Cost

Stair runner length and cost calculator

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

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.

What the estimate includes

Runner priced per linear foot, yard, metre or inch; underlay by the same length; labour per step or as a fixed fee; 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 normalises them, and it is the quickest way to spot a quote that has been padded.

Getting the price right

Confirm the pricing unit before entering a number. A price 'per yard' that is actually per square yard will make your estimate roughly a third of the real figure on a 27 in runner.

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

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