Carpet Tiles and Planks: Expert Guidance
April 18, 2019
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May 22, 2019
Carpet Tiles come in an array of funky patterns and bold modern colors.These carpet tiles can quickly transform a space and work well with the client’s budget. But there are some drawbacks and trade secrets that you should know to keep a project from being delayed, seems not matching and creating a nightmare installation job for you and the project…
Broadloom carpet has been in the forefront for many years in commercial applications, but carpet tiles are now a trade favorite for easy installation and durability. With so many options it can be a bit daunting. Carpet tiles can be an economic solution when creating a space for a client. When designing a space one takes into consideration the overall look, product durability and budget! But be aware of some of the issues that may arise. With our 40 plus years of flooring industry experience you may want to take note!
Get The Look You Want And A Happy Client
When it comes to fun and trendy patterns carpet tiles, they have come a long way, but not all carpet tiles are suitable for your design plan. We recommend if you want the look of broadloom, go with broadloom! Let carpet tile be carpet tile.
With thinner carpet tiles (when running it to look like broadloom) the seams do not match up causing a gap in between the tiles. We do not recommend the appearance of broadloom on smaller commercial or retail applications.
A general rule to follow is if the carpet tile is ⅜” + in thickness and a higher ounce weight would be more suitable to run the pattern to create that broadloom appearance. Always check with the manufacturer for exact product details for best pattern direction.
Quarter Turning
With some of the less expensive options, this is definitely a conversation to be had with the client and the installer doing the work. A thinner carpet tile might be the option to save on budget. From our experience, it is best to have the carpet tiles quarter turned to avoid gaps between the thinner tiles. This minimizes the appearance of space between carpet tile joints. You may not get the pattern you may have intended into your initial design, but may make for a happier client and smoother project.
Industry standard from the Carpet and Rug Institute allows for the thickness of a credit card (approx 0.03 inch) between the seams of carpet tiles. Any gap can interfere with the way the pattern and finished look of the floor. This may result with an unhappy Designer and client! To avoid this, it is always best to establish the pattern direction, know the overall Carpet Tiles thickness and communicate your concerns to the installer when planning the design.
Other obstacles
Know the Carpet Tile basics and keep the project on pace. Floor preparation is key in all flooring applications, but what makes Carpet Tile different? It is best that concrete is cured, cleaned and dry. The concrete must comply with moisture and alkalinity requirements before any carpet tile is installed. With some of the chemical agents like glue, humidity can play a role in the strength and performance of the floor. This thankfully can be tested with ASTM Standard F2170; Moisture levels in the concrete subfloor must be 80% or less before installation.
For more tips feel free to ask us! koeckritzrugsinc@gmail.com
Residential carpet tile Planks
