A stair runner is carpeting designed and sized to fit on a stairway. A runner will add warmth and comfort to your steps, and because these carpets come in a variety of colors, designs and styles, it can complement a decorating scheme as well. Flooring and home centers sell a good selection of runners by the foot in widths of 26 and 31 inches. You’ll find them online by typing “stair runners” in a search engine. The runner and padding are fastened to a staircase with tackless carpeting strips secured on the stair and riser using a knee kicker that tucks the material in place.
To install a runner and padding on a 13-step straight staircase, a carpet installer will charge $540. You can do the job for $300, which includes the cost of the material — runner, padding, tackless strips — plus a day’s rental of a knee kicker.
When choosing a runner, bring along a tape measure to measure its width. You should know the number of steps you’re covering, the width of the step, the depth of the tread and the height of the riser to correctly calculate the length of runner and padding you’ll require. It also helps to have a rough sketch with those dimensions to refer to.
The job gets tricky and more costly if the staircase turns or winds, which will require more material.
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Pro Cost — Diy Cost — Pro Time — Diy Time — Diy Savings — Percent Saved
$540 — $300 — 4.8 — 6.5 — $240 — 44 Percent
