How many yards of stair runner do I need?

Carpet retailers usually work in linear yards, so this is the figure you will be quoted on. One linear yard is 36 inches of length off the roll.

As a rule of thumb, each step consumes roughly half a yard.

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.

Yardage by step count

At 17.5 in per step: 10 steps = 4.9 yd, 13 steps = 6.3 yd, 14 steps = 6.8 yd, 16 steps = 7.8 yd. Add 10% waste and round up to the supplier's cutting increment.

Half-yard rounding

Many retailers cut to the half yard. Rounding 6.3 up to 6.5 is fine; rounding down to 6 leaves you nearly a foot short.

Do not confuse it with square yards

If a price is per square yard, multiply your linear yards by the roll width in yards. A 27 in runner is 0.75 yd wide.

Questions people ask

How many yards of carpet for a stair runner?: About half a yard per step. A 13 step flight needs roughly 6.3 linear yards before waste, so order 7.
Is carpet sold in linear or square yards?: Both exist. Linear yards measure length off the roll; square yards measure area. Confirm which your quote uses.

Related guides

See all stair runner calculator guides