Estimating a stair runner budget

Length is only half the question. This calculator turns your measured length into a budget: runner material at your supplier's rate, underlay, labour, accessories, delivery and tax.

It prices the rounded purchase length rather than the bare length, because that is what you will actually be invoiced for.

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.

What the estimate includes

Runner priced per linear foot, yard, metre or inch; underlay by the same length; labour per step; rods, brackets, pads and tackless strip; delivery; and tax or VAT at your local rate.

Material subtotal
Accessories subtotal
Labour
Tax / VAT and delivery
Total and cost per step

Cost per step is the fair comparison

Two quotes for different staircases are not comparable on total alone. Cost per step can help compare similar jobs, but material, turns, preparation and finishing may justify different rates. Compare what each quote includes as well as its total.

Getting the price right

Confirm the pricing unit before entering a number. A square-yard price measures area, not length. For a 27 in (0.75 yd) wide runner, multiply the linear yards by 0.75 to get square yards; this calculator’s pricing fields use linear units.

Questions people ask

How much does a stair runner cost to install?: Material is the biggest variable. Enter your supplier's rate and a labour figure per step, and the calculator returns a total plus a cost per step you can use to compare quotes.
Does the cost include waste?: Yes. Pricing is applied to the rounded purchase length, which already includes your waste allowance.

Related guides

See all stair runner calculator guides