Carpet Tiling Guide – Things You Need to Know

Carpet tiling has been a traditional house-building practice for centuries and is still considered the go-to option. However, it can be difficult to learn how to properly use this type of flooring. This guide covers all questions you might have about carpet tiling and will help you choose the right tools, create your plan, install your flooring in an organized fashion, and maintain it for years to come.

The Carpet Tiling Process

The first thing you need to know is that there are many different ways to install carpet tile – too many to discuss in a single article. Since there are so many options, you need a general idea of how the whole process works before you can choose the best one for your particular situation.

When talking about tiling, flooring experts will always refer to it as the “lay-in” method since the tiles are laid into place during installation. This method is probably the most common way to do it and you will definitely want to choose it if you know what you’re getting into.

This involves using two tools: a trowel and a mop. The trowel is used to get the floor tiles in place, while the mop gets them clean. A third tool – a partially threaded rake – may also be used, but this is not necessary.

Tools

The first thing you need to know about tiling is that there really isn’t any particular tool you need. In fact, doing it yourself is the way to go when working with tile because it’s so simple. But don’t be discouraged if you can’t find a mop to use; so long as you have access to your tools, the process will work just fine.

There are two basic tools that can make your tiling experience easier on your back and knees: tile lifters and tile nippers.

Your Layout Plan

When tiling, always start with a plan. Without a plan, you’ll end up wandering around at the end of the day, frustrated that you didn’t get it right. Before going into this process though, you’ll need to decide how big your layout needs to be.

Once that’s done, all you need to do is put down some cardboard and start tiling right away. If your room is already carpeted, simply buy a few squares (or pieces) of carpet tile cheap and cut the tiles to the size of your area. Start by laying the tile on its side and marking out rows and columns with pencils and tape.

Then, transfer these markings onto your floor while holding the board in place with shims (for added support).