Paving Project Guides
Project-type planning guides that answer the structural questions — how thick, what base, overlay or replace — before you reach for a calculator. Every guide cites government and association sources for its specs, and every tonnage figure is computed by the same engine that powers the asphalt calculator. No hand-typed numbers, no invented prices.
Asphalt Driveway Planning: Thickness, Base and Tonnage
Driveway thickness specs from DOT and association sources: two-lift asphalt, 6–8 in base, 2% slope, overlay-vs-replace rules and engine-computed tonnage.
Read guide →Parking Lot Asphalt Planning: Thickness, Layout and Tonnage
Lot thickness by traffic class, ADA stall dimensions (§502), base specs and engine-computed tonnage — sourced to federal and association references.
Read guide →Private Road Paving: Lane-Mile Tonnage, Structure and Drainage
Lane-mile tonnage tables, APAO structural specs by subgrade, drainage slope and load rules for low-volume private roads — every ton computed by our engine.
Read guide →Commercial Paving Projects: Zoning, Quantities and Bid Checklists
Zone a commercial site by load, build the tonnage model bids should match, check ADA layout duties and verify contractor quotes line by line — engine-computed.
Read guide →Asphalt Overlay Guide: When It Works, How Thick, and What It Costs in Tons
When an overlay works and when it does not: decision thresholds, 1½–2 in thickness, tack coat rates, mill-depth to RAP tonnage and level-up course math.
Read guide →Which Guide Answers Which Project?
| Your project | Start here |
|---|---|
| Residential driveway: thickness, base, overlay or replace | Driveway guide |
| Retail or office lot: traffic classes, stalls, ADA layout | Parking lot guide |
| Rural access lane: lane-mile tonnage, structure, drainage | Private road guide |
| Whole commercial site: zoning, quantities, bid checking | Commercial paving guide |
| Renewing worn pavement: overlay, mill-and-fill, RAP tonnage | Overlay guide |
Guides and Calculators Work Together
Each guide ends with the tools that compute its numbers: thedriveway calculatorfor residential jobs, theparking lot calculatorfor lots and commercial sites, and theroad calculator for lane-mile quantities. The full tool series lives underasphalt calculators.
All guides are planning guidance, not engineering design. Verify structural requirements with a licensed engineer and quantities with your supplier before ordering.