Wall to wall carpet on the stairs and landing is still the most common staircase finish we fit, and for good reason. It is quiet, warm, safe underfoot and forgiving when someone misses a step. It is also the carpet that works hardest, so the specification and the fit decide whether it looks good for years or wears through at the front of each tread. This page covers fully carpeted stairs. If you are weighing up a runner over painted timber, or hard flooring instead, we have separate guides for those decisions.
Choosing a carpet for stairs
Every footstep on a staircase lands on the nosing, the front edge of the tread, so that is where a carpet shows wear first. A dense carpet holds up there much better than a soft, open one, and a correctly tensioned fit over a firm underlay helps as much as the carpet itself.
Choose a carpet you are happy to see continue onto the landing. Matching the stairs and landing gives one continuous look and avoids a join at the top step, which is one of the most exposed places in the house for a seam.
Which underlay is best for stairs
Stairs are the one place we steer people away from the softest foam. For stairs and hallways we recommend 8mm to 10mm crumb rubber underlay, because it resists crushing under the concentrated load of feet landing on the same spot every day. It costs a little more and takes more effort to fit, but on a staircase it lasts noticeably longer.
Save the plush 10mm to 11mm PU foam for bedrooms and living rooms, where comfort matters more than crush resistance. Upgrading underlay is usually a small line on the quote and one of the best value decisions you can make.
- Stairs and hallways: 8mm to 10mm crumb rubber
- Bedrooms and living rooms: 10mm to 11mm PU foam
- Heated floors: low tog, UFH-rated underlay only
Straight flights, winders and landings
A straight flight is the quickest part of the job. Winders, the wedge-shaped steps on a turn, are cut and fitted individually and take roughly twice the carpet of a straight step. Half landings, open sides with exposed stringers and spindles that need cutting around all add labour.
The landing is fitted like a small room, with the carpet brought over the top nosing so the flight and landing read as one piece. Where the landing opens into a hallway or bedroom, we plan the door bars and thresholds at the survey rather than on the day.
How stairs are measured
Stairs are measured by the step rather than by floor area. For each step we take the tread depth plus the riser height, add about 25mm for the nosing, and multiply by the number of steps. A typical UK straight flight of 13 steps needs roughly 4.5 to 5 linear metres of carpet from a one metre wide strip.
Winders are allowed for separately, and the landing is measured like a normal room with the return nosing and any spindle cut-outs added. We measure everything ourselves at the survey, so you do not need exact figures to get a quote.
What stair carpet fitting costs
Our published starting price for carpet is 18 pounds per square metre supplied and fitted, with underlay and gripper supplied. For a hallway, stairs and landing together, our indicative range is 480 to 780 pounds in carpet, assuming mid range materials, standard preparation, and uplift and disposal of the old covering.
The shape of the staircase moves the price more than the carpet does. Winders, a half landing and open sides all add time, while a straight closed flight is the simplest case. We bring samples to your home, measure on the spot and confirm a fixed price before any work starts.
Want this priced for your own rooms?
We measure, check the subfloor and give you an itemised written quote - free, with no obligation, across South East London and Kent.
Frequently asked questions
What underlay is best for stairs?
We recommend 8mm to 10mm crumb rubber for stairs and hallways because it resists crushing under constant foot traffic and lasts longer than soft foam.
How much does it cost to carpet stairs and a landing?
Our indicative range for a hallway, stairs and landing is 480 to 780 pounds in carpet with mid range materials, standard preparation, uplift and disposal.
How much carpet do I need for 13 stairs?
A typical straight flight of 13 steps takes roughly 4.5 to 5 linear metres of a one metre wide strip. Winders need about double a straight step each.
Should the landing match the stairs?
Usually yes. A matching landing gives one continuous look and avoids a seam at the top step, which takes a lot of wear.