7 Popular Questions About Carpet Tiles
When contemplating installing carpet tiles, there are many topics to answer before determining if tiles are the best choice. Here are seven of the most typical questions asked by consumers:
1. Do you need an underlay for carpet tiles?
Carpet tiles come with an underlay connected. This indicates that in ordinary circumstances, no additional underlay is needed.
In rooms that are noisy or high-footfall commercial areas, acoustic underlay can be a good option. It will decrease noise levels and prevent people from hearing noise from upstairs areas.
If carpet tiles are placed over under-floor heating systems, you may require an insulating underlay. Your carpet fitter will recommend which carpet tiles are most suitable for underfloor heating. If the floor has a current underlay, this should be lifted and discarded.
2. Do you need adhesives for carpet tiles?
Certain types of carpet tiles have a seal and stick arrangement. A layer is stripped off the back of the tile to reveal adhesive so that the tile can be held to the floor to stick it securely.
If the carpet tile does not have a sticky backing, carpet tile glue will need to be covered on the back of each tile. Carpet tile adhesives are PVA-type glue.
They appear white when first applied, but as they set, they turn clear. It is best to pause until the adhesive begins to look transparent before fixing. A great carpet tile glue is tacky so that the carpet tiles stay in position but can be lifted up to substitute them.
It is essential that the subfloor is level, flat and clean in order to install the tiles accurately.
Carpet tiles can be installed without glue, but if loose laying, double-sided tape can be utilised to prevent the tiles from moving when fitting.
3. Can you install carpet tiles over existing carpet?
It is advised to remove the old carpet before placing carpet tiles. If the old carpet is fastened to the floor and is hard to remove, carpet tiles can be installed over it, but there could be various problems.
Firstly, if the height of the carpet and the tiles is too great, doors may not be capable of opening. This indicates that carpet tiles can only be laid over low pile carpets.
If the existing carpet is old or has holes, the carpet tiled floor could look irregular. If sections of the carpet are worn down due to heavy foot traffic, after a while, the floor may begin to subside in well-trodden areas.
These problems mean that it is ordinarily better to remove the old carpet. If it is fixed to the floor, an expert carpet fitter will be able to remove it.
4. Are carpet tiles waterproof?
Regular carpet tiles are not waterproof, but they do have water resistance, which suggests that they can be securely laid in regions that have outdoor entrances where people come in with dripping clothes and umbrellas on wet days.
As long as spills are dried up promptly, there should be no water harm to the tiles.
Stain-resistant carpet tiles guard against stains from wine, coffee and other elements.
Regular carpet tiles are not advised for high-moisture areas such as bathrooms and will not withstand being immersed for continued periods in water if the area is flooded. Basements often have cement floors, and dampness can leak through the floor and decay carpets or carpet tiles.
There are waterproof carpet tiles that can be used for basements. These have a waterproof lining that stops moisture from entering the carpet part of the tile.
You can also purchase waterproof bathroom carpet tiles that are available on the market. These are soft to the touch and comfortable, can be cleaned efficiently and are quick to fix.
5. Are carpet tiles hard-wearing and long-lasting?
The answer to this problem relies on the quality of the carpet tiles. Cheap carpet tiles are thin and flimsy and will not last for a long time, particularly in commercial high traffic areas.
Heavy-duty carpet tiles are much more durable and ideal for high-traffic rooms in offices, restaurants, classrooms and different busy areas.
For heavy use, it is advised that stain-resistant tiles are placed.
Many rooms have spaces that wear more swiftly and noticeably than others due to how people walk through or over the room.
The good thing about carpet tiles is that used tiles can be replaced by new ones without the necessity to pull up the entire carpet. For that purpose, it’s a good approach to buy spare tiles when installing carpet tiles.
6. Are carpet tiles expensive to install?
The whole cost of carpet tiles is the cost of the tiles plus installation costs. A wall-to-wall carpet needs longer to install than carpet tiles, so carpet fitters will normally charge less for tiles.
Furthermore, there will often be more extra wastage on roll carpet compared to carpet tiles. Rooms with nooks and odd angles will need more carpet to be cut off.
You can try and conserve money by laying the carpet tiles yourself, but it is a skilful job best left to a proficient carpet fitter
7. Are carpet tiles eco-friendly?
If you are concerned about utilising environmentally friendly merchandises and decreasing carbon emissions, look for carpet tiles produced from natural fibres such as cotton, jute or wool. Alternatively, pick tiles made from recycled elements.
Anything that drives to less waste can only be advantageous for the environment, and with carpet tiles, worn sections can be replaced without needing a wholly new flooring installation.
When it’s time for replacement, they can be disposed of at carpet recycling stations able to recycle carpets in environmentally beneficial ways.
Carpet tiles, like carpets, have thermal insulating qualities that can lessen heating energy costs. Tiles installed over underfloor heating powered by solar panels is an eco-friendly and energy-efficient answer for heating buildings.
Certain adhesives used to fix carpet tiles are not environmentally friendly and can contaminate the air, but alternative eco-friendly adhesives are available.
Carpet tiles are a favourite choice of floor carpeting, as great quality ones are cost-effective and are manufactured to last a long period. They are ideal for home or commercial applications and possible in a wide assortment of colours and patterns.
