Essentials of installing carpet tile and broadloom: Flooring Forensics

By Lew Migliore

Modular and broadloom are two very different types of carpet. Simply put, modular carpet is carpet tiles in various shapes and sizes that come in a box or wrapped in plastic on a pallet. Broadloom carpet comes in rolls ranging in width from 6’ to 15’ and in various lengths up to 150’, with attached cushion of 125’. If the broadloom is a lighter weight or grade carpet it may be slightly longer.

Modular carpet per yard is typically more expensive because it is the most highly engineered textile floorcovering produced. To make each tile more dimensionally stable, modular carpet requires layers of various materials in the backing, depending on how a particular manufacturer produces it.

Installation of modular and broadloom carpet is very different, but floor prep remains the same for both. The substrate must be clean and dry so as not to compromise the installation of the material’s adhesion. The substrate must also be smooth and as level as possible, so as not to distort the material being placed upon it. Undulations on an uneven surface in the substrate can make installation of broadloom carpet with a pattern even more difficult. The substrate for modular and broadloom should always be tested for moisture and alkalinity prior to installation, according to the carpet and adhesive manufacturers’ instructions, in order to maintain the carpet’s quality and longevity.

INSTALLING BROADLOOM
Common issues with broadloom carpet installations include seams fraying, zippering or coming apart in some way, or the pattern being out of alignment. It’s important that installers follow industry guidelines and manufacturer’s instructions to get it right the first time, because having to go back once the broadloom is installed and the furnishings are put back in place is a prospect no one relishes. Hence, broadloom carpet installation should follow a very precise and careful process.

Broadloom carpet installation requires emptying the entire space to be carpeted. Large breadths of carpet are installed as panels, going in side by side in a large, open space or dropped and cut in for smaller office-type spaces. Getting broadloom carpet into the space itself prior to installation can prove challenging. Once inside, broadloom carpet must be laid out and acclimated to the space, according to manufacturer’s instructions and industry installation guidelines.

Broadloom rolls should be sequenced and dry-laid, and the material should be checked for defects. Next, it should be aligned, the edges properly trimmed, then sealed. The appropriate high quality glue should be applied with the correct trowel and left to air for a suitable amount of time. The carpet should be placed into the adhesive and positioned using several types of installation devices and techniques, and pattern matches should be checked. Finally, the carpet must be rolled with a 75-pound roller to ensure proper adhesive transfer between the floor and carpet backing.

INSTALLING MODULAR
Keep in mind that the skill level is different for installing modular carpet tiles. More mathematical skills are required, like finding the center of the room, laying out chalk lines and making sure the installation fits squarely in the space. In addition, ensuring that the tiles stay true, or in line, during the installation, is critical. There is less physical labor involved to install modular carpet than broadloom since the installers don’t have to handle large rolls of material.

The ease of installation in an occupied space is the most popular and unique characteristic of modular carpet. Carpet tiles can be installed when a space is furnished. The installation can be done in phases with some shuffling of staff and their personal space items. Systems furniture installed in almost every large office in the world can be lifted, the old flooring removed and new carpet tile installed without displacing all of the employees, breaking everything down, and emptying the space. Carpet tiles can also be more forgiving on less than perfect substrates.

Modular carpet comes in pieces, boxed or packaged on a pallet, making it easier to transport to any space. Unless modular carpet has been exposed to very cold temperatures, it doesn’t usually need to be acclimated like broadloom, but in general, the surface and the carpet tiles should be room temperature. Pains should be taken to ensure that modular carpet remains flat and square so there is no dimensional movement of the material when it is installed.

Modular carpet should be installed starting with the carton numbers in order. There are directional arrows on the back of each tile that allow for one direction or multi-direction installation, and the ability to keep the direction the same regardless of the installation. The starting point of the installation must be in the center of the room and it’s helpful to snap a chalk line and take measurements to ensure the tile is installed outward from that center point, and to ensure the largest perimeter modular size. That is, you don’t want little slivers of tile on one side of an area and three quarters of a tile on the other. The fill pieces should be as evenly cut all the way around as possible.

Overall, both broadloom and carpet tile installation require expertise and effort. Broadloom requires more labor to install, while more skill is involved in modular installation. Also, carpet tiles lend themselves to a variety of installation methods. They can be installed with a separate adhesive, peel and stick systems, adhesive free installation technology such as tabs on the corners that allow the tiles to “float” on the floor, and specialty methods of installation that can thwart compromising substrate conditions.

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