- Equipment and crew. A paver, rollers, trucks and the people running them. Long runs can be efficient once the paver is moving.
- Trucking. Distance from the plant matters. Hot mix has to arrive hot, so far-off jobs may cost more per ton delivered; asphalt hauling cost per ton explains why.
- Extras. Culverts, a wider apron at the road, turnarounds, edge work and permits are priced separately or folded into the total.
Why a per-foot price helps on long driveways
Square-foot pricing is common for short driveways, but long ones are easier to compare by the foot. If two bids quote different totals for a 600-foot drive, divide each by 600 and compare that number with your own tons-per-foot math. A bid that is far below the material cost alone deserves questions about thickness; see how to probe asphalt thickness and reading an asphalt driveway quote.
A worked example
A 400-foot driveway, 12 feet wide, with 3 inches of compacted asphalt: 400 × 0.2175 ≈ 87 tons before waste. Add 5 percent and you are near 91 tons, which is several truckloads (see tons of asphalt in a dump truck). Multiply 91 tons by your quoted price per ton for the material budget, then add base, labor and trucking from your bids. For very long private lanes, the quarter-mile driveway guide runs the same idea at 1,320 feet.
Things that change the per-foot number
- Width changes. Passing spots, flares and parking areas are wider than the main lane. Price those as separate pieces.
- Two lifts. A binder course plus a surface course may be priced at different per-ton rates; see surface course tons versus binder course tons.
- Curves. Measure along the centerline of a curved driveway; measuring a curved driveway shows how.
Questions people ask
How many tons of asphalt per linear foot of driveway?
At about 145 pounds per cubic foot, a 10-foot-wide driveway uses roughly 0.12 tons per foot at 2 inches thick and 0.18 tons per foot at 3 inches. A 12-foot driveway uses about 0.15 and 0.22 tons per foot.
How do I figure asphalt cost per linear foot?
Multiply the tons per foot for your width and thickness by your local price per ton for material. Add base work, labor, trucking and extras from contractor bids for the full installed price.
Why do contractor prices per foot vary so much?
Bids differ in thickness, base preparation, distance from the plant, crew size and extras. Compare the thickness and base on each bid before comparing the price.
Is it cheaper per foot to pave a longer driveway?
Often a little, because setup and mobilization are spread over more feet. Material per foot stays the same for the same width and thickness.
Related guides
- Cost to pave a quarter-mile driveway
- Asphalt driveway width
- Asphalt driveway thickness
- Tons of asphalt per mile
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