What Are Carpet Tiles? 7 Things You Should Know

Are you thinking of changing your floor space and trying something different? You can use carpet tiles to create a wide range of exciting patterns. Follow these tips to install them on your own!

What Are Carpet Tiles?

Carpet tiles are small pieces of carpet cut into a square tile shape. They come in a few different sizes and colors, allowing you to customize your new flooring. You can even find them in multiple forms, such as rectangles or hexagons.

Also sometimes referred to as “carpet squares,” these tiles have a unique structure consisting of several fiber layers with a reinforcement layer. Such a design significantly boosts carpet tiles’ durability, making them an ideal option for high-traffic parts of your home.

Carpet tiles are also easier to install and more cost-effective than a full-sized carpet. It’s easy to take care of them, too. 

You can use carpet tiles in nearly any space you would install a standard full-length carpet. They’re more commonly used in public areas, but more people are using them to decorate their homes.

How To Install Carpet Tiles

Installing carpet tiles is pretty straightforward, even for the average DIYer. All you need to do is follow these steps:

• Step 1. Get the right amount of tiles. Make sure you have more than enough carpet tiles. You’ll also need to ensure that you have adhesive if the tiles don’t have it on the bottom.
• Step 2. Prep the floor space. Remove your old flooring and baseboards if needed. Sweep the flooring underneath to remove any debris.
• Step 3. Set up your tile layout. Lay all your carpet tiles on the floor in the design you want without gluing them down. Doing so lets you see if your plan will work or if you need to switch it up.
• Step 4. Glue down the tiles. Apply your adhesive to the bottom, then press the tile down. You want to make sure everything aligns perfectly. The glue can have a strong scent, so ventilate the area well.
• Step 5. Cut the carpet by the wall. You’ll likely need to trim the pieces bordering the walls to make them fit properly. You can use a utility knife to do this. 
• Step 6. Secure the carpet tiles. Finally, you can seal the tiles in place using a carpet roller. You’ll need to roll over every tile multiple times so the glue can bond with the floor.
• Step 7. Wait a few days. You’ll want to wait at least 48 hours before walking over the carpet, so it has time to set.

Are Carpet Tiles Worth It?

Carpet tiles have several benefits that make them worth your time and money. These benefits include cost savings, ease of installation, and many design options. They’ll also last long, even in places with heavy foot traffic.

The best benefit for most people is the cost savings. Since installing carpet tiles is relatively easy, you won’t spend nearly as much on labor costs. Plus, you can save time since carpet tiles are easier to transport than standard carpets.

Carpet tiles are also a great way to create a unique flooring design. You can mix and match the tiles to make your flooring design as simple or elaborate as you want; it’s entirely up to you. If you don’t want the seams to show, it’s also super easy to hide them.

Overall, carpet tiles are a worthwhile investment. They’re durable, versatile, and take little effort to install.

What Is the Thickness of Carpet Tiles?

Carpet tiles are usually between ½ inch and ¼ inch thick (1.27 cm to about 0.63 cm). However, the thickness can vary depending on the type of finish applied. Different styles also have different thicknesses to accommodate various consumer needs.

You’ll want to choose a thickness that suits your needs. 

You might want to use thinner tiles if you’re installing them on top of existing flooring. This way, the tiles won’t raise the floor too much and stop doors from opening. 

If you choose something thicker, you’ll need to remove your old flooring or readjust your doors to accommodate the new flooring. Either way, you’ll unnecessarily spend more time and (potentially) money, especially since the extra thickness doesn’t translate to improved durability.

How Do I Know How Many Carpet Tiles I Need?

You can know how many carpet tiles you need by measuring your entire floor space and calculating its area (in square feet). Once you determine the area of your floor space, divide that figure by the square footage of one of the carpet tiles to determine how many you need.

If the above calculations don’t yield a whole number, it’s better to round up. You can even add a few extra tiles. It’s always better to have more than you need than not enough, especially since you might make mistakes when cutting some of the tiles.

Can You Remove Carpet Tiles Later?

You can remove carpet tiles later if you want to change up your flooring after installation. The tiles are just as easy to take out as they were to install. This feature makes repairing damaged areas on the carpet convenient since you can simply replace them.

Knowing that you don’t have to commit to carpet tiles forever makes it easier to decide to install them. You can always change them out whenever you want or replace stained, worn-out pieces easily.

● Removing Old Carpet Tiles

Here’s a quick guide on removing old carpet tiles.

1. Gather tools. Spades and screwdrivers work well for prying up the old carpet.
2. Push the tool under. Starting at a seam, press the tool into the gap at an angle. Slide it across the seam length; you should feel it “let go” of the floor underneath.
3. Pull the carpet. Grab the edges of the carpet as they lift and pull them up. If the tiles are stubborn, you can use a sharp tool to break them free from the glue. 
4. Continue removing tiles. Once you have the first carpet tile out, it becomes much easier to remove the rest.