Question

How many feet of stair runner do I need?

The short answer for a standard US staircase is about 1.5 feet of runner per step, so a 14 step flight needs a little over 20 feet before waste.

The accurate answer depends on your tread and riser, and the calculator below gives it in feet and inches.

Your staircase

Start from typical stair sizes where you live

IRC-style stairs: 10 in minimum tread, 7¾ in maximum riser. Runners are usually 27 in or 32 in wide and sold by the linear foot.

Number of stairs

Count every step you will cover.

Tread depth (in)

Front edge to back of the step. Fractions like 10 1/2 work.

Riser height (in)

The vertical face between two treads.

Waste allowance

Custom%

10% is a common starting point; pattern matching and winders need more.

Add a nosing / overhang allowance per step

Needed when the runner wraps around a projecting nose (Hollywood installs and thick pads). Waterfall installs usually don't need it.

Your stair runner length

20 ft 3.1 in

Total runner required for 13 steps, including a 10% waste allowance.

Total runner length in each unit
Inches	243.1 in
Feet	20.26 ft
Feet & inches	20 ft 3.1 in
Yards	6.75 yd
Meters	6.17 m
Centimeters	617.47 cm

Recommended purchase length

21 ft

7 yd · 6.4 m · 252 in

This calculator provides an estimate based on the measurements and installation assumptions you enter. Complex, curved or winder staircases may require professional measurement.

Your measurements, drawn to scale

Side elevation of a staircase. The runner travels across each tread and down each riser, so every step consumes tread depth plus riser height of material.

The quick rule

Steps × 1.5 ft gets you within a foot on most US staircases. Steps × 17.5 in ÷ 12 is the precise version of the same rule.

When the rule breaks

Deep treads (11 to 12 in), tall risers, open risers, landings and winders all move the answer significantly. Use the rule to sanity-check a quote, not to place an order.

The number to order

Add your waste percentage and round up to the next whole foot — or the next yard if your supplier cuts that way.

Questions people ask

How many feet of runner per stair?: About 1.5 feet per step on a standard staircase with a 10 in tread and 7.5 in riser.
How many feet for a typical two-storey flight?: 13 to 16 steps works out at roughly 19 to 23 feet before waste.

Related guides

See all stair runner calculator guides