Carpet Tiles

Carpet tiles (also known as 'soft modular flooring' or 'carpet in a box') have been around for over 50 years and were originally developed for homes as a hardwearing alternative to traditional broadloom carpet. Carpet tiles offer many advantages over traditional broadloom and make designing your own floor scheme easy.

Carpet tiles are ideal for creating stylish schemes in homes, as they are:

• Easy to transport - boxes to fit in the back of your car.
• Easy to install.
• Installations can be done in small areas or temporarily - you can even work around the furniture rather than empty the whole room.
• Easy to lay on top of laminate/vinyl/concrete with no need for underlay.
• Easy to fit in awkward shaped rooms.
• Easy to clean and if a tile is damaged, you can simply replace the tile rather than the whole floor. Easy to lift and take with you if you move home, particularly if you are renting.

Carpet tiles are available in an array of designs and a great choice of materials. Bordered, geometric, contemporary, or bamboo - will give your floors a complete makeover and a great look as well. Recently there have been some great new designs introduced specifically for the home market in line with the most up to date trends in home interiors. Interior designers, makeover programmes and interior magazines are increasingly presenting carpet tiles as a new design trend.

Uses

Carpet tiles are ideal for:

Apartments/Flats

the growing trend towards apartments/flats means that traditional broadloom carpets are not an option for many people due to the poor accessibility of these buildings. There's no need to struggle getting a bulky roll of carpet up the stairs or into a lift. You can simply carry boxes of carpet tiles.

Kids' Bedrooms

it is easy to create colourful patterns on the floor to design a stimulating environment for children. Also spills and stains are much less of a problem with the ease of cleaning and replaceability of tiles.

Designing Your Own Floor

with a vast range of colours textures and patterns, you can create a unique floor design combining your favourites or create zones using different ranges. You can mix and match different tiles, or use a colour for the border and even create a distinctive look using various patterns.

Areas of Hard Wear

look out for those suitable for castor chairs if you have a home office or study.

Quick Replacement

if you need to replace a floor in a hurry it is easy to buy some carpet tiles, take them away in boxes and lay them yourself.

Cost Effectiveness of Tiles

Carpet tiles include a strong backing so they require no underlay or adhesives and produce less waste than other flooring types, particularly in awkward shaped rooms. This saves time and money and because carpet tiles are fairly easy to install, you can lay them yourself and save the cost of professional fitting. Any damage or spills can be resolved by replacing one tile rather than the entire floor, which is reassuring and overall means carpet tiles are definitely a cost effective flooring option.

Choosing Carpet Tiles

When you go out to buy carpet tiles, you'll need to consider where you plan to install them. The tiles will vary in density as well as thickness. Carpet tiles with more thickness have a cushion so that it's soft on the surface, making them ideal for homes. They will also provide a degree of thermal insulation as well. The thinner types of tiles are best for offices, gyms, and other high traffic areas.

There are carpet tiles available to fit each and every taste, even budget and furnishings style as well. As they are less expensive, they will offer you the chance to experiment with your interior. The tiles will come in a variety of materials and patterns. You may just want to liven things up a bit or play down your floor, depending on the look you are going for. Carpet tiles that are made from foam, rubber, linoleum and vinyl are best for children's rooms, office spaces, or other high traffic areas. The cost for the tiles will depend on their thickness and density.

Carpet tiles must be installed on hard surfaces, such as stone, cement, or ceramic tile. The surface must be smooth and clean, so the adhesive will last and your floor will have a well finished look. The carpet tiles will normally have cushion or padding already installed, which will reduce the cost and extend the life of the carpet.