When deciding to renovate your home, some projects can be more daunting than others. Your staircase will likely fall into that category, especially if you’re looking to replace your flooring.
Calculating the amount of solid, engineered wood, laminate or vinyl flooring you need might seem like a tricky task, however if you take the right measurements, it should be pretty straightforward.
We’ve created a step-by-step guide to make the process of learning how to measure stairs for flooring as easy as possible.
Tools You’ll Need to measure your stairs for flooring
Before you start measuring, you’ll need all the tools for the job! Take a look at our list below and ensure you have the essentials to hand:
- Tape measure
- Pen/pencil
- Paper
- Calculator
Measure Stairs for Flooring: Step-by-Step
Below is a breakdown of how to measure your stairs if they’re straight. If your stairs are winding, then take a look below as the process is slightly different.
- Start by measuring one stair width, this is the horizontal part of the stair that you step on.
- Measure it from one side to the other, for example from the wall to the handrail. Note down the figure and keep it to hand. For this step-by-step we’ll assume it’s 80cm (0.8m).
- Next, you need to measure the tread of the stair. This is the edge of the step, to the back of the step, essentially the opposite direction of the first measurement you took.
- Now measure the height of the stair. The height and tread measurements should give you the same result.
- You then need to add the tread and height measurements together. For example, if both the tread and height are 25cm (0.25m), add them together, to give you 50cm (0.5m).
- You now have two separate measurements, the total of the tread and height, plus the horizontal measurement from Step 1. These need to be multiplied to determine the area for one step. In our example, this would be 0.8m x 0.5m which would give us 0.4m2.
- Take this figure and multiply it by the number of steps that you have, say for example the number is 10, 0.4 multiplied by 10 steps will mean that 4m2 of flooring is required in total.
- We recommend ordering at least 10% extra material to accommodate any cut-offs. Plus, it also means that in the event of any damage in the installation process, you have some spare material to fix it.
- Any questions about how to measure stairs for laminate or any other type of flooring? Get in touch with a member of our friendly team who’ll be happy to assist you.
Measuring Winding Stairs for Flooring: Step-by-Step
The biggest difference between measuring winding stairs and straight stairs, is that you’re required to measure each step individually.
- Start by measuring the width of each stair. Note down the figure for each step. On a winding step measure across the widest point.
- Next you need to measure the tread of each stair. This is the edge of the step, to the back of the step across the widest point.
- Measure the height (also referred to as the ‘riser’ of the stair), again at the highest point.
- For each individual step, add the tread and height measurements together.
- You now have two separate measurements for each step, the total of the tread and the riser, plus the width measurement from Step 1. These need to be multiplied to determine the area for each step.
- With a figure for each step, add them together to get the amount of flooring required. Don’t forget, we recommend ordering at least 10% extra material.
- Measuring a winding staircase for flooring can be tricky, so if you need any help, get in touch with our flooring specialists and they can talk you through the process.
We’d Love to See Your Results!
We love to see how a project comes together, so share your staircase makeover on Instagram, including any tips you have for people tackling the same project!
Remember our team of flooring experts are always on hand to offer guidance and advice, so don’t hesitate to get in touch.
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