Why a yardage chart is only ever an estimate
Yardage charts are useful for a rough budget before you commit to measuring, but no two staircases are built identically. Tread depth, riser height, nosing profile, whether there's a turn, and the finishing allowance at top and bottom all shift the final number, sometimes by a foot or more across a full flight. Treat any chart, including the one below, as a planning tool to get you in the right ballpark before you run your own numbers through a stair runner calculator, not as a figure to hand straight to a supplier without checking.
The core unit behind every chart is the per-step consumption: tread depth (the flat, walked-on part) plus riser height (the vertical face) plus a small nosing wrap, usually 0.75-1.25 in (2-3 cm), to carry the carpet neatly over the front lip of the tread. For a standard UK/US residential step of roughly 10 in (25 cm) tread and 7.5 in (19 cm) riser, that works out to about 18.5-19 in (47-48 cm) of runner per step before waste.
Quick-reference yardage chart
| Step count | Base length (US) | Base length (metric) | With 8% waste (US) | With 8% waste (metric) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 steps | 16.5 ft | 5.0 m | 17.8 ft | 5.4 m |
| 12 steps | 19.5 ft | 5.9 m | 21.1 ft | 6.4 m |
| 13 steps | 21 ft | 6.4 m | 22.7 ft | 6.9 m |
| 14 steps | 22.5 ft | 6.9 m | 24.3 ft | 7.4 m |
| 16 steps | 25.5 ft | 7.8 m | 27.5 ft | 8.4 m |
| 18 steps | 28.5 ft | 8.7 m | 30.8 ft | 9.4 m |
These figures assume a standard 10 in (25 cm) tread, 7.5 in (19 cm) riser, a 1 in (2.5 cm) nosing wrap, and a combined top-and-bottom finishing allowance of about 20 in (50 cm) baked into each row. If your own treads or risers differ - shallower treads and taller risers are common in older houses - the per-step figure changes, and you should recalculate rather than lean on the chart.
Older houses run differently
Pre-1960s houses in both the US and UK often have steeper risers (up to 8.25 in / 21 cm) and shallower treads (as little as 9 in / 23 cm) than modern building guidance suggests, which can push yardage 5-10% higher than a chart built on modern standard dimensions.
How much runner do I need?
Work a real example alongside the chart so you can see where the numbers come from. Take 13 steps with a 10 in (25 cm) tread going and 7.5 in (19 cm) riser. Per step: 10 in tread + 7.5 in riser + 1 in nosing wrap = 18.5 in. Across 13 steps that's 240.5 in, or 20.04 ft. Add a finishing allowance of 20 in (top turn plus bottom hem) and you get 21.7 ft. Add an 8% waste allowance and the order length comes to roughly 23.4 ft (about 7.1 m). In metric: 25 cm + 19 cm + 2.5 cm = 46.5 cm per step, times 13 steps is 6.05 m, plus a 50 cm finishing allowance is 6.55 m, plus 8% waste is about 7.1 m - matching the imperial calculation, as it should, since both are the same physical stairs measured in different units.
Adjusting the chart for your stairs
- Measure your own tread depth and riser height rather than assuming the chart's standard figures apply.
- Recalculate the per-step figure: tread + riser + nosing wrap.
- Multiply by your actual step count.
- Add a finishing allowance of 16-24 in (40-60 cm) depending on how the runner will terminate top and bottom.
- Apply a waste allowance of 5% for a plain runner, up to 12-15% for a patterned or repeat-driven design.
- Cross-check the total against a stair runner length calculator before ordering.
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 calculatorWaste allowance: how much is enough
A plain, solid-colour runner needs the least waste allowance, typically 5%, to cover minor cutting slack and fitting error. A striped or bordered runner usually needs 8-10% so the stripe or border can be squared at both ends. A patterned runner with a fixed repeat - checks, medallions, geometric grids - often needs 10-15%, because the length has to round up to the nearest full repeat rather than cutting wherever is most economical. Flights with a turn or winder need extra on top of whichever waste band applies, since the outer edge of each winder tread consumes more material than the chart's straight-flight assumption accounts for.
Yardage versus square footage
A yardage chart gives you linear length, which is what most suppliers quote and cut against, but some quotes are priced per square yard or square metre instead. To convert, multiply your linear length by your chosen runner width: a 24.5 ft length at 27 in (2.25 ft) wide is about 55 sq ft, or roughly 6.1 sq yd. In metric, a 7.5 m length at 68 cm wide is about 5.1 sq m. Always double check which unit a quote is using before comparing prices between suppliers, since a per-square-yard price and a per-linear-foot price can look similar at a glance but represent very different totals once width is factored in.
Using the chart with a proper calculator
A printed chart can only cover a handful of standard step counts and tread dimensions, so once you've got a rough figure from the table above, run your exact numbers through the site's stair runner calculator to get a length tailored to your own tread depth, riser height, step count and chosen waste allowance. It takes the same arithmetic shown in the worked example and applies it instantly to whatever measurements you enter, which is far more reliable than interpolating between two rows of a generic chart.
Whatever 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.
Still deciding on material, width or pattern? Our hub on stair runners compares weaves, widths, backings and fitting styles side by side, then hands the numbers straight to the calculator.
Frequently asked questions
How much runner do I need for 13 steps?
For a standard 10 in (25 cm) tread and 7.5 in (19 cm) riser, expect roughly 21-24 ft (6.4-7.3 m) including a typical 5-10% waste allowance. Exact figures depend on your finishing allowance at top and bottom and whether the flight has a turn.
Does a yardage chart work for every staircase?
No. Charts assume standard tread and riser dimensions, so they're a useful starting estimate but not a substitute for measuring your own stairs. Older houses especially often have shallower treads and steeper risers that push actual yardage higher than a generic chart suggests.
How much extra should I order for waste?
A plain runner typically needs about 5% extra; a striped or bordered design needs 8-10%; a patterned repeat design often needs 10-15% so the length rounds to a full repeat. Turning flights need additional allowance on top of these figures.
What's the difference between yardage and square footage?
Yardage is a linear length measurement (how long the runner strip is); square footage or square metreage factors in width too. Suppliers quote in both, so multiply your linear length by your runner's width before comparing a per-square-yard price against a per-linear-foot one.
Do winders add much extra yardage?
Yes, often 15-20% more than a straight-flight estimate for the same step count, because the outer edge of each winder tread is wider than a standard tread and consumes more runner material to cover.
How accurate is a stair runner calculator compared with a chart?
A calculator is more accurate because it uses your actual tread depth, riser height and step count rather than a generic standard figure, and it applies your chosen waste percentage precisely rather than rounding to a table row.
Should I round my yardage up or down when ordering?
Always round up. Runner is typically sold and cut to length, and running short by even a few inches can mean waiting on a new order or paying a rush fee, whereas a small surplus offcut is far less costly to have and not need.
Why do two staircases with the same step count need different yardage?
Because tread depth and riser height vary between houses, and both directly change the per-step consumption figure. Two 13-step flights with different tread and riser dimensions can differ in total yardage by a foot or more.
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.
Get your exact yardage with the stair runner calculatorEvery guide is written from hands-on measuring and fitting experience, checked against the calculator’s own maths, and re-reviewed whenever prices or methods change. Read our editorial standards.