Stair Runner Calculator
Runner length, waste, pattern repeats, rods and total cost for straight flights, winders and landings — in centimetres or inches.
- Waterfall & Hollywood
- Winders & landings
- Pattern repeat rounding
- Rods & underlay
- Full cost breakdown
1 · Your staircase
Not sure which measurement is which? See the labelled diagrams ↓
Exclude winders and landings
Front edge to back edge
Top of step to top of next
Fabric over the step lip
2 · Turns & landings
Leave at zero for a straight flight.
Wider on one side (curved / spiral)
3 · Runner, waste & pattern
Leaves an equal reveal each side
10% plain · 15% patterned
0 if plain — rounds up to whole repeats
metres per roll
4 · Budget
- Order length
- 6.51 m
- In feet
- 21.3 ft (order 22 ft)
- In yards
- 7.12 yd
- Length before waste
- 5.92 m
- Fabric area
- 4.55 m² · 49 sq ft
- Reveal each side
- 10 cm
- Stair rods
- 13 × 75 cm long
- Rolls / drops needed
- 1 × 27.5 m
- Runner
- £390.39
- Underlay
- £78.08
- Stair rods (13)
- £234.00
- Fitting
- £130.00
- Total project
- £832.47
- Cost per step
- £64.04
| Section | Count | Length (m) |
|---|---|---|
| Straight steps | 13 | 5.92 |
| Winder steps | 0 | 0 |
| Mid-landings | 0 | 0 |
| Half-landings | 0 | 0 |
| Waste (10%) | — | 0.59 |
| Pattern rounding | — | 0 |
| Total to order | 6.51 |
Results update instantly as you type. Figures are an estimate — always confirm with a site measure before cutting.
Measuring guide — what each part means
Not sure what counts as a tread, a winder or a landing? These diagrams match the labels used in the calculator above, so you can measure once and enter with confidence.
Tread (A) is the flat part you stand on, riser (B) is the vertical face, and the nosing is the lip that overhangs the riser.
Waterfall drops straight from the nosing to the next tread. Hollywood (cap & band) wraps the runner around each nosing, so it needs a little extra length per step.
Winders are pie-shaped turning steps — measure the widest run. A mid-landing turns the flight 90°, a half-landing turns it 180°; both add their full depth to the runner.
The reveal is the strip of finished tread showing each side of the runner. Keep it equal on both sides — 8–12 cm (3–5 in) is the classic look.
Quick answer
Stair runner length = number of steps × (tread depth + riser height + nosing wrap), plus the depth of every landing the runner crosses, plus 10–15% waste. A typical 13-step UK flight at 25 cm tread and 18 cm rise needs about 6.4 m of runner.
Length = steps × (tread + rise + nosing) + landings + winders + waste%
How to measure for a stair runner
- 1Choose metric or imperial — every field then uses that unit, and switching converts your numbers for you.
- 2Count the straight steps, then measure a single tread (front to back) and riser (top of one step to the top of the next).
- 3Pick waterfall or Hollywood. Hollywood wraps each nosing, so add 2–4 cm (about 1–1.5 in) of nosing wrap per step.
- 4Add winder steps measured across their widest run, and enter the depth of any mid- or half-landing.
- 5Set the runner width against the stair width to check the reveal, then add 10–15% waste and a pattern repeat if the design must line up.
Typical runner sizing at a glance
| Staircase | Steps | Runner length | Rods |
|---|---|---|---|
| Straight UK flight (25 × 18 cm) | 13 | ≈ 6.4 m / 21 ft | 13 |
| Straight US flight (10 × 7¼ in) | 14 | ≈ 6.9 m / 22.5 ft | 14 |
| Quarter turn with 3 winders | 11 + 3 | ≈ 8.1 m / 27 ft | 14 |
| Half landing (180° turn) | 16 + landing | ≈ 9.3 m / 31 ft | 16 |
| Two-flight townhouse stair | 24 + 2 landings | ≈ 14.5 m / 48 ft | 24 |
Indicative figures including a 10% waste allowance.
Specifier's notes
Reveal
Keep 8–12 cm (3–5 in) of finished tread showing on each side. Anything under 5 cm looks like a failed fitted carpet.
Pattern matching
Set the pattern repeat field so the motif lands identically on every tread — buyers notice this instantly on resale.
Underlay
Order the same length as the runner, cut 4 cm narrower each side, and use a dense 8–11 mm crumb or felt for stairs.
Rods
One rod per step, roughly 5 cm wider than the runner. Rods are decorative on a stapled runner but make cleaning far easier.
Winders & spirals
Cut each winder individually and push waste to 15–20%; a single mis-cut on a curve wastes a whole drop.
Direction of pile
Run the pile downstairs so the runner sheds dirt and shades evenly under the light from a stairwell window.
Frequently asked questions
How do I measure for a stair runner?
Measure one step's tread (front-to-back) and riser (bottom-to-top), add a nosing wrap if the runner curls over the step lip, then multiply by the number of steps. Add the depth of every landing the runner crosses and finish with a 10–15% waste allowance.
How much extra stair runner should I order?
Order 10% extra for a plain runner and 15% for a patterned one. Patterned runners also need the total rounded up to a whole number of pattern repeats so the motif lands in the same place on every step.
What width should a stair runner be?
Most runners are 65–80 cm (26–32 in) wide. Leave an equal reveal of finished tread on each side — 8–12 cm (3–5 in) is the classic look, and this calculator shows your reveal as you type.
What is the difference between waterfall and Hollywood installation?
Waterfall lets the runner fall straight from the nosing to the next tread, using slightly less material. Hollywood (cap-and-band) wraps the runner tightly around each nosing, showing the step profile and using a little more length.
How are winder steps measured?
A winder is wider on one side, so it is measured across its widest run. This calculator uses 55, 65, 75 and 85 cm averages for small, medium, large and XL winders, or you can type an exact figure.
How many stair rods do I need?
One rod per step where the tread meets the riser, so a 13-step flight takes 13 rods. Rods should be about 5 cm (2 in) wider than the runner so the brackets sit clear of the edge.
Does a stair runner need underlay?
Yes — underlay roughly doubles the life of a runner and softens each step. Buy the same length as the runner but around 4 cm narrower on each side so it stays hidden.
Can I use this calculator for a spiral or curved staircase?
Yes, treat every turning step as a winder and enter the widest run. For a fully spiral flight, add 15–20% waste because each step is cut individually.