How to Measure an Area for Asphalt Repair

Measuring the area needed for asphalt repair is the first step in determining how much asphalt to order from the paving company. You want to make sure to measure accurately because asphalt is expensive and ordering too much can make you incur unnecessary expense; however, ordering too little can be detrimental because it can lead to an unfinished or poorly performed job. Keeping a few techniques in mind when measuring an area for asphalt repair will ensure the proper amount of material is ordered.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Chalk
• Tape measure
• Calculator

1. Locate the area of asphalt that is cracked or has a hole in it. Since you are going to be replacing asphalt, you might as well find all cracks and holes so that you can repair them at the same time.

2. Mark the area of repair with chalk, making sure to extend past the end of the last crack by at least 5 feet to give a good buffer of space.

3. Measure a square around the cracked area (with the 5-foot buffer) with the tape measure. To get the area, multiply the length by the width of the square. Multiply that number by the depth of the asphalt to get the volume of asphalt that needs to be repaired.

Tips & Warnings

• You can enter the area into an online calculator like the one listed in Resources to determine the volume of asphalt that you need to order from the paving company.

References

• Very informative article measurement article

Resources

• Asphalt measurement calculator