The job
A carpet runner up a straight flight of dark stained hardwood stairs. Both photos were taken on June 8, 2026, with the runner in.
What the photos show
- From the bottom. The runner climbs the full flight, centred, with stained wood showing on both sides of every tread and riser.
- From the top. The carpet wraps over each nosing and down the riser, and its small check pattern runs straight from step to step.
Runner or full stair carpet?
A runner keeps the look of the wood while giving grip and quieter steps where people actually walk. Full stair carpet covers the whole tread and feels softer, but hides the wood. Runners suit stairs with good hardwood like this flight, while worn or mismatched treads are usually better covered completely. See stair runner installation for both options, and carpet installation if the bedrooms are getting new carpet too.
Before a runner goes in
The stairs need to be solid and quiet first. Loose treads and squeaks get fixed before the runner goes down, and if the wood is worn along the edges the runner will not cover, those edges can be refinished so the whole flight looks finished.
What a job like this costs
Stair carpet and runners in Mississauga run about $25 to $60 per step installed, before HST. A typical 13-step flight comes to roughly $325 to $780, depending on the runner, the install style and whether old carpet has to come off first. Get a firm number with a free in-home measure.