How To Lay Carpet Tiles: A 5-Step Guide

Carpet tiles are a popular and durable flooring option, which are particularly popular in commercial premises where there is high foot traffic. One of the other reasons why they are so popular is the ease with which they can be installed. 

So, if you’ve been wondering, “How do I install carpet tiles?” we’ll take you through the process, step by step, and share the answers to a few other frequently asked questions. 

We’re going to assume you’re installing carpet tiles of one colour and aren’t intending to create any patterns or other designs. However, there are various approaches to laying these products to allow you to create designs with your flooring. 

Step 1: How many carpet tiles do you need?

Before you think about laying carpet tiles, you need to know how many you should purchase. Measure the room you’ll be laying the carpet tiles in and calculate the square meterage of the space. 

As carpet tiles are usually square (often 500mm x 500mm in size), this makes it relatively simple to work out how many you’ll need. Carpet tiles are typically sold in boxes that will cover four or five square metres. For example, Burmatex carpet tiles are sold in full boxes of five square metres.

Just as you would with any other tiling, it’s always advisable to buy a few more tiles than you actually need to allow for cutting tiles to fit the space, or any mishaps along the way. 

Step 2: How do you prepare your floor to lay carpet tiles?

Before you even think about laying any of your carpet tiles, you need to ensure the surface on which you’re installing them is well prepared. By that we mean the surface needs to be clean and dry. It also needs to be a firm surface – like concrete or wood. 

You can’t lay carpet tiles over existing carpet, so make sure you remove any soft floor coverings like this before you start. 

“Do carpet tiles need underlay?” is a common question we get asked and, if you’re laying them on concrete or wood, the answer is no. 

In fact, if you have an existing underlay, it’s best to remove it before you begin the process of laying your carpet tiles. 

Step 3: Setting out your carpet tiles

Before you reach for your adhesive and start sticking your carpet tiles to the floor, you need to ensure that you position them correctly and that they align with the space. Start by working out where the centre of your room is. 

Use a measuring tape to draw chalk lines on the floor, creating a sort of grid – usually this just needs to be one line that marks the centre of the room lengthways, and one that marks it width ways. 

You’ll start laying your tiles in the centre of that grid. Begin by setting out tiles aligning with the chalk marks you’ve drawn in the centre of your room and work out. This will ensure that your tiles are laid evenly and allows you to easily see how many tiles you may need to cut to create a tight fit to the walls. 

Step 4: How do you stick carpet tiles down?

Once you can see how your carpet tiles will look, you can begin to lay your new flooring down. As you did when doing your dry run, start in the middle of the room and work outwards. 

Ensure that as you place each tile on the floor, you position it so that it’s tight to its neighbouring tiles to prevent any gaps. Most carpet tiles will have an arrow on their underside which shows you which way the pile runs. It’s best to make sure you lay all your tiles in the same direction, unless you specifically want to use different pile directions to create patterns. 

There are a couple of adhesive options for carpet tiles. One is a contact spray adhesive, but make sure you choose a product that is designed for use with carpet tiles for best results. You spray the adhesive on the back of your carpet tile and then position it on the floor. 

The other adhesive option is a carpet tile tackifier. This kind of adhesive will need to be applied using a roller or brush. One of the main advantages is that this kind of adhesive typically offers greater coverage than a spray adhesive and any tiles you lay with it can be easily removed and replaced if necessary. 

Step 5: How do you cut carpet tiles?

If you need to cut any carpet tiles to get a snug fit around the edges of your room, all you need is a measuring tape, chalk, a straight edge and a sharp utility knife or carpet tile cutter. Draw a chalk line on the tile where you need to make the cut. Remember the adage “measure twice, cut once” and don’t rush!

Use the straight edge to provide a guide for your cut, then take your utility knife and score the tile. It’s better to do two gentle cuts rather than one hard one as this can lead to jagged edges. If you’ve scored the tile correctly, you may also be able to break it along that line, creating a straight edge.