Carpet installation can take up a significant percentage of your flooring budget - especially if removing existing flooring reveals unexpected problems, or you run into complications during the project. To help streamline your carpet installation, we've compiled a list of seven things to check - and why they're so important.
The floor covering you select has a domino effect on the installation process. Different types of carpet have particular installation requirements.
Broadloom carpet has different installation requirements than modular carpet tiles. For broadloom, you're installing one large piece of carpet, and need to carpet the whole space at once. Modular carpet can be installed in stages. Modular carpet is also easier to install in and around existing floor covering. Instead of completely clearing the room, simply lift furniture off the floor and install tiles directly underneath to minimise office downtime.
If you've selected modular carpet tiles, it is crucial to understand the differences between tile backings, as this sets the installation requirements:
Removing old carpet can reveal unwanted surprises - you never know the condition of the subfloor until the old flooring is taken out. Here are three things to prioritise to ensure your subfloor is in a fit state to install new flooring.
It’s important to ensure that the floor is dry. Whilst Milliken’s cushion backing has a unique feature in that it can wick away moisture vapour, most adhesives are limited to 75%RH in the subfloor – if there is any doubt, then a test should be made using a hygrometer.
Removing old flooring may reveal cracks or holes in the concrete subfloor. If so, these will require repairing before you can proceed with installing new flooring.
Another type of visible damage is mold; removing your carpet may bring a mold problem to light. Mold is expensive, difficult and time-consuming to remove, and unless the root cause is addressed, it is liable to return.
Mold under carpet suggests there are high moisture levels in the concrete subfloor slab, and it's crucial that you mitigate the moisture issues before installing new flooring.
A smooth subfloor is essential for ensuring no lumps and bumps are visible through new flooring. Smoothing out the subfloor can require a lot of work: manually grinding away residual adhesive and knocking back any lumps and bumps.
Many flooring installers apply a skim coating to the subfloor as standard, to ensure it's smooth and level. However, some types of flooring are better at disguising surface irregularities than others: as cushion-backed carpet tiles are much thicker, they're more able to absorb and disguise unevenness.
One of the most common stipulations from flooring manufacturers is that their flooring needs to be installed onto a clean surface. You should always check the manufacturer's warranty and installation guidelines for their exact specification. The strictest requirements may call for a dust-free surface, which is near impossible to achieve during a renovation or new construction project. A clean and dust-free surface is particurlary important when considering an adhesive-free installation method such as Milliken's TractionBack 2.0.
Instead, look for warranties and specification documents that take a more realistic approach: a dust-free construction site is impossible, but it is manageable to sweep the floor so that it is clear of dust and debris.
A comprehensive guide to installation for Milliken products within the EMEAI region can be found here.