Carpet for Stairs Calculator — How Much Carpet Do I Need?
Enter your number of steps, tread depth, rise and width to get the carpet square footage for your stairs. No sign-up, no data stored.
Carpet needed
How stair carpet is estimated
- Per step (sq ft) = (tread + rise) / 12 x width / 12.
- Steps total = per-step x number of steps.
- With landing = steps + landing area.
- With waste = x (1 + waste/100).
- Roll length = total sq ft / roll width (12 ft).
This assumes one strip per step, which is how professional installers lay straight stairs - the strip covers the tread, wraps the nosing, and tucks to the next tread. Winders and landings add material because of diagonals and pattern matching; keep the waste field honest for those.
Stair count → carpet reference
Standard 11-in tread, 7.5-in rise, 36-in wide, +10% waste.
| Steps | Sq ft (net) | Sq ft (+10%) | 12-ft roll (lin ft) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8 | 37 | 41 | 3.4 |
| 10 | 46 | 51 | 4.3 |
| 13 | 60 | 66 | 5.5 |
| 15 | 69 | 76 | 6.4 |
| 18 | 83 | 92 | 7.6 |
Last updated: October 2026 · Counts are for straight stairs without landings. Add landing area separately and 15-25% more for winders.
Carpet for stairs FAQ
For safety and acoustics, yes - carpet adds traction and muffles footsteps. It wears faster on the " "nosing, so budget for replacement in high-traffic homes. Many installers recommend a low-pile " "carpet with a tight twist for stairs.
Pile should run down the stairs - the fibers point toward the bottom so the nap lays flat and " "cleans better. Cutting each strip with the pile running the same direction avoids a shade mismatch " "on adjacent steps.
Yes - a firm, thin padding under each step keeps the carpet from sliding and adds comfort. " "Use stair-grade padding that won't compress to nothing; too-soft padding makes the nosing mushy " "and unsafe.
Materials aside, installers often charge $2-4 per step plus the cost of the carpet. " "A 13-step straight run might be $30-50 labor; winders and patterns cost more because of the " "extra cutting and fitting time.
Yes, with a knee kicker and a stair tool - it's a weekend project. The hard parts are pattern " "matching, the nosing wrap, and getting the strips taut. Watch a few videos and buy one extra " "strip to practice the first step.
Related calculators & guides
How Much Carpet for Stairs Do I Need?
Measuring steps, choosing pile and installing strips on straight and winding stairs.
Read the guide →