Planning a wool stair runner

Wool is the traditional stair runner material: resilient, forgiving underfoot, and flexible enough for a tailored Hollywood fit.

Because it bends well, wool runners usually take a nosing allowance of 1 to 1.5 in per step, and because many wool runners are patterned, they usually need 10 to 15% waste.

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.

Pattern repeat on wool stripes

Classic wool stair runners are striped along the length, which matches easily. Cross-stripes and repeats need every tread aligned — ask for the repeat measurement and add it to your waste thinking.

Wool and rods

Rods may be part of the decorative finish, but they are not a substitute for the runner’s required fixings. Count one rod and two brackets per step in the materials list.

Longevity and pile direction

Fit with the pile running down the flight. Fitted the wrong way, wool shades differently on every tread and wears faster on the nosings.

Questions people ask

How much waste for a patterned wool runner?: 10% for simple stripes, 15% or more where a repeat must land in the same place on every tread.
Is wool suitable for Hollywood installation?: Yes — wool is flexible enough to wrap tightly into the riser corner, so include a nosing allowance of 1 to 1.5 in per step.

Related guides

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