Driveway Sealer Calculator
How many pails of asphalt driveway sealer to buy for the area and coats, from the coverage printed on the pail, per gallon or per pail.
Result
Enter driveway, coverage per coat and pail size to see the result.
https://calcgallery.com/landscaping/driveway-sealer-calculator/
Results are estimates for planning only. Actual needs vary with site conditions, products and workmanship. Always confirm quantities with your supplier and follow local building codes and manufacturer instructions. Read the full disclaimer
How to use the Driveway Sealer Calculator
- Measure the driveway as one or more rectangles and add a row for each.
- Enter the number of coats, and the coverage from the pail, either per gallon or litre or per pail, whichever the label gives.
- Enter the pail size to see how many pails to buy.
The calculation
area covered = driveway area × coatsper gallon sealer = area covered ÷ coverage; pails = sealer ÷ pail size, rounded upper pail pails = area covered ÷ area per pail, rounded upLabels print coverage in two ways, per gallon or as the area a whole pail covers, and the page takes either. When the label gives a range, the page uses whatever figure you enter; it holds no default coverage, because sealers differ widely in solids and in how thick they go on.
Measuring an irregular driveway
Split it into rectangles: the straight run, the apron at the street and any parking pad. Curved edges can be measured as the rectangle around them, which slightly overstates the area and leaves a little spare.
With your numbers
- Sealer = driveway area × coats ÷ coverage per coat; pails = sealer ÷ pail size, rounded up
Quick reference
Pails round up; cracks and rough, dry asphalt take more.
| Job | Pails to buy |
|---|---|
| 60 × 12 ft, 2 coats at 80 sq ft/gal | 4 |
| 60 × 12 ft, 350 sq ft a pail, 2 coats | 5 |
| 40 × 20 ft, 1 coat at 70 | 3 |
| L-shape, 40 × 10 and 12 × 12 ft | 2 |
| 100 × 10 ft, 2 coats at 90 | 5 |
| 20 × 4 m at 2 m²/L, 18 L pails | 3 |
Common questions about the Driveway Sealer Calculator
- How many pails of sealer do I need for a 60 by 12 foot driveway?
- That is 720 square feet. At a label coverage of 80 square feet per gallon, one coat takes 9 gallons and two coats 18. In 4.75-gallon pails, two coats is 3.8 pails, so buy 4. A sealer with a different coverage changes the answer in proportion, which is why the page asks for the one on your pail.
- My pail says it covers 250 to 350 square feet. Which do I use?
- Use the lower figure for old, rough, porous or cracked asphalt, which soaks up more, and the higher one for smooth, recently sealed surfaces. Choose the per-pail option and enter the figure; the page rounds the pails up.
- Should I apply one coat or two?
- Follow the product’s instructions, which say how many coats to apply and how long to wait between them. Enter the number you plan and the page multiplies the area by it.
- Does this include crack filler?
- No. Cracks are filled before sealing with a separate product, sold by the length of crack it fills. The sealer figure assumes the surface is already repaired.