The red carpet · Prices checked
Red carpet hire: lengths, posts and ropes, and what it costs
A red carpet runner is almost always 1.2 metres wide and comes in 3, 6, 9 or 12 metre lengths. Here is how much you need, how many posts and ropes go with it, and what hire companies charge.
By Claire Dunmore · 2 min read
A red carpet entrance has three parts: the runner on the ground, the posts (stanchions or bollards) along each side, and the velvet ropes that hang between them. All three are standard hire items, and the sizes are more standard than you might think.
How long a runner?
Measure from where guests step out of the car, or come through the gate, to the door. Every runner in the published price lists we read is 1.2 metres wide. Events Fantastic, on the Gold Coast and in Brisbane, lists red runners at 3, 6, 9 and 12 metres; Allwell Hire in Brisbane lists a 12 metre runner; Party Hire Group in Sydney and Melbourne lists a 6 metre runner. For a longer entrance, hire two runners and butt them together.
| Company | Item | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Events FantasticGold Coast and Brisbane | Red carpet runner 1.2 x 3 m | $85 + GST |
| Events FantasticGold Coast and Brisbane | Red carpet runner 1.2 x 6 m | $100 + GST |
| Events FantasticGold Coast and Brisbane | Red carpet runner 1.2 x 9 m | $130 + GST |
| Events FantasticGold Coast and Brisbane | Red carpet runner 1.2 x 12 m | $200 + GST |
| Allwell HireBrisbane | Red carpet 1.2 x 12 m, 1 to 4 days | $124 |
| Party Hire GroupSydney and Melbourne | Red carpet hire, 6 m | $120 |
Published hire prices, read on each company's site on 3 October 2026. Delivery and installation are extra unless stated.
Posts and ropes
Events Fantastic's setup advice is to place the posts "roughly 1 metre apart" on either side of the carpet, with a velvet rope between each pair. That makes the sum simple: for a runner of length L metres, you need about L + 1 posts on each side and L ropes on each side. A 6 metre runner takes 14 posts and 12 ropes.
| Company | Item | Price per hire |
|---|---|---|
| Hire Society | Stanchion (bollard), chrome | $19.86 |
| Hire Society | Rope, red, gold clasp | $8 |
| Party Hire Group | Red velvet rope | $5 |
Published prices, read 3 October 2026.
Gold and chrome posts are both common; rope comes in red, black, gold and blue. Check whether the posts have weighted bases if the entrance is outdoors and windy.
Indoors or out
Allwell Hire describes its runner as a polyester-blend carpet with a rubber backing that lasts longest indoors but "can be used outdoors in fine weather". On grass or gravel, ask the hire company about a base layer or a firmer surface; on a slope or steps, ask about taping or anchoring so nobody trips.
A runway, not just an entrance
The same runner and rope setup makes a catwalk for a fashion parade or a school formal entrance. A runway needs more length than a doorway, and a wider space either side for the audience; measure the full walk and price two runners end to end.
What to ask before you book
- Is the price per day, per weekend or per event, and does it include GST?
- Delivery, installation and pickup: included, or extra?
- Who cleans it, and what happens if it is stained?
- Can posts and carpet be picked up and returned yourself to save on delivery?
The Arrival Planner
Enter the length of your entrance and your guest numbers. The planner works out the runner, the posts and ropes, the marquee floor and the dance floor, and prices them from published Australian hire lists.
- Red carpet
- Posts and ropes
- Marquee floor
- Dance floor
Rules: runners 1.2 m wide in 3, 6, 9 and 12 m lengths, posts about 1 metre apart on both sides (Events Fantastic); 1 m² a guest seated, 0.5 m² standing (Barlens); 30 to 40% of guests dancing at once, 0.37 to 0.46 m² each (Curated Events). Prices: Events Fantastic (carpet, + GST) and Bargain Party Hire (marquees, floors), read 3 October 2026. A guide, not a quote.