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

Optional starting measurements

Example measurements only, not building-code advice. Replace them with measurements from your own stairs.

Check a few steps before using one set of measurements for the whole flight.

Number of stairs

Count the tread-and-riser pairs the runner will cover. Exclude landings.

Tread depth (in)

Measure the runner path across the flat tread. Fractions like 10 1/2 work.

Riser height (in)

The vertical face between two treads.

Waste allowance

Custom%

10% is the starting allowance here, not a guarantee. Ask your fitter about patterns and turns.

Add a nosing / overhang allowance per step

Enter the extra runner path around the edge, including any underside wrap. Do not add it twice if it is already included in your measurements.

Your runner estimate

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

Length to order

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.

One step, shown in profile

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