Any commercial or residential area can gain advantage from the addition of carpet, which is an easy way to adds warmth, texture, and tone to their space. Depending on your size, price, and taste, you can install the carpet in a variety of ways.
‘Broadloom carpeting’ is the most conventional type of carpet installation. Carpet is cut from enormous sheets and put from wall to wall in this method. It’s effective, but it’s not ideal for every situation.
Due to their modular structure, carpet tiles have been a popular alternative in recent years, particularly in high-traffic areas such as offices and classrooms.
What Are Carpet Tiles?
Carpet tiles, or carpet squares as they’re sometimes called, are individual carpet tiles that can be slotted together. Typically, carpet tiles have a pile fibre layer tufted onto a primary backing, which is then reinforced by a second layer.
Carpet tiles were created in the mid-twentieth century to provide a self-serve flooring option that homeowners could easily install themselves.
In addition to its practicality, carpet tiles come in an endless variety of colourful designs, making them ideal for just adding colour to a room.
While broadloom carpet has remained a popular choice in the house, with laminate, vinyl, and hardwood floors also increasing in popularity. It is usually an option for home, however, carpet tiles’ popularity is growing in a different, more commercial sector.
Carpet tiles are commonly used in offices, school classrooms, and many industrial facilities due to their longevity, ease of maintenance, and efficiency.
What are the different sizes of carpet tiles?
The most popular carpet tile size is 50 by 50cm, however they are also available in other sizes and formats.
There are more niche, weird forms to match certain places or produce a certain impression than just squares that the tiles can be marketed in. They will, however, be a little more expensive to buy, and some may require a little more expertise and planning to install, though a professional installer should be able to handle this with ease.
What Carpet Tile Styles Are Available?
The design and colour of carpet tiles were a major factor in their popularity in the house, particularly in the 1960s and 1970s. Recent technological advancements have enabled carpet tile colour and pattern to be more vibrant than ever before.
While the is a mainstay of carpet tile is boxy look, where the pattern flows together effortlessly, , it is not uncommon to see alternate, geometric shapes flow throughout a space. For many office spaces, this is becoming a more common alternative.
Carpet tiles are made up of a variety of pile yarns and materials, each having its own set of advantages. Nylon is the most common, as it has good wear resistance and is recyclable. Wool, polypropylene, and recycled polyester are among the materials used to make carpet tiles (PET.)
Advantages of Carpet Tiles
1. Easy installation
One of the most appealing features of carpet tiles is how convenient they are. They are simple to store, carry, and handle because they are modular and can be purchased in tiny sections.
Professional installers will have no trouble installing carpet tiles because they are so simple to put together. Installation may take place with little disruption to the work or residential environment, and in a short amount of time.
2. Versatile
Carpet tiles are a truly versatile product, easy to handle in tiny places and simple to install over big areas. There’s something for everyone, from the boardroom to the bedroom, thanks to the variety of designs, shapes, and materials available.
Carpet tiles are the answer in modern workplace spaces where flooring conceal sophisticated wiring or ducting configurations that must be accessible at all times. These sections can be accessible without compromising the flooring because they’re easy to cut to size.
3. Affordable
Carpet tiles are economical since they produce minimal waste, take up little storage space, and are simple to transport. The most significant cost savings is in the installation expense, as it will take a professional installer far less time than installing wall-to-wall carpet.
For businesses wishing to lay carpet, the relative speed of employing carpet tiles means less interruption and downtime, which translates to reduced prices.
4. Durable
Carpet tiles are a high-performing flooring option known for its long lifespan and ability to handle heavy usage in busy spaces. Low pile, looped, and tightly woven carpet tiles make up the majority of carpet tiles.
Carpet tiles, on the other hand, can be customised to meet specific requirements. You can change the look, feel, and performance of your carpet tile by changing the yarn fibre, pile weight, and backing option.
5. Require Low Maintenance
Taking care of your carpet tiles is simple. They are easy to clean and replace. The carpets are easy to keep clean on a daily basis since they respond well to regular vacuuming, but because they have a low pile, they tend to retain less dirt.
The benefit of carpet tiles is that they can be readily replaced if there is a problem region in a specific area. The tiles can be removed and replaced, just like they were when they were first installed.
6. Reusable and long-lasting
Because you order the tiles to match the space – unlike broadloom, where this is not an option due to the wall-to-wall installation – there is relatively minimal waste in the initial instance of installing carpet tiles. This has a long-term benefit as well; if you need to replace individual carpet tiles, you won’t have to replace the entire floor.
In many circumstances, carpet tiles can also be reused. While they may no longer match your needs in terms of colour, design, or visual quality, they will almost certainly find a new home elsewhere. Carpet tiles are frequently restored and repurposed for use in social or entry-level housing.
Disadvantages of Carpet Tiles
The majority of the problems of carpet tiles are due to its modular shape rather than the tiles themselves, which are a fantastic alternative to traditional broadloom carpet.
1. Non-uniform look
The nature of how carpet tiles are created means that even with inch-perfect placement, carpet tiles may not replicate the consistent look of broadloom carpets. Some versions are better at imitating a ‘broadloom’ look than others.
2. Loose Fibre or Fraying
There are more joints/seams in a carpet tile installation than in an equivalent broadloom installation, for obvious reasons. There is no special difficulty with this from a practical sense if we overlook the aesthetics. Fraying or loose fibre to tile edges can occasionally occur due to manufacturing errors, however this is a reasonably simple problem to fix before or after installation.
3. Installation Process is Often Overlooked
While carpet tiles are reasonably simple to install, it is critical to adhere to the manufacturer’s recommendations as well as the necessary British Standards that govern installation procedures and conditions.
Acclimatization, in particular, is a condition that is frequently disregarded, often for practical reasons. If tiles are not adequately acclimatised, they may ‘move’ during the post-installation period. As joints between tiles grow more evident, or tiles ‘tent’ (centre higher than corners) or ‘dish,’ the overall appearance can become unattractive (corners higher than centre). This type of problem is more likely to arise at times of year when the outside and inside ambient temperatures differ the most.
It’s also crucial to be aware of the directions for attaching carpet tiles to the subfloor for the same reasons. Some tiles are self-adhesive or use unique bonding technologies, but for the most part, a tacky glue is used to keep the tiles in the lateral plain stable while yet allowing them to be lifted and removed. Specific details on adhesive kind and coverage may differ from product to product, so look for and follow them.
4. Less Luxurious Perception
Carpet tiles have a reputation for being less comfy and sumptuous underfoot than, instance, a broadloom carpet placed over an underlay. While this may have been true to some extent, many carpet tiles now feature inherent cushion backings that give enhanced comfort, insulation, and anti-fatigue effects.
Is It Necessary to Purchase Carpet Tiles?
In the end, it’s up to you to decide whether carpet tiles will work in your room. Hopefully, after reading our honest review, you will know, but if not, here are some of the most important reasons to buy carpet tiles:
1. Carpet tiles are a terrific option if you’re short on time and want your flooring done with the least amount of disruption and delay possible.
2. Carpet tiles have a clear advantage over broadloom alternatives in terms of ease of handling, distribution, storage, and transportation.
3. Carpet tiles should absolutely be considered if relative ease of installation and potential cost savings are important considerations.
4. Carpet tiles are a great alternative if you want a low-maintenance, easy-to-replace flooring solution.
5. Carpet tiles are a wonderful way to add some color and individuality to a room if you don’t have the funds for a custom design.
Have you decided that carpet tiles are a good fit for your space? Check out our heavy-duty collection, which is ideal for use in offices, classrooms, and other high-traffic environments.
