How much runner do 14 steps need?

The example below uses 14 equal covered steps, with no landing or nosing allowance. Check the start and finish of the runner before using the count.

At a 10 in tread and 7.5 in riser, 14 steps need 245 in — 20 ft 5 in, or 6.22 m — before allowances.

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.

The 14 step numbers

Bare 245 in (20 ft 5 in). Plus 5%: 257.3 in (21 ft 5 in). Plus 10%: 269.5 in (22 ft 5.5 in). With a 42 in landing added before 10% waste: 315.7 in (26 ft 3.7 in).

In yards and metres

245 in is 6.8 linear yards or 6.22 m. With 10% waste, order 7.5 yards or 6.9 m.

Where a seam might fall

If your supplier's longest single piece is 6 m, a 6.9 m order needs at least two pieces. The stock-length check shows that minimum; your fitter must confirm the cuts and join positions, including any pattern matching.

Questions people ask

How many feet of runner for 14 stairs?: About 20 ft 5 in bare, or roughly 22 ft 6 in with a 10% waste allowance on standard 10 in treads and 7.5 in risers.
How many yards is that?: Around 6.8 linear yards bare, so most people order 7.5 yards.

Related guides

See all stair runner calculator guides