7 common questions about carpet tiles

When considering installing carpet tiles, there are many questions to answer before deciding if tiles are the best solution. Here are seven of the most common:

1. Do you need underlay for carpet tiles?

Carpet tiles come with an underlay attached. This means that in normal circumstances, no additional underlay is required.

In noisy rooms or high-footfall commercial areas, acoustic underlay can be a good idea. It will reduce noise levels and prevent people hearing noise from upstairs rooms.

If carpet tiles are laid over underfloor heating systems, you may need an insulating underlay. Your carpet fitter will advise on which carpet tiles are best for underfloor heating.

If the floor has an existing underlay, this should be removed.

2. Do you need adhesives for carpet tiles?

Some carpet tiles have a seal and stick system. A layer is peeled off the back of the tile to uncover adhesive so that the tile can be pressed to the floor to stick it securely.

If the carpet tile does not have an adhesive backing, carpet tile glue will need to be spread on the back of each tile. Carpet tile adhesives are a PVA-type glue. They look white when first applied, but as they set, they turn transparent. It is best to wait until the adhesive starts to look transparent before fixing. A good carpet tile glue is tacky so that the carpet tiles stay in place, but can be lifted up to replace them.

It is important that the subfloor is level and clean in order to fit the tiles correctly.

Carpet tiles can be installed without adhesive, but if loose laying, double-sided tape can be used to stop the tiles moving when fitting.

3. Can you lay carpet tiles over existing carpet?

It is recommended to remove the old carpet before laying carpet tiles. If the old carpet is stuck to the floor and is difficult to remove, carpet tiles can be laid over it, but there could be several problems. For a start, if the height of the carpet and the tiles is too high, doors may not be able to open. This means that carpet tiles can only be laid over low pile carpets.

If the existing carpet is worn or has holes, the carpet tiled floor could look uneven. If areas of the carpet are worn down due to heavy footfall, after a while, the floor may start to sink in well-trodden areas.

These issues mean that it is generally better to remove the old carpet. If it is glued to the floor, an expert carpet fitter will be able to remove it.

4. Are carpet tiles waterproof?

Standard carpet tiles are not waterproof, but they do have water resistance, which means that they can be safely laid in areas that have outside entrances where people come in with dripping clothes and umbrellas on rainy days. As long as spills are wiped up promptly, there should be no water damage to the tiles.

Stain-resistant carpet tiles protect against stains from wine, coffee and other substances.

Standard carpet tiles are not recommended for high-moisture areas such as bathrooms and will not survive being immersed for prolonged periods in water if the room is flooded. Basements often have concrete floors and moisture can seep through the floor and damage carpets or carpet tiles.

There are waterproof carpet tiles suitable for basements. These have a waterproof backing that prevents moisture from reaching the carpet part of the tile.

You can also buy waterproof bathroom carpet tiles available. These are soft and comfortable, can be cleaned easily and are quick to install.

5. Are carpet tiles hard-wearing and long lasting?

The answer to this question depends on the quality of the carpet tiles. Cheap carpet tiles are thin and will not last long, especially in commercial high-footfall areas. Heavy duty carpet tiles are much more durable and suitable for high-traffic rooms in offices, restaurants, classrooms and other busy places.

For heavy use, it is recommended that stain-resistant tiles are installed.

Many rooms have areas that wear more quickly and noticeably than others due to how people walk through or across the room. The good thing about carpet tiles is that worn tiles can be replaced by new ones, without the need to relay the entire carpet. For that reason, it’s a good idea to buy spare tiles when installing carpet tiles.

6. Are carpet tiles expensive to install?

The total cost of carpet tiles is the cost of the tiles plus installation charges. A wall-to-wall carpet takes longer to install than carpet tiles, so carpet fitters will usually charge less for tiles.

Additionally, there will often be more wastage on roll carpet compared to carpet tiles. Rooms with corners and odd angles will require more carpet to be cut away.

You can try and save money by laying the carpet tiles yourself, but it is a skilled job best left to an expert carpet fitter

7. Are carpet tiles eco-friendly?

If you are concerned about using environmentally friendly products and reducing carbon emissions, look for carpet tiles made from natural fibres such as cotton, wool or jute. Alternatively, choose tiles made from recycled materials.

Anything that leads to less waste can only be beneficial for the environment, and with carpet tiles, worn areas can be replaced without requiring a completely new floor covering.

At the end of the carpet tiles’ life, they can be disposed of at carpet recycling centres able to recycle carpets in environmentally friendly ways.

Carpet tiles, like carpets, have thermal insulating properties that can save heating energy costs. Tiles laid over underfloor heating powered by solar panels is an eco-friendly and energy-efficient solution for heating buildings.

Some adhesives used to fix carpet tiles are not environmentally friendly and can pollute the air, but alternate eco-friendly adhesives are available.

Carpet tiles are a popular choice of floor covering, as good quality ones are cost-effective and are manufactured to last a long time. They are suitable for home or commercial use and available in a wide variety of colours and patterns.