How to Install Peel-and-Stick Carpet Tiles
Fitting carpet tiles is an ideal alternative to a stretch-in carpet installation and can quickly refresh a bare floor. Learn how to install peel-and-stick carpet tiles in this video by The Home Depot:
Keep in mind that carpet tiles are faster and easier to install than a stretch-in carpet, but you won’t be able to install a pad underneath them. You can use peel-and-stick carpet tiles or apply clean tiles with mastic and a trowel.
For peel-and-stick carpet tiles, you will need the following tools and materials for installation:
- Straight edge
- Measuring tape
- Chalk line
- Utility knife
- Floor roller
- Pencil
1. Mark the center of the room. This is important because tiles are laid out starting from the center. To locate the center of the room, find the midpoint of the walls and snap chalk lines between the opposite walls.
2. Square the lines by measuring three feet from the center of one line and four feet from the center of the other line. If the lines are square, the points should be five feet apart.
3. Distribute the tiles along the layout lines without gluing them down for a preview of what the floor will look like. Stop at the last full tile before the wall. Determine if the space between the tiles and the wall is less than half a tile wide and adjust the line accordingly. The lines may be wider at the wall but should be equally sized on opposite sides of the room.
4. It’s important to find the pile direction of each tile. Typically, manufacturers will indicate the direction with arrows on each tile. Remember that when two tiles are placed with the pile facing in different directions, they will seem to be a slightly different color. You can lay the tile randomly with the arrows pointing in the same direction or at 90-degree angles from each other. Follow the manufacturer’s directions when in doubt.
5. Lay center tiles. Peel off the backing, then place a corner of the tile in one of the corners of the layout lines, then form a square by placing tiles in the corner of each quadrant (be sure tiles are nestled tightly against the corners of neighboring tiles). Repeat this step for the next group of tiles, surrounding the group you’ve just secured, until you’ve laid down the first large square, and then the second and third.
6. Once you’ve laid the tiles and filled your room, you will need to trim tiles to fit the remaining space between the square and the walls. Measure the gap between the wall and one of the tiles already laid down. Draw a layout line on the back of a new tile and cut along the line with a utility knife. Lay the tile to fit the empty space and repeat this process until all tiles have been secured.
7. Once you’ve laid all the tiles down, use a 75-pound floor roller to ensure they’re pressed firmly into their adhesive.
