Question 1

Do you need underlay for carpet tiles?

Accepted Answer

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.

Question 2

Do you need adhesives for carpet tiles?

Accepted Answer

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.

Question 3

Can you lay carpet tiles over existing carpet?

Accepted Answer

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.

Question 4

Are carpet tiles waterproof?

Accepted Answer

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.

Question 5

Are carpet tiles hard-wearing and long lasting?

Accepted Answer

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.

Question 6

How do you clean carpet tiles?

Accepted Answer

Definitely do not use any bleach products as this will for sure stain the pile and will soak through to the bitumen backing and melt it. A damp cloth can be used with a tiny amount of washing up liquid to remove stubborn stain or an appropriate carpet cleaner. We have known customers to run wet cleaning machines over and one lady once swore by putting them in her washing machine which she said kept them looking 'like new', although we definitely wouldn't recommend this. If you want to run a wet and dry vacuum over then we advise testing on a very small area first to check that no serious damage will be done before doing the whole area as every machine is different.

Question 7

Are carpet tiles suitable for pets?

Accepted Answer

Yes, carpet tiles are great for pets. Any accidents that will inevitably end up happening mean that one or two single tiles can be lifted and simply cleaned. If you do not want to clean then make sure you have a few spare and drop them in and discard the dirty ones. We tend to find that loop pile tiles are best steered away from as they can catch in claws and pull up. Either use smooth pile tiles like a cut pile or if not then our hobnail ones work pretty well in this environment.

Question 8

Can you fit carpet tiles on stairs?

Accepted Answer

You can use carpet tiles on stairs, but this is normally only carried out in a commercial situation as a suitable aluminum stair tread nosing will need to be used. We do not sell stair treads, but they are readily available from manufacturers or suppliers online. You should, however, permanently glue any tiles on the treads and risers for safety and should not use carpet tile low tack adhesive in this situation. Some of the suppliers of safety stair nosings will supply a sample box in the post where you can match up your stair nosing to the correct shape and design required. They cut and drill to your individual measurements making them simple to fit. You can even choose different coloured inserts to either match or highlight potential hazards depending on your circumstance or application. We are often asked whether we supply rolled carpet to match the colours of the carpet tiles, but we do not. We are solely a carpet tile specialist and have all the carpet tiles featured on our site manufactured and produced to our own specifications.

Hopefully, this will answer some of your questions and queries that you may have about carpets tiles and their uses. If you have anything else you wish to ask then please get in touch and we will be happy to help.

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