Carpet Tiles

kelsen

Does anyone have these at home in place of normal carpets? How do they compare? is it possible to get them with deep piles? (No sniggering at the back!)

CyclingBantam

kelsen wrote:

is it possible to get them with deep piles?

Ha ha ha ha ha ha

kelsen wrote:

(No sniggering at the back!)

Oh. Sorry. :oops:

lost_in_thought

I don't think it is, not as deep as a fitted carpet.

They're v hardwearing, and can be replaced in patches, but always look rather industrial.

Also, with wear, you can start to see that they are tiles rather than a single piece.

clarkey cat

this topic is a bit flat

rjsterry

Also, they rely on being glued down rather than held with gripper rods, so you can guarantee that if you want them to stay put, they will keep lifting, but if you want to take them up to replace them they'll be stuck like poo to a blanket.

rml380z

rjsterry wrote:

Also, they rely on being glued down rather than held with gripper rods, so you can guarantee that if you want them to stay put, they will keep lifting, but if you want to take them up to replace them they'll be stuck like poo to a blanket.

If you lay them properly the first time, you can walk all over them for years.

Or so my wife tells me.

rolf_f

Just go for bare, unvarnished boards. That way you can make out that the bike oil you drip onto them is part of the conditioning process

AndyOgy

Rawson tiles are a good brand, the Felkirk series has a reasonably deep pile. When they are used in industrial/commercial applications, they are laid in a chequerboard style. ie, there is no trying to hide the fact that they are carpet tiles.

In domestic applications, the tiles tend to be laid 'broadloom'. ie, all the tiles point the same way. After heavy use, you will probably be able to see that they are tiles. But they can stand up to a hell of a lot of use.

I'm not a big fan of bare unvarnished boards. The reality is that most floorboards are of a poor quality and will not look good.

Get some ply or hardboard down over the floorboards, or latex if you're going over a concrete substrate. Spray adhesive is ok for replacing individual tiles but for the main installation, use a quality tackifier and give it plenty of time to go off before laying the tiles. And apply the tackifier with a trowel (not a notched one) rather than a paint roller.

Avoid these DIY stores, such as Wickes, B&Q etc and try buying a few drinks for a local floorlayer to see if he can get you anything from his/her trade supplliers. Even better, get him/her to carry out the installation.

Slightly off topic; but since we're talking about flooring - Laminate flooring is rubbish. People ask for it all the time, for reasons that I'll never understand. If anyone is considering laminate flooring, please have a rethink - for your own long term happiness.

rolf_f

Laminate floors are vile. TBH, I don't like anything other than carpet. I've wanted to carpet the dining room (old bare boards) for ages. They look good but make the room seem so much colder and more utilitarian. But, as I have only a tiny hall, the practicality of the boards put me off carpets. Now I have 3 bikes parked in the dining room so I'm glad I didn't carpet

rjsterry

AndyOgy wrote:

...Laminate flooring is rubbish...

Absolutely! Spend a bit more and get some proper wood or go with something else.

redvee

Carpet tiles burn your knees just as much as regular carpet :oops: On the subject of laminate flooring, the nuumber of poor installs I've seen is ridiculously high. Floors like a rolling ocean and doorways with staggered uncapped ends.

kelsen

Thanks for all the replies guys. Very helpful.

MichaelW

I looked into tiles for re-carpeting a small porch but the good ones are very expensive, esp if you have a small area and need three and a bit tiles in each direction.
I managed to find a length of "trade" carpet leftover from an office installation and fitted it myself. Its very tough and suitable for wet shoes.

SimonAH

Unless you are expert (or hiring an expert) I wouldn't go carpet tiles. They require very high skill to lay well compared to carpet. The reason they are used in office type installations is that the acreage is usually enormous compared to a domestic room (plus of course you can muck around with corporate colours and patterns).
Personally I love (real and thick) parquet or hardwood strip and of course lovely red quarry tiles for kitchen areas.