How to Install a Stair Runner: 4 Easy DIY Steps for Beginners

Give your stairs a whole new look when you learn how to install a stair runner! It’s easier than you think to add a carpeted DIY stair runner, and a stair runner rug will make your stairs quieter and more comfortable to walk on.

What makes installing a stair runner complicated? How much time does it take to install a stair runner? What other steps are involved in installing a stair runner? Get the answers here.

You’ll also want to check out 17 Affordable DIY Staircase Makeover Ideas That Look Like a Million Bucks and How to Add a Slide to Your Stairs.

I’m not sure if you were around when we remodeled our stairs YEARS ago. They went from normal to grand, and oh how beautiful they were. While we LOVED THE LOOK, I can say that pretty quickly (especially with young kids around), I did want carpet back, for the safety and comfort of carpet on stairs, even though I loved the look of just the wood stair treads.

So, if you decided to rip out the carpet and strip your stairs down to bare wood, and sort of regret it now… you’re in good company.

Are your wooden stairs looking a bit boring or (what bothered me the most) are they really slippery?

Adding a carpet runner not only gives you the opportunity to add a style to your stairs, but also provides a safer surface to walk on with those slippery stocking feet! And you still get the detailed look of wood stairs so win/win!

It’s also much less expensive to install a DIY stair runner than to pay to re-carpet the stairs.

The best news is that DIY stair runner style options are endless (and we are sharing some great options below so check them out below!) and you can add the comfort of carpet and safety back to your stairs in four simple steps.

We’ll guide you through the process of installing a DIY carpet runner on your wooden stairs. From measuring your stairs and choosing the perfect runner to attaching them to the stairs and finishing off the look. We’ve got you covered (and your stairs!). So, let’s dive in and turn those boring stairs into a stylish feature in your home.

For the purposes of this tutorial we are going to assume that your wood stairs are completely finished. If you want to paint the risers or make any changes to the color of your wood finish, or touch up the sealant or polyurethane on the treads that needs to be completed before installing the runner.

DIY Carpet Runner For Wood Stairs in 4 Simple Steps

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DIY Stair Runner Supplies and Tools

Materials

Tools

Don’t have a pneumatic staple gun or a big ol’ chisel tool or any of these other tools? and not ready to invest yet? Use one of Jenny’s prime tips for getting DIY done on a budget: ask a friend if you can borrow theirs! (Just another reason it’s good to make friends with fellow DIYers, too! ?)

Step 1: Measure Your Stairs

Before you start choosing a runner, you need to measure your stairs. Measuring correctly is crucial to ensure that your runner fits perfectly and looks great. For this first step gather your simple tools: a measuring tape (or bendable sewing measuring tape, see my note below), a pen, and paper.

Figure Out Runner Width

Start by measuring the width of your stairs, so you know what width of runner will fit. You want to find the thinnest point of width of your stair overall so that the runner fits the whole way up the staircase.

Measure from wall to wall, or railing to railing. If you have a larger newel post, then measure from newel post to newel post (or wall) as this may be the narrowest point. Be sure to take a few measurements, if your stairs change in width even just a few inches.

Keep in mind that it is nice to have about 3″-6″ inches of wood showing on either side of your runner. If you prefer less of a wood reveal, you can put the runner all the way to one edge against a wall.

Parts of a Stair

As you measure the stairs to determine the stair runner length and width, here are some terms to know:

TREAD: the horizontal step section of the stair

NOSE: the slight overhang of the stair tread above the riser

RISER: the vertical part of the stair

Measure the Length of Your Runner

Now you need to figure out the length of your stair runner.

Measure the height of the riser (the part that lifts the stair higher) and the depth of the tread (where you step) of the stair.

If your stair tread has a nose, measure the tread length from the back of the stair all the way around the bottom of the nose. Note these measurements down on a paper.

QUICK TIP: a bendable sewing measuring tape (that you use to take body measurements) is easy to wrap from the back of the tread, down to the bottom of that riser in one easy measurement. This ensures you can measure the curvature of the stair nose and still be highly accurate, so pull it out of your sewing box if you have one available.

Count the number of stairs stairs (not including the top landing or bottom floor). Keep in mind that you may have 1 extra riser since you will likely not start the runner in the top walkway but rather on the riser of that stair ending again on the bottom most riser (see image below).

Multiply your (Riser + Tread) measurement by how many stairs you have plus one extra riser and about 3 inches per end, for excess fold over. This will give you the length of the runner you need. And because I know that not all creative DIYers love doing math, let me give you an example:

Stair Math: 3 Stair Example (Pictured Below)

• Riser (6 inches) plus Tread (11 inches) equals 17″ of length for each step.
• 17″ inches multiplied 2 stairs (remember I’m not counting to top landing) gives you 34″ in length.
• Add one extra riser to reach the top: 34″ + 6″ = 40″
• Add just a bit of length (at least 3″ on each end) to fold excess over to hide raw edge: 40″ + 3″ + 3″ = 46″ total

Most runners can be cut to length, or you can fold over an extra inch or so on each end, so you don’t need to stress about getting a runner the exact length you need — just a runner longer than your minimum length needed.

Do You Have Landings?

If you have a landing or turn in your stairs you need to decide how you want to handle this section. There are a few options for adding a runner rug to a stair landing, depending on your preference and rug pattern:

• Cut and miter the rug at a 45-degree seam.
• (or) Install a 90-degree seam where the two sections of rug butt up against each other (perpendicular).
• (or) Skip the landing and leave the landing bare wood (like pictured above). End the runner under the bottom stair nose above the landing and begin again under the stair nose below the landing.
• (or) Use a small matching area rug (or make your own) on the landing. The small rug can be attached using the same double-stick tape as the runner.

I suggest a miter at a 45° degree angle, from the corner of the turn. (Note that you will need more runner length to get this look, but it will look the best without requiring a custom stair runner.) This is what that would look like below.

You need to add length A (plus 2″) and Length B (plus 2″) to know the total length you will need. I add the few extra inches just to be safe when cutting etc because depending on the runner you choose you may need to fold over the mitered edge to make this design work. Matching a pattern may also require additional inches.

If your landing is just a straight stretch of space, then feel free to measure it as you would a tread, just the full length and add that to your total.

Be sure to double check your measurements, because this part is crucial to make sure you get full coverage. Sometimes I find it helpful to draw a little sketch to double check I’ve covered all my bases… or stairs in this case.

Step 2: Choose Your Runner

Before you can install a stair runner, you need to choose the perfect one that complements your home decor and style.

Features to Consider:

• Durable construction and material to withstand heavy foot traffic and regular cleaning. Cotton rugs are soft but less durable than wool or acrylic. Seagrass or sisal rugs are beautiful but tend to shed heavily.
• Non-slip backing can add extra stability, but is not absolutely necessary (since the runner will be stapled in place). You can also separately install non-slip rug pad for extra cushion beneath the runner.
• Thinner rugs will be easier to manipulate and bend when installing, while tufted rugs with a little longer pile will hide the staples better than a flatwoven rug.
• You can choose from a variety of materials including wool, nylon, polypropylene, or sisal, depending on your preference and budget.
• The pattern and color of the runner can match or contrast with the surrounding aesthetic depending on your style.

Let’s be honest, picking out the runner might just be the most fun part of this project so of course I went around and found some beautiful options. For extra cushion and durability, order some inexpensive rug padding with the rug as well (see step 3 below).

Our Favorite DIY Stair Runner Rugs

If your stairs are long and you are going to need multiple runners, then you need to do a bit of figuring. Just make sure you have enough runner to overlap some with a bit to spare. It is much better to have an extra foot than to be short a foot.

If you’ve chosen a runner that has an end pattern that needs to be cut off, don’t forget to subtract that cut from the total length you need.

Once you have decided on the perfect runner, placed the order, and your rug(s) have arrived — hooray! Gather all the supplies and tools. It’s time to move on to the next step of the project: the stair runner install.

Fun Stair Idea: Install a Stair Slide

An indoor play area can be as simple as adding a stair slide!

Step 3: Installing Your Anti Slip Pad

Now comes the DIY fun part. Anti-slip pad isn’t required to install a stair runner but will make for a softer foot pad on hardwood stairs, as well as lessening noise. The general pro rule is to use a carpet pad to lengthen the life of the runner and add comfort — but as with any DIY, you can choose to install a runner with or without a carpet pad!

If you’ve just removed the carpet from your stairs, this is a great chance to reuse the old carpet pad if it’s salvageable! #reducereuserecycle

Even if you aren’t installing the extra carpet pad, you’ll want to mark the stair runner location.

Mark the Location of the Runner with Painters Tape

First, mark where your runner will sit on the stairs using painters tape.

In order to make sure your runner is installed straight down your staircase and doesn’t meander around, you need to determine the placement of your runner, and mark the outside edge with painters tape.

Find the center point of your stair, then measure from the center point of the stair half the width of the runner out on both sides, and tape on the *outside edge* of where the runner will sit. (This way the tape can stay there while you install and you won’t have any problems removing it later- meaning it won’t be taped UNDER the runner- but rather on the outside edge of the runner.)

I prefer this to marking with a pencil since removing tape is easier than erasing a pencil mark (especially if I just put the work in to redo my wood stairs!)

Prep and Install The Anti Slip Padding

Decide if you would like the anti slip rug padding to run the whole length of the staircase or if you would like to cut them into individual squares and just place them on the tread.

My personal thought is this: I have noticed that over the years these carpet stair pads tend to bunch up. So I would suggest you attach the padding as a full runner itself, the whole length, wrapping the stairs where the rug will go entirely to help keep the pad tight and from bunching up in little segments.

Taping in three locations (top, bottom, and sides) on each tread as shown below keeps the cushion from moving around.

This carpet padding may need to be trimmed so it doesn’t poke out of the edges of the runner. Thankfully, the inexpensive rug pad is easy to cut with scissors – I recommend a pair of sharp fabric scissors. Measure your carpet runner width (in real life – because sometimes these widths will vary slightly). Once you are sure of the width, cut the padding to be 3-4 inches narrower than the carpet itself.

To attach the rug pad to the stairs, heavy duty double sided tape is quick and easy. Cut the double sided tape for each step as you go. Start at the top and work your way down, making sure to stay centered within your painters tape lines. I’d suggest you place tape like shown in the figure above on each and every step. If you are working with padding the full length of the stairs, I would roll it up in advance of starting, so that it is easier to work with and just unroll a step at a time as you work your way down.

Step 4: Prep and Install the Runner

Now start on installing the stair runner. This is where it gets pretty!

Depending on the style of runner you choose — and how picky you are about the design — you may need to lay out the runners, and decide where you want it to start and if you need to remove any patterning that doesn’t make sense.

For example : This blue rug has a border, and you may not want on the top of your riser, (since none of the other risers will have it. So before beginning to install you may want to use your T-square, box cutter and healing cutting pad to get a nice straight edge to begin your runner. Don’t be afraid! Carpet cuts pretty easily, especially with sharp blade.

To secure that cut edge of the rug, take the double sided rug tape (that you used to attach the padding to the stairs) and place it along the entire edge of the cut (on the back side). Then fold back (back side to back side) to secure that new edge. This new finished edge will help to avoid fraying. You can apply this easy carpet binder tape instead if you prefer, which may be a better option for a thicker rug.

Start installing at the top riser nose right under the top landing.

Line up the rug straight with the stairs below, with the side of the runner lined up with inside of the painter’s tape. (Again, you may want to roll it up for ease of controlling it on the stairs while you work.) Secure a row of staples into the finished (or recently taped) edge.

Then, use your floor chisel to hold the runner tight into the corner of the tread and riser, and staple securely on both the riser and the tread. I would add a staple about every 3″. You can add a couple staples along the edge of the runner if you like as well.

Note : If you feel like the staples are too visible, you could spray the top of your staples with a similar color spray paint or color them with a permanent marker. You just may need to do this step 24 hours in advance of the install to give the paint time to dry if you do the spray paint option.

Continue your way down the stairs.

Waterfall vs. Wrapped Edge Stair Runner

As you install your DIY stair runner, you’ll need to decide if you prefer a waterfall style or a wrapped edge on the nose of the stair.

A WATERFALL stair runner is attached at the edge of the stair tread, then flows directly down to the bottom of the stair riser and is attached to the back edge of the next stair tread. It is not attached to the riser, which leaves a small “waterfall” gap between the rug and the stair. This gives a nice clean and classic look to your stairs.

A WRAPPED EDGE stair runner is just like it sounds — closely wrapped around the entire profile of the stair tread and riser (sometimes called a Hollywood style). When wrapping a stair nose with a runner, you’ll staple the runner along the top of the tread, then wrap the carpet around to the bottom of the stair nose and secure it there. Then the carpet is installed flat against the riser using staples, and continues on to the next tread. This give a more tailored look to your stairs as it matched the contour and profile of the stairs.

Neither style is right or wrong — just what you prefer. For DIYers, if your stair nose is square, a waterfall edge might be easier. If you have bullnose stair treads, a wrapped edge will look great, too.

If you have a long stairway and you need to add a second runner, continue the first runner either to the bottom of the stair nose (1-2″ down the riser) or to the bottom of the riser (about 1″ overhang onto the tread) — see the diagram below. Secure the corner and edge with staples.

Cut any excess rug that is too long. You don’t want a big bump in the middle of a stair tread! Tape/bind that that edge.

Then, start installing the next runner in the corner, Either under the bullnose or at the back corner of the tread so that the seam is hidden in the corner.

Overlap the cut inch or two of the last runner edge by attaching and stapling like you did on each step above, and work your way to the last step.

Pull the runner to the point you want it to finish, add 1-2 inches to that length (for folding under and finishing the edge) and cut the excess.

Use the double sided tape method to secure the end and then staple in place at the bottom of the last riser.

Installing a DIY Stair Runner on a Landing with a Corner

If you have a landing, I would suggest you start on this mitered seam (angled cut edge of the rug) as the first point of installation. Then work your way up and down from this seam with the 2 joined runners.

Depending on the space in your stairwell, you may want to create this seam on the floor in a more open space. If you decide to do this in place, be sure to mark the placement of the runners, with painters tape to keep things square and straight as you install.

To determine the mitered seam, lay out the rugs face up in their proper place perpendicular to each other with a full square of overlap. (The shape will look like an L and the corner of the L will have two layers of runner overlapping.)

Fold back the corners that are overlapping, and create the 45 degree fold down the center, like the diagram shows. You will be seeing 2 triangles of the back side of the runners, when you fold them back.

These triangles will need to be trimmed off to remove the added bulk. How much you trim is determined by the thickness of the carpet itself or how much the runner will unravel after being cut.

If you have a thick carpet you will not leave any excess but cut it exactly together along the 45 degree angle and use carpet joining seam tape to tape the carpets butted tight together at the seam.

If you have a thinner runner, then I would leave an excess of 2 inches past the folded edge. Cut off the triangle of carpet that will not stay leaving 2 extra inches like shown in the diagram below. Fold the 2 inch piece back onto itself under the face of the runner. Secure that cut edge, by adding the double sided tape and folding the excess back edge to back edge (with the tape sandwiched between).

This will give you two finished 45 degree angle cuts. Now you can use carpet seam tape on the back edge to secure the two pieces together.

Once you have the two rugs in place on the stairs, square and ready, use the double-sided carpet tape on the edges of the rug to secure this piece to the wood. Then staple along all edges and get the runner nice and secure. If necessary you could add some staples to the mitered seam, but these may be very visible or felt by bare feet, so be careful.

To finish just work your way down the stairs or up the stairs from this seam, following the carpet runner installation directions above.

In just four simple steps, you can transform your wooden stairs into a safe and stylish feature in your home. By measuring your stairs, choosing your runner, installing the gripper, and installing the stair runner, you can create a beautiful accent that enhances both form and function.

DIY Stair Runner Finishing Touches

Don’t be intimidated by a DIY stair runner project – it’s easy to complete in just a few hours. Take the first step (see what I did there…) towards creating a beautiful and safe staircase and start your transformation today.

As Ralph Waldo Emerson famously said, “Life is a journey, not a destination.” And with your newly renovated stairs, every step on that journey will be a beautiful one.

DIY Stair Runner Frequently Asked Questions

Can I install a stair runner myself? Is it hard to install?

Yes! Even a beginning DIYer can easily install a carpeted stair runner over hardwood stairs. It takes a little bit of time but not a lot of skill or even specialized tools — just a desire for pretty stairs and a staple gun!

How do you attach stair runners to stairs?

Heavy duty double-sided tape and a pneumatic staple gun are the best ways to attach a DIY stair runner to your wood stairs. There are other options that pros might use (like carpet tack strips), but we believe in making DIY as easy as it can be and only as complicated as it needs to be.

What makes installing a stair runner complicated?

For a straight staircase, the only complicated part about how to install a stair runner is measuring the stairs well — but see our tip above about using a sewing measuring tape to make it easy!

If you have a landing where the stairs turn, the complicated part is “mitering” the stair runner to match the 90-degree turn of the stairs. Follow our diagram above to make it simple!

How much time does it take to install a stair runner?

On a standard straight set of shorter stairs that need only one stair — installing a DIY stair runner is easily an afternoon project of 3-4 hours or less. Every transition to a new runner or landing will add some time, but even on a long staircase, one full day should be plenty of time to install a stair runner. Just make sure you have all your supplies before your start, because making a second trip to the store eats up all that DIYing time!

What are some other steps that are involved in installing a stair runner?

We broke it down into 4 steps for you:

1. Measure your stairs.
2. Shop for your runner.
3. Install non-slip carpet pad (optional).
4. Prep and install the stair rug runner.

Within these steps to install a stair runner, you’ll also need to make some decisions about matching rug patterns (if needed) on a long staircase or a landing and whether you want a waterfall edge or wrapped edge on the stair nose.

Stair Runner Rug Inspiration Gallery

We love touring beautiful homes at the Parade of Homes — here are some of the beautiful stair runners we’ve seen recently.

It’s important to note that all of these stair runners are custom-installed stair rugs in luxury homes. That means that continuing patterns, for example, isn’t an issue because the rug is custom bound carpet from a larger roll. You’ll also notice things like exact carpet match between a carpeted landing and a stair runner — again, that’s a feature that is pretty standard in a custom installation as you’d expect in a high-end home. If you love that look, you can find a way to DIY it!

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