Step measurements
Standard residential stairs are 10″ tread, 7.5″ riser, 1″ nose overhang. Measure your actual stairs – older homes often have steeper, narrower stairs.
Number of steps
Count the steps you walk on, not the risers. A staircase between two floors typically has 13-15 treads. Do not include the landing or top floor.
Runner type
Waterfall is the easier DIY install – runner drapes over the nose with extra length built in. Hollywood is tighter and looks more tailored but takes more material.
For a typical 36″ wide staircase, leave 2-4 inches of stair tread visible on each side. A 32″ runner on a 36″ stair is the most popular look.
Runner needed
Length per step
0″
tread + riser + extra
Total runner length
0 ft
0 yds
Square footage
0
at chosen width
Padding (sq ft)
0
stair pad set or sheet
Includes 10% waste for cutting and pattern matching. Runners with bold patterns (stripes, large prints) need extra for matching at seams – add another 5-10%. Stair pads should match the tread width but be cut 2 inches shorter front and back so they do not show under the runner.