Carpet tiles and broadloom are both popular choices for flooring. If you’re trying to decide between the two, and you’re looking to maximise your flooring budget, it’s important to consider the longevity of each.
To help you make the right flooring decision, we’re looking at four reasons carpet tiles last longer than broadloom.
In most buildings, 20% of the carpeted area receives the majority of the building’s foot traffic. This creates an uneven distribution of wear, tear and staining.
Thankfully, the modular design of carpet tiles makes it quick and easy to clean these affected tiles. Stains that resist vacuuming and cleaning in situ can be removed for more thorough cleaning. If the tile is damaged, or the stain can’t be removed, it’s a simple process to replace the individual tile with a spare from attic stock.
In contrast, stains, soiling and wear can pose a greater problem for broadloom carpet. If a localised stain can’t be cleaned, the primary solution is to cut out the affected area of carpet, and fit another patch of broadloom in its place. While tiles can usually be replaced without affecting the carpet’s aesthetic, replaced broadloom can sometimes create a ‘patchwork effect’. In the case of minor wear and staining, it may even be preferable to leave the damaged carpet unaltered.
In addition to offering a huge range of colours and patterns, the modular design of carpet tiles means that different design aesthetics can be created by laying and relaying tiles in various patterns.
This flexibility makes it easy to breathe new life into existing carpet. When a new design is desired, there’s no need to scrap the entire carpet. Instead, it’s possible to strategically replace individual tiles with new ‘accent’ tiles, adding bright colours or bold patterns to an existing design to completely reinvent its look. In this way, new designs can be achieved by replacing as little as 5 to 15% of the existing carpet tiles.
This combination of easy maintenance and unparalleled design flexibility means that carpet tiles can often be reused several times during their lifetime.
After several years of use in an executive office, it may be possible to repurpose your tiles in a break room or meeting space. Damaged tiles can easily be removed prior to installation and replaced with attic stock, and an entirely new design aesthetic can be created by adding in coloured or patterned accents.
This type of re-use has a big impact on sustainability. As well as keeping huge amounts of carpet out of landfills, tiles can be recycled in the most efficient way possible – benefiting both users and the environment in the process.
Carpet tiles are a more recent innovation than broadloom. As a result, they can offer a range of life-extending features that most broadloom carpets can’t.
The multi-layered structure of carpet tile is designed to prevent delamination and distortion. While most broadloom carpets come with a simple fibreglass backing, some carpet tiles offer a range of cushion backings to absorb the impact of foot traffic and extend the life of the carpet.
Premium carpet tiles can also have stain-resisting and antimicrobial properties built into the tile. When combined with the moisture-wicking features offered by certain types of cushioned backing, carpet tiles can significantly reduce the likelihood of mould, mildew and air-quality problems occurring.
It’s these issues that often reduce the life of broadloom carpet, with spills and stains creating a source of bacteria and odour. Moisture can’t easily escape from continuous carpeting, and without the ability to easily replace the affected area, these problems worsen over time.
While both broadloom and carpet tiles are viable flooring choices, in terms of longevity, carpet tiles usually win out.
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