Measuring for a stair runner in the US

For a US estimate, inches are convenient for treads and risers, while feet or yards may match the supplier’s price. Measure the stairs you will cover; the preset is a starting point, not a building-code check.

The US preset loads a 10 in tread and 7.5 in riser along with a 27 in runner, a 36 in stair width and pricing per linear foot in dollars.

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.

Typical US staircase

A first-to-second-floor flight in a US home is usually 13 to 16 risers. At 17.5 in per step that is 19 to 23 ft of runner, plus waste, plus any landing.

Standard runner widths

27 in and 32 in dominate the US market, with 30 in also common. On a 36 in stair a 27 in runner leaves 4.5 in of exposed wood each side — the reveal most designers consider ideal.

How US suppliers price it

Runner is priced per linear foot or per linear yard. Ask whether binding, serging and pad are included, and whether the price assumes a single continuous cut — a seam usually costs extra.

Questions people ask

How many feet of stair runner for an average American staircase?: Around 19 to 23 feet before waste for a 13 to 16 step flight with 10 in treads and 7.5 in risers. Add 10% for trimming and pattern repeat.
What is the most common stair runner width in the US?: 27 inches, followed by 32 inches. Both leave a balanced reveal on the 36 in stairs found in most US homes.

Related guides

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