Decide the look before the join
| Approach | How it reads | Best when |
|---|---|---|
| Runner continues across the landing | Seamless, most expensive | Same runner available in enough length |
| Runner stops, landing fully carpeted | Calm, hides the join completely | Landing carpet is a close tonal match |
| Runner stops, landing bare with a rug | Sharp, contemporary | Good floorboards on the landing |
| Contrast landing carpet | Deliberate, designer-led | You want the stairs to be the feature |
The 'nearly matching' trap
Two similar-but-different beiges meeting at a doorway looks like a mistake; two clearly different colours looks like a decision. If you cannot match exactly, contrast on purpose.
Where the join physically goes
- Bring the stair runner up over the top nosing and onto the landing floor by at least 5–8cm.
- Terminate it at the back edge of that top step zone, or run it to the nearest natural break line.
- Butt the landing carpet against the runner's bound edge — do not overlap.
- Fix both sides independently: gripper for the landing carpet, staples or clips for the runner.
- Where the two meet in a doorway, use the door line as the break so the join is only ever seen from one room.
Three ways to finish the join
1. Bound edge to bound edge
The neatest domestic solution. Both pieces are bound, butted tight and fixed independently. No metal, no visible hardware, and each piece can be replaced separately later.
2. Seamed join
Where the runner and landing carpet are the same product, a professional can hot-melt seam them into a single continuous surface. It looks superb and is worth paying for, but only works with identical carpet from the same batch.
3. Transition bar
A carpet-to-carpet bar in brass or a matched finish gives a hard, definitive line. It suits period properties with brass rods, and it is the only sensible option where pile heights differ by more than a few millimetres.
Matching pile height and direction
- Different pile heights create a step edge at the join — a genuine trip point. Use a bar if the difference is over about 4mm.
- Run both piles in the same direction so light hits them the same way; the same carpet laid two ways looks like two colours.
- On patterned goods, line the pattern up at the join even if it costs an extra repeat of material.
Getting the length right
The most common landing mistake is forgetting that the landing surface itself is part of the runner length when the runner continues across it. Measure the landing depth and enter it as a landing in the calculator — it adds the full run plus a tuck allowance and, on patterned runners, an extra repeat for the new piece.
Know your numbers in 30 seconds
Enter your step count, tread depth and riser height — the stair runner calculator gives you the exact length to order, in metres and feet, with waste included.
Open the stair runner calculatorWhatever you decide, get the numbers first: the stair runner calculator doubles as a stair runner length calculator, adding nosing wrap, landings, winders, pattern repeat and waste so you order the right length the first time.
Frequently asked questions
Should a stair runner match the landing carpet?
Either match it exactly or contrast it clearly. A near-match reads as an error, whereas a deliberate contrast reads as a design choice.
Where do you join a stair runner to landing carpet?
Bring the runner over the top nosing and onto the landing, then butt the landing carpet against its bound edge at the back of that top zone or on the door line, fixing each piece independently.
Do you need a transition bar between a runner and landing carpet?
Only if the pile heights differ noticeably — over about 4mm — or you want a defined architectural line. Bound edge to bound edge is neater where pile heights are similar.
Can a stair runner continue across the landing?
Yes, and it looks excellent, but it is fitted as a separate piece on the landing rather than one continuous length. Include the landing depth in your measurements so you order enough.
Know your numbers in 30 seconds
Enter your step count, tread depth and riser height — the stair runner calculator gives you the exact length to order, in metres and feet, with waste included.
Include the landing in your calculation