Yardage tool
Carpet for Stairs Calculator
How much carpet do your stairs need? Get square feet, square yards, square metres and linear yards off a standard broadloom roll — landings and waste included.
Carpet needed
7.3 sq yd
Fully carpeted stairs are measured across the whole stair width; a runner only covers the middle. Waste is already included at your chosen margin — most fitters work to 10%.
Turn the carpet yardage calculator into a client-ready quote
Everything on this page is free and needs no account. If you fit stairs for a living, Riser takes the same numbers and turns them into saved projects, branded quotes, invoices and a client portal.
- Square feet, square yards, square metres and linear yards at once
- Broadloom roll width handling with automatic rounding
- Landings and waste margin built into the total
- Saves yardage into projects and client quotes
The free stair runner calculator and every tool on this site stay open to everyone.
Quick answer
How much carpet do I need for stairs?
A standard 13-step staircase needs roughly 12-14 square yards of carpet, or about 6 linear yards off a 12ft-wide roll. Multiply (tread depth + riser height) by the stair width and by the number of steps, add landings, then add 10% for waste and pattern matching.
- Rule of thumb: about 1 square yard of carpet per step.
- Broadloom carpet is sold in 12ft and 15ft roll widths — buy by linear yard.
- Add landings separately and always add a 10% waste margin.
- Patterned carpet needs an extra repeat per flight, so buy more.
How this carpet for stairs calculator works
Full carpeting covers the whole stair — wall to wall — rather than a strip down the middle, so the maths is area-based rather than purely linear. The calculator takes the run of carpet each step needs (tread + riser + nosing), multiplies it by the number of steps, adds any landing, applies your waste margin, and then multiplies by the full stair width to get square feet, square yards and square metres.
It also converts that area into linear yards off a standard 12ft broadloom roll, because that is how most retailers actually price and cut carpet. If you only want a strip down the centre of the treads instead, use the stair runner calculator on the home page — it works in linear length rather than area and will save you a great deal of material.
Carpet quantities at a glance
| Steps | Approx. run | Square yards (36in wide) | Linear yards off 12ft roll |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 steps | 15.4 ft | 6.8 sq yd | 1.8 lin yd |
| 13 steps | 20.1 ft | 8.8 sq yd | 2.3 lin yd |
| 16 steps | 24.7 ft | 10.8 sq yd | 2.8 lin yd |
| 13 steps + 4ft landing | 24.5 ft | 10.7 sq yd | 2.8 lin yd |
Roll width decides real waste
Carpet comes off a fixed-width roll, so a job needing 8.8 square yards can still require 4 linear yards once the fitter accounts for pile direction and how pieces nest on the roll. Always confirm the cut quantity with your supplier before ordering.
Carpeted stairs vs a runner
- Full carpet uses roughly 35–50% more material than a runner on the same staircase.
- Runners show the timber either side, which suits period and painted staircases.
- Full carpet is quieter and warmer underfoot, and hides poor-quality treads completely.
- Runners are easier to replace: you lift one strip rather than re-carpeting the whole flight.
- Fitting costs are similar per step; runners need more precise centring, full carpet needs more cutting.
Pile direction matters on stairs. All pieces must run the same way — usually with the pile leaning down the flight — or the colour will read differently step to step under the same light. Tell your fitter if you are supplying the carpet yourself so they can check the roll before cutting.
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.
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 carpet do I need for stairs?
As a rule of thumb, allow about 1 square yard of carpet per step on a standard 36in-wide staircase, plus 10% waste. A 13-step flight therefore needs roughly 13–15 square yards, or about 6.5 linear yards off a 12ft broadloom roll.
How many square feet of carpet per stair?
A 10in tread with a 7.5in riser and a 1in nosing gives 18.5in of carpet run per step. On a 36in-wide stair that is 666 square inches, or about 4.6 square feet per step before waste.
How do I convert linear yards to square yards for stairs?
Carpet is usually sold by the linear yard off a 12ft-wide roll. One linear yard of 12ft broadloom is 4 square yards. Divide the square yardage you need by 4 to get the linear yards to order, then round up to the next half yard.
Should I add waste when carpeting stairs?
Yes. Add 10% on a plain carpet and straight flight, and 15–20% where there are winders, landings or a pattern to match. Stairs generate more offcuts than any other room because every piece has to start and stop in a specific place.
Do I need an account to use the carpet for stairs calculator?
Yes, completely free with no account. Enter your stair dimensions and waste margin and the yardage is worked out instantly. A free Riser account only matters if you want the figures saved into a project so they can be reused in a quote or invoice.
Is carpeting stairs more expensive than a runner?
On material, yes — full carpeting covers 100% of the stair surface where a runner covers roughly 60–75%, so you buy noticeably more square yardage. Fitting costs land in a similar range per step, so the difference shows up mostly in the material line.
How much carpet do I need for 13 stairs and a landing?
Roughly 13–15 square yards for the flight, plus the landing area (a 4ft x 3ft landing is about 1.3 square yards) and 10–15% waste. Off a 12ft broadloom roll that is about 4–4.5 linear yards.