Material

Sisal stair runner length calculator

Sisal is hard-wearing, textured and popular on stairs, but it behaves differently from wool carpet: it is stiffer, it does not stretch, and it will not tuck neatly into a tight riser corner.

Calculate the length as normal, then choose waterfall installation and a modest waste allowance — sisal has no pile direction issue and usually no pattern repeat.

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.

Waste for sisal

5 to 8% is usually enough on plain sisal because there is no repeat to match. Herringbone and boucle weaves have a visual direction, so allow 10% to keep the weave running consistently.

Width options

Natural fibre runners are commonly stocked at 27 in, 30 in, 32 in, 68 cm and 70 cm. Check the reveal against your stair width before you commit — sisal cannot be trimmed narrower after binding.

Fitting notes

Sisal needs a good underlay and firm fixing. It does not compress like wool, so tackless strip and staples must be set precisely. Expect a slightly higher labour rate than a soft carpet runner.

Questions people ask

Does sisal need extra length?: No, but fit it waterfall style. Sisal resists being pushed into the riser corner, so a Hollywood nosing allowance is usually wasted material.
Can sisal be cut to a custom width?: Yes, from broadloom, but the cut edges must be bound. Ready-made sisal runners come in fixed widths only.

Related guides

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