Have a damaged carpet tile? If the answer was yes, then you're in luck. Floors covered in carpet tiles are among the easiest to repair, and we're going to tell you how today in five simple steps. You'll be back to enjoying your floor in no time!
Step 1: Acclimate Your Tiles
We've talked a lot about how hardwood flooring needs to be acclimated to the humidity in the room they're to be installed in, but not about how the same is true of carpet tiles. Bring your new carpet tiles into the room you're doing the installation in and let them sit and "get used to" the space for about 24 hours.
Step 2: Remove the Old Tiles
You saw this one coming. Believe it or not, you do have to remove the old tiles from your floor before laying down the new ones. This is a simple enough process. Just pull on the corners of the tile until you're able to free it from the floor. Use a putty knife or metal scraper to help if the tiles are glued down and stubborn.
Depending on how big the area that is being fixed is, this process could be hard on your hands and knees. Avoid pain or injury by wearing knee pads and gloves.
Step 3: Remove Any Glue Left Behind
If the old carpet tiles happen to be held in place with glue, it is important that you get that remaining glue out of there before putting the new tiles. You want to be working with a nice, smooth surface when you install tiles.
To remove the glue, you can use a metal floor scraper. Keep the blade pointed away from you and push the scrapper under the glue to keep things safe. Goggles help too.
If the glue is clear it is also possible to remove it with a mixture of water and trisodium phosphate.
Step 4: Clean Your Floor
Get all the the leftover glue particles, dust, and anything else that may be on the floor off. Start by sweeping up the larger bits of debris and then wash the area with a store-bought cleaner or with more of your water-trisodium phosphate mixture. Scrub thoroughly with a firm brush and then remove the excess water with a wet-dry vac. Keep cleaning until all of the chemicals are removed from the area.
Step 5: Lay Down Your New Tile
It's now time to lay down your new carpet tiles. Start by measuring the tile and trimming it as needed to fit in the empty space. If you are using self-adhesive tiles, just lay in in place. Otherwise carefully apply some of the proper adhesive or carpet tape to keep the tile in place.
Aaaaand you're done! Congratulations on your good-as-new carpet tile!