Introduction to Carpets and Carpet Tiles
Both carpets and carpet tiles are made from the same material, so what’s the difference? Good question! There are actually many differences. Let’s start with the main difference and work our way through some other differences to consider. Main difference: size. Wall-to-wall carpet, also known simply as ‘carpet’ is manufactured in long rolls (typically, 2m, 4m or 5m long). Carpet tiles are manufactured in small squares (normally 50cm by 50 cm). Let’s take a look at some other difference you may wish to consider.
Underlay Requirements
Carpet will require underlay. Underlay acts as a shock absorber, which increases the carpet’s lifespan. It also provides extra warmth and comfort underfoot. So you need to factor the cost of this in when choosing carpet. Carpet tiles also require underlay, but some come with underlay pre-built into the tile. This will save you money, as you don’t need to buy extra underlay. Note: check carefully if your desired carpet tile comes with built-in underlay or not!
Cost
Carpets are often more expensive per square metre than carpet tiles. This is due to a variety of reasons, from manufacturing to transportation to installation. If you’re looking to save some cash, then carpet tiles are a better choice for you.
Installation
Carpets will require a flooring professional to instal, as measuring, cutting, installing and ensuring a clean finish is tricky to do by yourself. However, if you are a bit DIY-savvy then you could self-install your own carpet tiles. They are much smaller, so much easier to cut and handle. So installation is another cost to factor in if you choose wall-to-wall carpets.
Durability
Carpet tiles are usually much more durable than their carpet counterpart. As their piles tend to be shorter and synthetic, they will keep their colour and feel for a lot longer than carpet. This makes carpets tiles perfect for commercial use. Carpets still enjoy a long life if used domestically; however, would struggle in any public space subject to heavy footfall.
Maintenance
Both carpets and carpet tiles require regular vacuuming and the occasional deep clean to ensure good hygiene, colour and a long life. However, if you seriously damage your floor – let’s say you cut it deeply somehow. Then carpet tiles are much easier to replace. Simply rip up the damaged tile/s and stick down the new tile/s. Many carpet tile owners (both commercial and domestic) keep a spare box of tiles stored safely in case of such an event. Repairing a chunk of wall-to-wall carpet will require a professional and again is a cost that you should bear in mind. Particularly if you have (naughty) children or pets at home.
Design
Carpet tiles allow for more creativity in your design. Simply buy boxes of different colours carpet tiles and arrange them in any way you desire to create unique patterns in your space. Wall-to-wall carpets usually covers the space in one colour from – well – wall to wall.
Residential vs Commercial
Is it as simple as using carpet in the residence and carpet tiles in commercial property? Well, it used to be. But nowadays, using carpets tiles in the home is not unheard of, and can actually be a practical and cost-effective flooring for many people. However, it is still recommended to not use carpets in commercial spaces, as they won’t survive that long.
Flooring Hut and Carpets and Carpet Tiles
Flooring Hut recommends our own-brands of carpet tiles called Elements, Rawson and Peerless.
Conclusion
There you have it! Some of the key differences between wall-to-wall carpets and carpet tiles. On the surface, it may appear that carpet tiles outperform carpets, but in our experience, carpets are still a very popular flooring choice for the home. Happy flooring!
