1.

Calculate the surface area

Measure the area with a tape measure. Convert all measurements to
feet. Use the appropriate geometric formula to calculate the area. For
rectangles, multiply length by width. For odd shapes, divide the project
into smaller shapes, calculate the area of each small shape, and find
the total.
2. Find the volume
Divide the thickness in inches by 12 to convert it to a fraction of a foot.
Multiply the result by the surface area to determine volume in cubic
feet.
3. Determine the amount
Asphalt density varies based on the composition and size of aggregate.
The supplier you use provides this information for its product in pounds
per square foot. Multiply the volume by the density to determine the
pounds of asphalt the project requires. Divide the pounds by 2,000 to
determine the number of tons of asphalt to order. If the supplier sells
asphalt by the cubic yard, divide the volume by 27 to determine the
number of cubic yards to order.