Carpet Tile?

July 12, 2006 8:45 AM

Has anyone used carpet tile? If so, were there any problems with the tiles not staying in place? Also, if anyone can recommend a manufacturer, I'd appreciate the tip. I've seen Interface Flor but want to explore my options, if any exist.

I've seen Interface Flor but want to explore my options, if any exist. One other thing - Do all carpet tiles have to be secured with adhesive?

posted by somethingclever to Home & Garden (14 answers total)

We've got some Flor and we had to put a little tape on the backs at higher traffic areas. We like the Flor a lot, but we also got it for free.

The cats love them.
posted by john m at 8:55 AM on July 12, 2006

They use them all over the place here at work, I can't ever recall seeing a corner lift whether the tiles are 15 years old or installed last week. All the new ones they put in are secured with adhesive.
posted by Mitheral at 8:56 AM on July 12, 2006

I have Flor tiles in my apartment. The idea is that the perimeter tiles are secured with double-stick tape and the others simply stay in place. My experience is that the tiles do shift a bit and every couple of weeks need to be kicked and pulled back into place (maybe 5 minutes work including moving the sofa).

The big upside of the tiles is that if you get a spill you can just pull out the one tile, clean it in the bathtub or sink, then let it dry and put it back in place. Or if the spill is indelible, you can simply chuck the tile and replace it.

I recommend Flor.
posted by La Cieca at 8:59 AM on July 12, 2006

We looked at Legato carpet tile, and the thing the guy said to us specifically is that that brand, at least, is not so well-exposed and is therefore expensive compared to traditional carpeted flooring. Our initial look at costs seemed to bear this out, but we abandoned that idea because we had more pressing home improvement needs. I still think it might be a good idea though - I'd be interested to find out if it's actually cost effective.
posted by Medieval Maven at 9:06 AM on July 12, 2006 [1 favorite]

Response by poster: Thanks everyone...Your answers have been really helpful!
posted by somethingclever at 9:08 AM on July 12, 2006

I've got the Legato stuff and I love it. I'm not using it as wall to wall, but as kind of a runner, so yes, the tiles will shift if you don't put adhesive on the back. I've got two barfing cats and being able to pick up a tile, clean it and put it back down is great.

I think the price of the Legato is pretty reasonable - 90 bucks for a box of ten tiles that are 18" by 18".
posted by ereshkigal45 at 9:18 AM on July 12, 2006

We have Legato carpet tiles in a small room that my wife uses as a sewing and craft room. They are pretty plush and stay down without any adhesive as the bottom of the tiles are slightly tacky which also means they don't slide when they are being laid down. Another feature they have is that two sides are straight while the other other two sides are "wavy" . When you lay them, the wavy sides actually interlock which also helps to secure them snugly.

They were easy to cut and shape in the room and three years later they have worn remarkably well with no lifting or movement that we can tell. Most importantly (for us), they were completely idiot proof!
posted by 543DoublePlay at 9:27 AM on July 12, 2006

I grew up in a house (A Cape Cod, with dormers upstairs) where the upstairs flooring was all the sort of carpet tile that you could get in 1975 (when my dad did the work). We had remarkably good luck with it, given two pre-teens living on that floor, and I can't imagine whatever they make now is worse. :-)
posted by baylink at 9:30 AM on July 12, 2006

Two of the 6 FLOR tiles in my bathroom have come up and needed the sticky dots replaced. But I think this is because the tiles are like a "rug" in that room, so they don't have full support on one or two sides, which makes them prone to shifting. (Plus, the cats really love to go to town on them with their claws.)

That said, I still like the tiles.
posted by Sangre Azul at 9:31 AM on July 12, 2006

Response by poster: Is it safe to adhere the tiles to wood floors?
posted by somethingclever at 10:04 AM on July 12, 2006

I have used FLOR tiles twice, both times on wood floors and the adhesive is pretty mellow and is easy to clean up if/when you remove the tiles.

Currently I'm using them in our front entryway (flickr shot of them) and it's just about the most high traffic spot in the entire house and they have worked perfectly. The outer tiles are the only ones stuck down and they've never moved, I've never had the inner ones pop up.

About the only slight downside is the pile is so tight that I have to do a quick vacuum job every couple days instead of once a week (my normal carpet vacuuming schedule) because dirt and dust and crumbs sit on top of the carpet tiles and are easily seen. Since they're right next to a closet that houses a vacuum, it's not a big deal but I figured I'd mention it.
posted by mathowie at 10:37 AM on July 12, 2006

I've had some experience with Interface Flor carpet tiles, but for trade show booths, not homes. (A very common choice, BTW) We used the same tiles for 3 or 4 shows before we had any problems, and even then I think the popping tiles had more to do with the underlayment shifting around than with any adhesive failure.

The tiles come with small adhesive patches on the back, which seem to do the job. If you were extra concerned, or had some problem tiles that started coming up, there are some dandy carpet tapes available for just this situation!

My biggest hesitation about them is the cost, but when compared to the ease of cleaning (and replacement if it can't be cleaned) and some of the fun things you can do with getting different patterns and colors and laying out your own custom look, I'd say that's a pretty small concern. If you can afford them, I would definitely reccommend them!
posted by schwap23 at 3:04 PM on July 12, 2006

Response by poster: Thanks for all of your responses - You've all been very helpful. I think I'll use Flor...I really like that you can create your own patterns/designs, and if they last a long time and are easily maintained, the cost is probably worth it. Thanks again!
posted by somethingclever at 8:33 AM on July 13, 2006

I have the Flor tiles and found that the lighter colored ones yellowed after being cleaned. I love them though. One unexpected consequence if you have a dog is that if he pees on the rug, you cannot always see it with the darker colored tiles, and the pee will seep between the tiles and stay on the floor. NOT GOOD.
posted by livinginmonrovia at 1:57 AM on July 16, 2006