Tool

Online stair runner length calculator

Nothing to download and nothing to install — the calculator loads in any modern browser and recalculates as you type, which makes it practical to use standing on the stairs with a tape measure in the other hand.

The layout is built mobile-first, so the number pad fields and the results panel stay usable on a phone.

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.

Use it on site

Measure one step, enter it, and the total updates immediately. If a tread turns out to be a quarter inch deeper than you thought, change one field and watch the order length move.

Works offline once loaded

Because the arithmetic runs client-side, a dropped signal in a stairwell does not stop the tool from working once the page has loaded.

Share the result instead of retyping it

The share button builds a link that carries your figures. Send it to your installer or client and they open the same calculation on their own device.

Questions people ask

Do I need to install an app?: No. It is a web page — open it in Safari, Chrome, Firefox or Edge on any device.
Does it work on a phone?: Yes, the interface is designed mobile-first with large touch targets and a results panel that stays readable on small screens.

Related guides

See all stair runner calculator guides