A Guide to Carpet Tiles

Carpet Tiles Review

2009-04-02T04:28:00.001-07:00

While typical carpet may be the best option or at least the most traditional for your home, it isn't your only one. This review will show that carpet tiles offer an alternative. They also come with many benefits that one wouldn't expect. And certainly this review will show that carpet tiles do have characteristics that normal wall to wall carpet does not. Carpet tiles do offer a difference, and this review will hopefully show why.

Carpet tiles are a good option for the money conscious; they are invariably cheap and cost effective. You could fit out a whole house for the same price that it would cost to fill a bedroom with standard carpet. First home owners looking to build their first dwelling should see carpet tiles as a valuable opportunity to cut costs whilst maintaining modernity as well as style and fashion ability. Your fellow friends will be jealous they didn't take that route with their own built properties.

Carpet tiles also offer the ability to modernize and create unique style and fashion statements wilth the use of the various different carpet tiles available in today's market. Many carpet tiles offer different styles, textures and colors as well as different thicknesses and also different useful qualities.

Carpet tiles can also be lifted up after installation pretty easily even after several years. This comes in handy when one wants to rejuvenate a room with different carpet tiles or simply want to fix old tiles that may have become stained over time. Creating a room with new carpet tiles can be a brilliant idea if you especially have young children. Young children will often play with food; mud and play do and easily make a room let alone the floors grubby and dirty. For this reason carpet tiles can be a good choice as to remove and install new carpet tiles is a simple task. Just remember to note the make and model of the carpet tiles that you used to initially install as it will be easier to find and replace the existing tiles with those model numbers.

Some important things to consider are the thickness and density of the chosen carpet tiles as generally the thinner the cheap and the thicker the more expensive and durable. It would probably be a better investment investing in carpet tiles that are a little pricier than the typical cheap carpet tiles and versions as they generally last longer and are far more durable and stable. But regardless, do your research before you head out to the shops to make sure the carpet tiles you buy are the right fit for your home.

Some other important things to remember with the purchasing of carpet tiles are to make sure that there is hard floor underneath such as cement or concrete flooring. There are carpet tiles that can be installed on a plywood subfloor as some carpet tiles have installed padding already but regardless, review the flooring in the room you'd like to install carpet tiles over to make sure the end result, is in fact, the desired result.

Hopefully this review has shown that carpet tiles are a fantastic option for all the above reasons. They're relatively cheap with respect to standard wall to wall carpet, they're easy to maintain and they're far easier to maintain. To assist with your carpet tiles search, check online to find the best deals and research to find the best carpet tiles to buy. Hopefully this carpet tiles review will help in you’re important decision making.

Cheap Carpet Tiles – A Negative Review!

2009-03-27T21:06:00.000-07:00

One of the best aspects of carpet tiles is that mostly they are renowned for being cheap, but unfortunately, at times, they look just that, cheap! Carpet tiles were invented around 50 years ago for use in commercial premises only, someone discovered years later that they could also be used in residential properties as a cheaper alternative to wall to wall carpet. A growing trend has seen the use of cheap carpet tiles in residential dwellings as some have preferred their easy and practical installation and their ‘sophisticated’ look. But there are several problems with carpet tiles, they are not as cheap as some might think and they don’t always hold their own when it comes to durability and practicality.

One of their main problems is that they don’t always appear to be a cohesive singular form of carpet (i.e. not look like wall to wall carpet). Cheap carpet tiles generally promote and provide for an untidy look with the edges of the carpets being brought to the surface meaning a disjointed looking carpet even after just a short period of time. The age of the carpet tiles determines the severity of this, but I’ve had problems with carpet tiles that I have laid correctly a week ago, and now appear disjointed already. Further to the fact that they appear disjointed, they can also be quite dangerous. Since the edges stick up, it’s fairly easy for someone to trip and fall.

Regardless of how well one has installed them and the quality of cheap carpet tiles purchased, they are not wall to wall carpet and do not appear as such! One can always tell that a carpet tile is a carpet tile, and everyone always knows that they're a choice for the budget conscious. Do you really want to create a cheap impression by buying cheap carpet tiles? I think not.

Installation is often marked as being simple and easy, but the skill of the workman is important in performing the task. Sometimes it doesn’t even matter whether they’ve been installed correctly as the seams will nearly always show. I realized after a workman installed my carpet tiles that they simply looked crappy because I could see the hundred or so seams in the room. And I thought he did a good job. The other thing to note is that the measurements have to be spot on in respect to the carpet tiles and the job at hand. A slight error will sometimes mean that a whole room will look misaligned.

Some say carpet tiles do not need any gluing or adhesive but from my experience over time the cheap carpet tiles will require some glue to put back down the peels on the corners. From what I’ve noticed though, if dust has stuck on the edges of the peels, they’re nearly impossible to stick back down again. This means that new carpet tiles are in order and what that means is that you’re more likely than not going to require another trip back down to the carpet tile manufacturer. More problems arise if they don’t stock that particular type of carpet tile anymore and further to that, the new carpet tile, if you can purchase it, will never look the same next to the old ones of your floor.

They say that carpet tiles are durable, but again from my experience, it doesn’t take long at all for them to fluff up over a small amount of traffic. They will simply look jaded after awhile and will lose quality. Be really careful in choosing whether you actually want to purchase cheap carpet tiles. Cheap carpet tiles are cheap, but they also generally look pretty cheap also.

Cheap Carpet Tiles : Making Sure Cheap Carpet Tiles Are High Quality

2009-03-27T05:36:00.000-07:00

You may have found some cheap carpet tiles either online or offline through a storefront somewhere and you're ready to lay the carpet tiles down to redecorate your home or office. The problem with cheap carpet tiles is that sometimes discounts are offered for a different reason than simply good will toward the customer from the store. If you're getting carpet tiles for too cheap a price, it could have been a sign that you weren’t getting what you paid for. The best thing to do in this case is to look at the cheap carpet tiles and run several types of tests on them to make sure they're of high enough quality to put safely on your floor and make it look presentable. Carpets should stand up to several types of tests to make sure they can handle daily traffic and other use.

First, your cheap carpet tiles need to be tested for pile weight. Pile weight, when the carpet is actually first made, is done by taking the amount of threads that are use in the creation of a tile and weighing them. If they are above a certain weight, they are deemed to be passable quality. You can reach down and run your hand over the carpet. You should feel the actual carpet mostly, and not the backing. If you feel the backing, it means that the discount carpet tile's threading has been worn thin and it's no longer really useable. Factories measure the weight of the pile in grams per meter, but you likely don't have the materials to do this. You can settle for just feeling what the carpet feels like and walking on it a few times.

Next, you should test to see how well your cheap carpet tile gives. This is important because thread that gives too much means that you're going to be standing on the bare backing before long and it won't be comfortable on the feet. In addition, the thread itself could be damaged or even ripped completely free. Too little give in the carpet would mean that it wasn't comfortable to walk on. Either way, your carpet can't have too much or too little give. The best way to test it is to press on it with your hand and see how much bounce it has. Also, take your shoes and socks off if possible and walk on it to see how it feels beneath your feet. It should feel pleasant beneath your feet, with or without shoes and socks.

Next, you can try to see how well your cheap carpet tiles stand up to scuffing. This is when people simply drag their feet or any other objects across the carpet, pulling on the threads and possibly ripping them free. Good carpet shouldn't suffer from this. In fact, Berber carpet usually doesn't give unless something gets caught in the loops in the yarn. What you can do to test for scuffing is to actively scuff your shoes on the carpet. Take a close look after a while of doing this and take note of the threads where your feet were. If they look pulled out or changed in direction, then the carpet was poorly made. Usually, it should be able to stand up to the force of a human foot. However, if the area is highly traveled it might be a little more difficult.

If you're in an office or if you have a rolling computer chair, you can test one of these on your cheap carpet tile. Sit down in the chair and roll back and forth over the same spot several times. After you've done this and allowed the carpet maybe ten minutes of recovery time, take a look at the pathways you traveled. If the carpet is of poor quality, it will have very pronounced tracks from the rollers. However, some particularly well-made carpets will resist this.

These are just a few tests you can perform on your own. There are other tests done by companies, such as the test to see how well the carpet insulates delicate equipment like computers from static electricity, and how well thet carpets stand up against carpet water damage but you likely don't have the equipment needed to measure electrical current with your cheap carpet tiles. Instead, simply walk on them and test the feel. The difference between high and low quality is very evident, even to the novice observer.

How to Clean Berber Carpet Tiles

2009-03-27T05:33:00.000-07:00

Berber carpet tiles are some of the most beautiful, luxurious and economical types of carpet in the world, and they are able to last for many years if they are cared for properly. Berber carpet tiles are made of a special kind of yarn and looped through the backing several time to give it a more secure hold, a more insulated and airy surface, and a softer feel when walking upon it. The tiles are very easy to clean and care for, but you have to be careful with them, otherwise Berber carpet tiles can begin unravel. They are made of interconnected yarn, which means that pulling one part of the yarn can cause the whole tile to come undone and once this process starts, there is little you can do to fix it other than replace the unraveled tile. As far as cleaning Berber tiles, there is a specific method you must adhere to so that the tiles remain clean and stay intact.

First of all, you should have a regular cleaning schedule and use carpet cleaning methods to clean your carpet. Although Berber carpet isn't quite as bad as normal carpet about attracting and trapping dirt, particles of dirt can still get clogged in the fabric if it's left long enough without cleaning and people walk through and track all their dirt and dust in to the room. Because of this, it's always best to make sure you clean Berber carpet regularly. Once every two weeks to a month should be enough, depending on how much traffic the carpet actually gets. It might be fine for a month or so. Also, be careful about pets with nails, as well as children with sharp objects because these can pull the carpet and create snags. The same goes for any vacuum cleaner with a beater bar. If you want to minimize the amount of dirt that gets on your Berber carpet tiles, a good way to do this is to have people take their shoes off before stepping on to the carpet. This will greatly minimize the tracked in dirt from visitors. If this isn't feasible, request that anyone entering wipe their feet thoroughly before they get on the carpet. When it comes time to clean Berber carpet tiles, there are several ways to do it. You can steam clean it, shampoo it, or even dry clean it. Steam cleaning is the most effective way of cleaning Berber carpet, and really the most effective way of cleaning most carpets of any type. Steam cleaning is done by heating water to around 140 degrees and mixing a little detergent in with it. This makes it so that the resulting solution will be able to both remove stains and kill off any bacteria present in the carpet.

With Berber carpet tile, this isn't too likely because it's made of wool. Wool is more resistant to bacterial growth than other types of carpet. However, steam cleaning can sometimes discolor the yarn, especially if it's made of olefin, the most common material used in this type of carpet. Also, be careful not to drag furniture across it, because it will create snags and markings that can't be removed. Berber carpet isn't like normal carpet in this regard – it's not made to have heavy things dragged across it because the yarn can be ripped loose. This is one advantage synthetic carpets have over Berber carpet – they will be a little more resistant to pressure. The best thing to do is lift furniture and set it back down if it actually needs to be moved. However, you should be able to do most of your cleaning without having to move the furniture much, if at all.

The question many people ask when they want Berber carpet tiles is whether to go with nylon or wool. Nylon is cheaper and has the same appearance. It also resists stains and wearing, and is overall a more durable material than wool. Wool, on the other hand, is more resistant to bacteria growing inside the carpet. Nylon has been known to experience bacterial growth more easily than other materials. And its better to clean with a carpet cleaning solution

Because Berber is incredibly durable AND very attractive, decorating your home or office with Berber tiles can be a wise decision that you will be proud of for many years to come.

Commercial Carpet Tiles, The Benefits!

2009-03-21T18:25:00.000-07:00

When picking out new flooring, many companies have been migrating towards commercial carpet tiles. These tiles offer many advantages for a business. What you have to decide is whether or not they are the right fit for your personal situation.

Some of the biggest advantages of these carpet systems are that they are modular in nature which makes a very simple install when compared to virtually any other type of carpeted flooring. They are easy to replace, clean and perform general upkeep on. Basically, they are highly cost effective carpet solutions. When deciding if carpet tiles are right for you, you will need to consider where the tiles are going to be used at, the type of business you are running, and the budget you are dealing with. First consider where the tiles are going to be installed. How much foot traffic will be walking over the tiles? What kind of traffic? Is it just going to be people or will it be people with their pets? Are food and other material that has the potential to cause stains going to be in the area of the carpet on a frequent basis? For these types of scenarios, commercial carpet tiles are an ideal solution. High foot traffic areas tend to wear out carpet very fast.

It doesn't need to be said but commercial carpet tiles are very replaceable - with little effort and very cost effectively. This is especially good if you're looking at using commercial carpet tiles to commercial shopping venues or other high traffic centers.

These are places where the flooring gets worn out extremely fast and often needs to be replaced. It is important that the flooring can be replaced in a very fast and cost effective manner to prevent any disruption to the shopping center visitors. With these tile systems, the install can be completed in small sections allowing for pathways to always be available to foot traffic. Other types of businesses such as restaurants have a high likelihood of their carpets being stained. Just like in the case of shopping centers, it is essential that the carpet can be cleaned, repaired or replaced in a timely manner. Commercial carpet tiles allow the business to only have to deal with the places that were damaged. This minimizes any disruption that might occur to the rest of the establishment.

If installing carpet tiles in areas that you foresee that won't be permanent, for instance, in locations that will have to have the carpet replaced fairly frequently, commercial carpet tiles offer a fantastic solution. This is due in part to the ability to have the tiles designed to be able to be installed in a dry installation fashion. An adhesive backing will be used on the other side of the tile which allows an even simpler install and an even simpler removal. This is done without (assuming the designs are of good quality) problems with respect to slipping or what not. They'll be affixed enough to avoid that problem.

This benefit can be especially useful in locations that require constant changing of their internal dcors. Semi permanent carpet tiles are pretty simply the best money can buy when this solution is required.

In conclusion it must be said that in some instances this solution may not be most beneficial. Although commercial carpet tiles come in a variety of different textures, styles and sizes, they may not be as thick as normal or conventional carpets. This generally means that they may not have the same life span that normal carpet has, or the firmness. With all of that being said, it must be noted though that commercial carpet tiles do offer a fantastic alternative and a cheaper one at that!

Carpet Tile Style

2009-03-18T19:31:00.000-07:00

It used to be the case that carpet tiles looked cheap and ugly. When looking at flooring options, cheap carpet tiles had styles that were limited, colors were atrocious, and they were obviously intended for commercial projects where the owners cared only about cost and did not think twice about looks. Those days are certainly not gone. You can find fairly horrendous looking modular carpets all across the country from hospitals to offices and even schools. The era of inexpensive ugly tiles will never entirely go away. They are just too economical a choice for many businesses where style simply plays no role in how their business is run. In fact, many businesses prefer cheap tile because it is disposable. Other business look at carpet squares as an interim solution until they can install the flooring that they truly want. There is absolutely nothing wrong with this. It just shows how versatile this type of flooring can be. In fact modular carpet often comes in permanent and less permanent designs to fit a wide range of requirements.

Despite the fact that some incredibly unstylish designs of the type discussed above exist, we are fortunately past the era when cheap and ugly was the only way to describe carpet tile. Today these tiles come in a vast array of styles, colors and thicknesses to fit anyone's taste. Of course business customers will still be drawn to these tiles much more than home owners. For business, the vast number of choices available for modular carpet has greatly increased their abilities to design the office or retail setting in the way in which they desire. This can make both the employees and the customers happy.

For home users who would like to take advantage of all the benefits that modular carpet systems offer, but are afraid that using tiled carpet will look cheap, the solution to your problem often lies in your creativity. The biggest mistake that consumers make when installing carpet tiles into their homes is to try and recreate a wall to wall carpet look. The simple reality is that carpet squares will never look like traditional carpet. The bigger the space being carpeted gets, the more noticeable the seams will become. Many manufacturers of these types of carpet systems realized this problem so they went an entirely different direction with their carpet systems. Instead of trying to look like wall to wall carpet, make your carpet tile design look like what it is. Do not try to hide it, use it as a highlight. By using bold color choices, you can create checkered, striped and other patterns that will bring out the various accent colors of your room making a strong unified sensation throughout the entire space. By mixing carpet squares in with other flooring types, for instance hard wood floors, you can easily create islands of carpet and color which become catchy focal points for the eye. Using carpet tiles was once a no no for homeowners and might result in funny looks from your neighbors, but because of the high quality carpet tile available today, many are choosing to use these “puzzle pieces” to create unique designs to add new looks to their old homes.

For home use it would be a mistake to pick the cheapest tiles available. The cheap ones are usually too thin to make for very comfortable use in the home and they do not usually come in a wide enough variety of colors and patterns to be able to make enticing designs with them. The best carpet tile manufacturers make a wide variety of styles and themes. There are numerous patterns to choose from including stripes, poke-a-dots, pictures, striated effects, variable color shading and many more. There are plush styles, shag styles, natural fibers and synthetic fibers. The development of carpet tile systems has gotten to the point that if you can think of a design it probably exists and if it does not exist you can probably special order.

If you are in the market for new flooring, it will be in your best interest to look at modular carpet systems. Carpet tiles have reached the point where they are a legitimate alternative to traditional carpet and other types of flooring.

Commercial Carpet Tiles for Businesses

2009-03-18T18:01:00.000-07:00

There are numerous advantages for using commercial carpet tiles over conventional carpet for your business' flooring needs. First, the installation cost of these types of tiles can be significantly lower than the cost of installing regular carpet. This is because the installation for carpet tiles is relatively straight forward; the need for specialized tools is largely removed. Also the installation process is modular which can make fitting the carpet to a room a much easier task than dealing with other types of flooring. The modular nature of these carpet systems is what makes them so advantageous for businesses. Often times installation can easily be achieved without the use of professional installers.

One of the nicest features of commercial carpet tiles in a business setting is that if damage occurs to one section of the carpeting it is very easy to replace the effected tiles without impacting the undamaged sections. No longer does the entire carpet in a room need to be replaced due to an unfortunate accident in another part of the room. Also these tiles give the option of swapping a tile from one location with a tile in a different location. For instance a carpet square located in a prominent area may have a stain on it. If this tile was located in an out of the way corner no one would think twice about it. These modular carpet systems allow you to take the stained tile and swap it with a tile that is in good condition, but located in a place where it is basically unseen. This swapping ability can be very useful for a business by saving them a lot of money on repair and cleaning costs. Additionally, if the business has a supply of extra tiles on hand they can quickly and easily replace older tiles with the new ones without having a substantial impact upon the business environment.

One tremendous advantage these tiling systems have over regular carpet is that they offer quick and easy access to the subflooring. For a business this simple access can be a lifesaver in the event repairs need to be made to the subflooring, or if access needs to be gained to pipes or electric wiring that may run under the floor. The fast and easy access commercial carpet tiles offer to the subflooring and anything being run under the floor can drastically reduce the time it takes to make any repairs or necessary adjustments saving time and money while reducing the impact the repairs will have on the business' customers.

While carpet tiles can be used in virtually any setting, they are especially useful in places that get a lot of traffic. The carpet in high traffic areas tends to get a lot of wear and requires frequent cleaning and replacement. Modular carpet tiling systems allow a business to easily replace worn sections of their carpeting with new tiles. They also give the business the option of swapping out worn tile sections with other sections that are less worn. Doing this can greatly extend the life of the entire carpet system and will make sure that all areas of the carpet wear at an even pace instead of having some sections that look worn out, while other look virtually new. This can create a very patchy looking floor that appears to be neglected. With regular carpeting the business does not have very many options to deal with how the carpet wears. As sections wear they just have to deal with it until one section gets so bad they decide that the whole carpet – the good parts and the bad – must be replaced.

The next time your business is looking into flooring, consider using commercial carpet tile. The combination of inexpensive cost of materials, ease of installation, and myriad of choices could save you a tremendous amount of time and money and provide you with an attractive and functional flooring system that could last for years to come.

Flor Carpet Tiles - How to Install

2009-03-09T04:23:00.000-07:00

Like other carpet tiles, Flor carpet tiles give people the ability to design and create unique rugs in a vast array of different color palettes, textures and patterns. They give you complete creative control over your own floors. They’re ideal for bedrooms, living rooms, studies, family rooms and high traffic hallways – anywhere in the home really. For a do it yourself project they are the product of choice when it comes to designing floors cheaply, because one can create luxurious patters, different textures and colors that can look awesome and hip. Flor carpet tiles can be used in a mix and match fashion, creating your own personal designs in your own personal tastes. And the good thing is, it’s not permanent, it’s easy to whip up a tile and replace it with another – another great added benefit.

What are Flor Carpet Tiles?

They are in effect 20 inch by 20 inch squares of carpet that one can configure into a rug or into wall to wall carpet. They arrive delivered in boxes and one of the things you notice first is how sturdy they are. One of my fears was that they’d slip around after installation, but they’ve been in place now for in excess of a year and they haven’t moved at all.

Flexibility comes to mind when describing this product as it gives you the ability to do and try so many different things. One of the best things about Flor tiles is that they’ll remain in place even under massive traffic and heavy vacuuming. One of their added benefits is the ability to be pull and clean a tile with cool water if the spill god unleashes it’s fiery. For stains, easy replacement with another takes 2 minutes. Just remember when purchasing to write down the name of the Flor carpet tile to remember what you bought if other similar tiles down the track are needed. Every time a new tile is needed remember to dry the floors underneath as each Flor tile is designed to hug the floor and require complete dryness.

How to Install Flor Carpet Tiles

One of the best things about carpet tiles and particular Flor carpet tiles is their ability to be personally installed without requiring the help (and the cost!) of a professional. Installation is pretty simple, if I can do it and I’m a home renovating amateur, anyone can do it. I’d make a suggestion at this point though, it would help if you have your partner or a friend handy as it’ll be simpler to be able to determine whether things measure up correctly. If installing to create a rug nothing but the already there adhesive backing is required. If installing to design a carpet, some cutting and measuring may be required to fit the carpet correctly. I did this, so anyone can do it. The only thing you really have to buy other than some non toxic glue to install Flor carpet tiles is maybe a carpet knife.

Another benefit, (another you say!) is the fact that most Flor carpet tiles are made from renewable energy resources. And are all completely recyclable. Flor is company which is as they say, environmentally responsible so you can be assured that you’re buying into a company which respects Mother Earth. Head to your local Flor carpet tile retailer to test the waters and ask for some free samples. Either way, Flor carpet tiles are a great creation in giving the DIYer the ability to create some fantastic and easy flooring.

Berber Carpet

2009-03-08T01:51:00.000-08:00

What is Berber Carpet you ask? The carpet has big and smallish tuffs and is a specialty of a cut pile construction. The original inventors of the carpet were the Berbers in North Africa which is where the name obviously originates from. At that time the carpet of course was hand made and was a spun cloth made specifically for the tribe. They used the product also for other items such as rugs, cloaks and other fabrics. This traditional Berber carpet is still in production in parts of Africa namely Morocco as a main industry amongst Berber families. The difference however, between these traditional carpets and Berber carpet produced in the west is quite large though.

Nylon, olefin, and wool can make up the components of modern day Berber carpet. Typically however, olefin is the most common product and most affordable in the production of the carpet in today’s market. Berber is highly durable and because of that is found in schools, workplaces, and other high traffic areas. It is much more affordable than other thicker plush carpets but the only disadvantage being its difficulty in cleaning if dirt gets stuck amongst the fibers.

Berber made from Nylon is another material commonly used to produce the carpet. It’s much easier to clean than the olefin production as its resistant to soil and mildew and good for high traffic areas. One disadvantage to Nylon production of Berber is that it’s prone to static and can provide a very fiery spark.

Wool on the other hand is one of the most difficult to find of all the Berber carpets but is the best looking. It is environmentally friendly, non toxic, easier to clean and stain resistant. And for those reasons it is the most expensive out of all three.

The main advantages to Berber carpet are as follows:
- The carpet is generally much more cheaper than other plush carpets
- It’s stain resistant, and because of that, much easier to clean than other carpets
- It’s dirt resistant amongst the wool and nylon forms
- It’s a very durable and dense product and good for high traffic areas.

The main disadvantages to the carpet are as follows:
- As the carpet is so dense, it can be very difficult to deep clean and get below the surface.
- It has large loops and because of that the carpet wears quicker and it shows.
- It can be very difficult to remove oil based stains, as the oil bonds with Berber components.

It’s best to have a no shoe rule in a home with Berber carpets as it’s difficult to deep clean. Talk to your salesperson about the recommended methods for cleaning each specific Berber. My recommendation is to go for an olefin Berber carpet with smaller loops with ¼ inch padding

Buying Cheap Carpet Tiles

2009-03-08T01:29:00.000-08:00

The best thing about the internet is that from your living room you are able to purchase a wide variety of goods and services including cheap carpet tiles or any other form of carpet. The problem with this is, the consumer cannot see (live), feel or touch the product to test its workmanship, quality, durability, style or the real texture. Many have been undone purchasing products online that lack the real life ability of feeling, seeing and touching before the actual purchase. It’s quite tempting to go bargain hunting online as there’s real bargains to be had, but with cheap carpet tiles or any other form of carpet, you’re better off going elsewhere to purchase for the only reason that you can test its quality in person, live!

Searching for cheap carpet tiles is troublesome regardless. New age marketing methods compared with the influx of fake goods coming onto the market confuses and sometimes, tricks the customer into purchasing seemingly good quality products. The problem is, many of the marketer’s branding methods confuse the customer and make it difficult in person or over the internet for that matter, to know whether you’re purchasing bona fine carpet tile brand names.

Before bargain hunting and purchasing cheap carpet tiles or any other product, it is advisable to search the internet to learn and know the type of quality present in the best carpet brands sought after. Here are some of the questions you should seek the answers to before purchasing carpet.

What is the type of carpet construction that screams quality?
What backing is required for quality carpets?
What type of plastic is used to bind the carpet to a firm adhesive surface?
What is the best fiber or pile density?
What dye is best suited for coloring carpet?
What are the stain resistant treatments typical amongst the best carpets?

Good quality carpets generally have two backings that ensure good quality. Primary and secondary backings. Primary backings are used for enforcing the secondary backing and the carpet fibers. The secondary backing is used to compress the fibers together, ensuring thickness and durability. Both these backings should be made carefully, sometimes even by hand, to ensure quality workmanship and quality control.

Other important factors to recognize and know are:

What is the carpet density?
What is the carpet weight on the face?
What is the number of twists used in the carpet?

Another aspect which is important to pick out and recognize is the carpet finishing. What type of carpet tiles are you searching for? Are you searching for cut or uncut loop carpets? And for what purpose? Carpet for high traffic areas should be more durable than carpet you’d purchase for a formal dining room. So many questions! It’s great to be able to purchase cheap carpet tiles on the internet or in factory houses in person, but it’s a potential landmine knowing what you want and the quality is the absolute key in purchasing cheap carpet tiles.

Carpet Tile Styles and Textures

2009-03-07T23:53:00.000-08:00

What is a Carpet Tile?

Good Question. A carpet tile is square piece of carpet with a vinyl or another form of plastic backing, sometimes with an adhesive sticker on the other side to the carpet. They are generally measured out in 18 by 18 inch squares with variances in color, texture and thickness as per commercial needs. Carpet tiles were formerly popular in commercial usages but nowadays have become more popular amongst residential renovators and developers. Due in most part to their advantages over traditional carpet with respect to cost, durability and functionality objectives.

What are some Carpet Tile Styles and Textures?

There are four main types:

The Cut Pile

A cut pile carpet is a carpet in which the ends of the loops have been cut resulting in individual pieces of fiber. The cut pile carpet tile is one of the most popular types of carpet. There are 3 styles of Cut Pile.

- Plush

Used in up market homes or developments, it has a very smooth and equal texture giving it almost a luxurious look. They are used mainly in formal living or dining rooms as plush is very sophisticated and more expensive generally (also referred to as velvet cut pile).

- Saxony

Like plush it has a very level and smooth look despite having a twist in their fiber. Used mainly for areas which see high traffic and don’t require a sophisticated style. The appearance of the Saxony is between casual and formal. Because of the level evenness, the texture minimizes imprinted marks such as footprints. Good for basement or home offices.

- Frieze

Good again for high traffic areas as the texture minimizes vacuuming or footprint marks. These carpets have fibers which are twisted and very curly. The style lends it self to the casual being suitable for kids play rooms or rumpus rooms. A good carpet tile choice.

Level Loop

A very durable carpet good for high traffic areas once again. The loops being of all the same height making it very level. The texture of this carpet creates a casual ambience. The in style carpet of choice at the moment, Berber carpet, is made of level or multiple level loop pile. Good for home offices, laundries and basements.

Multi Level

As the name suggests it is made of multiple loop levels and heights. Good for arty and creative types as the style lends it self accordingly as it creates interesting and creative patterns. A very durable texture also.

Cut and Loop Pile

A pile which is a combination of loop and cut pile fibers which is generally used to create a decorative ambience. Not as durable as the other types of carpet tile but fashionable nothertheless.

A How to Guide to Installing Carpet Tiles

2009-03-07T22:50:00.000-08:00

Before you get starting installing those cheap carpet tiles a few tools and supplies are required first.

Essentials: Carpet knife, chalk line reel, pliers, tape, ruler, carpet tiles and a wood filler, protective eyewear, and breathing apparatus.

Step 1

Clear the area. Remove all furniture and clutter, creating a clear working environment without any objects, kids, dogs or cats. Using the pliers starting in a corner, gently pull the existing carpet off up on the ground. Inspect the sub flooring. You'd expect to find a timber or an underlay. If an underlay, remove as you'll be able to install the carpet tiles over the timber flooring. Remember to use protective gear: clothing, eyewear and masks as the former debris may be volatile. It may be easier to simply cut the former carpet and remove it that way.

Step 2

Clean the hardwood floor using a vacuum and a once over with a damp cloth removing any dust or debris. If the hardwood flooring isn't exactly flat, use the wood filler to iron out and level. Follow the wood filler's instructions for doing so.

Step 3

Calculate the area in which the carpet tiles are needed. Simply measure by multiplying the width and the length to find the square footage required. There are many online calculators to help you do this. Then it’s off to the shop to buy the CARPET TILES. Be sure to buy a little more than required in order to protect yourself against accidental slipups that occur with cutting preparation etc.

Step 4

Determine what pattern will be required. Do a little research to identify the design, texture or flow of how you'd like the carpet to be presented. Do a few practice runs in a well lit area to get a better idea and plan on how you'd like the design to look and feel.

Step 5

Typically what's suggested is that you start from the center of the room, working outwards as you go along towards the wall. You'll need the chalk lines to determine the exact center of the two walls, where the two lines meet will identify your reference point.

Step 6

Use the tape to protect and demarcate the chalk line. Determine whether the starting point looks reasonable and visualize how the end result will look. Be sure that you'll be happy with the design. A good idea at this point is to lay the carpet tiles without adhesive to help and correctly do this.

Step 7

Starting with a T pattern along the demarcated lines, use 4 quadrants in your designated room using them as a guide for laying the tiles down.

Step 8

Remove the adhesive from the back of the tiles to begin to stick them to the floor.

Step 9

After using the chalk line intersection as your point of reference, lay down one quadrant working from the intersection point to the walls and fix the tiles to the floor.

Step 10

As you begin to get closer to the walls, using the carpet knife and preferably a ruler, slowly and carefully strip away the side of the tile so it fits perfectly against the wall. Do this very slowly and carefully as it'll require a new tile if you cut off too much.

Step 11

After work is complete, enjoy. Remember the name of the particular tile as you'll need it if you have a stain and need to replace that one particular tile. Otherwise, ENJOY the new CARPET TILES!

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2009-01-14T04:10:00.000-08:00

If you have any questions regarding the content in this website, about the products that are mentioned, or just any questions at all don’t hesitate to contact me at the following address. I’d also love to hear any feedback on the site if you’ve found it helpful or have some ideas about how I can improve the site in some way.

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About Me

2008-03-27T06:37:00.000-07:00

A Guide to Carpet Tiles is dedicated to providing quality information on the subject of Carpet Tiles

Here you will find helpful reviews, informative information and tips and much more. This site is in the format of a ‘weblog’ so that each time I post new information, it will come to the top of the front page. This means that you can check back here frequently to see new updates to the information found here.

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Paul B