Installing carpet stirs up emotions and scenes from a bad 90s infomercial. It seems messy, time-consuming and expensive.
Carpet tiles have been on the market for a while, and they might just be the answer to all of your commercial carpeting problems.
In this article, we will tell you what a carpet tile is, who benefits from a carpet tile, and some of their common manufacturing materials.
What exactly is Carpet Tiles?
Carpet tiles are exactly what they sound like – they are tiles made from carpet!
Carpet tiles or modular carpet is often found in commercial spaces or high traffic areas. They are small pieces of carpet cut into squares or rectangles and are installed together to create a larger carpeted room.
Carpet tiles are woven and created the same as standard carpeting. However, they are made into smaller pieces. These smaller tiles all have individual backings on each tile. This eliminates the need for any additional materials when installing.
The sizes of carpet tiles depend on the space, but most are either 2×2 foot square tiles or 1×2 foot rectangle tiles. Depending on the manufacturer, there may even be unique shaped tiles adapted for any space. Hexagons, pentagons, or even triangle carpet tiles can be found on the market today.
Each carpet tile has a backing to create a smooth surface for installation and gives some structure to each tile. This means the carpet isn’t flimsy or too thin for the flooring. Carpet tile backings are not quite as soft or plushy as standard wall-to-wall carpeting, often found in residential homes. However, carpet tiles still allow for comfort, warmth and help with the acoustics of the room.
There are 3 main differences between carpet tiles and standard wall-to-wall carpeting: the carpet size, the installation methods, and the backings.
Traditional carpet is a large swath of material installed in one large piece and needs additional support or support. Carpet tiles are smaller pieces of carpet, installed one at a time with the backings included on the product.
What are the main benefits of carpet tiles?
Carpet tiles allow for flexibility in the space and set you up for success in the long term.
What do we mean? Imagine you are at work, and you spill your coffee under your desk on your brand new white carpet. Sure, you could immediately rush and clean up the stain… but what if the light brown spot still lingers? With carpet tiles, you would just need to replace the tile with the stain instead of tearing up the entire carpet.
Installing carpet tiles means that you can replace anyone tile without disrupting the rest of the space. High traffic areas, stains, or tears are no longer a death sentence for carpeting and can now be repaired quickly.
Flexibility also means design flexibility. With carpet tiles, you can change out portions with ease. Want to add a pop of colour to your space? Replace some of your existing carpet tiles with a trendy new colour. This is a relatively low-cost and low-effort way to stay on top of the trends without continuously painting or doing expensive renovations.
Do you have raised access flooring that you need access to? Modular carpet or carpet tiles mean that you can have access to space underneath. The segment can be lifted away, allowing easy access to the wiring or area under the panels.
Would you benefit from carpet tiles?
Carpet tiles are ideal for any industrial or commercial space.
You will often find carpet tiles at offices, bars, restaurants, hotels, daycares, and shopping malls. The flexibility of the install and design appeals to these high-traffic areas.
If you are looking for a product that gives your space an intimate look while allowing for adaptability, these may be just the thing for you. Carpet tiles can resemble traditional carpet, so patrons and users won’t see any seams or edges. It can appear as one large piece of carpet or have a more intricate and intentional design.
Residential areas also embrace carpet tile trends, specifically in playrooms, home theatres, bars or living rooms. These luxuries in home areas are often high-traffic, which means they would benefit from the adaptability of carpet tiles. They can give a sophisticated upgrade to these spaces and can continue to be altered to match the current trends.
What materials can carpet tiles be made from?
Depending on your design priorities, thousands of different finishes, designs, colours and patterns to choose from. The choices can be overwhelming, but you will bring your space to life by selecting the right design.
Most carpet tiles on the market today are made from synthetic nylon or woven nylon. The finish can look like everything from a single smooth carpeted surface to a more hand-woven look.
Select from larger colour families like beige, white, grey, brown, blue, yellow, green, orange and more. Once you have your colours selected, you can then choose designs. You need to consider if you want a textured, organic or geometric design.
Wool is a fantastic option if you are looking for an all-natural, sustainable, and durable option. Wool does not fade, and it is entirely natural. While wool will be more expensive than its synthetic counterparts, it would be worth the investment if your priorities are choosing a sustainable option.
Depending on the manufacturer, you can browse their entire design collection online to spark your inspiration. Here at Office Interiors, we work closely with Interface, and you can browse their carpet tile selection here.
There is a lot to think about when selecting carpet tiles, but have a piece of mind that nothing is permanent. This is a product that can withstand the test of time and also be replaced. If you want to learn more about carpet tiles or modular carpeting, you can reach out to one of our furniture reps today, and they would be happy to work with you!
Emily Adams
Digital Content Specialist
Office Interiors