Carpet Tiles Vs Broadloom Carpet In A Commercial Space

When it comes to building or renovating a commercial office space, the type of flooring you choose can have a huge impact not only on the office environment but also on the way your customers perceive your business.

With so many flooring options available, how do you know what’s right for you? A battle often faced by most business owners is should I go carpet tiles or broadloom carpet? 

Both provide adequate noise cancellation, are soft underfoot, and come in a wide range of colours, textures, and designs which can be customised to suit your space. Nothing really stands out apart from one being tiled and the other in a 12-foot roll.

For those of you who are struggling to find what’s best for your commercial space, tune in as we unravel the truth about Carpet Tiles vs Broadloom Carpet.

Broadloom Carpet

Of the two options, broadloom carpet is more traditional and possibly, more widely used in large corporate spaces. It comes with many design choices, including patterns, colours, even mosaics, and arrives in large rolled-up pieces ready to be cut to size for installation. 

Perhaps one of the largest benefits of broadloom carpet is that it can quickly and easily cover a large office space with one elaborate design, wall-to-wall. It is simply installed over a separate underlay, between the floor slab and the carpet, which can make it softer underfoot.

However, its largest benefit is also its biggest downfall when it comes to repairing. If an area becomes irreversibly damaged by moisture, mould or mildew, the entire carpet must be removed and replaced to completely fix it.

PROS

• Endless design possibilities. Inspire sophistication with modern broadloom carpet designs and patterns.

• Softer underfoot than carpet tiles. Thanks to the additional padding, known as the underlay, broadloom carpet can provide more cushion underfoot.

• Cheaper than carpet tiles. Broadloom carpet is generally cheaper per square foot than carpet tiles, but depends on the design and shape of office space.

• Hidden seams. Unlike tiled carpet, broadloom comes in a 12-foot roll and is installed wall-to-wall for a seamless finish. Any areas where broadloom seams meet are sealed with a chemical to appear like a singular piece.

CONS

• Can be more wasteful. Because broadloom carpet needs to be cut to fit the size of a room, the process of cutting down large pieces, particularly the underlay, can create more waste during installation.

• Can be more expensive. The cost of unnecessary or unused materials can sometimes offset the savings.

• Longer to install. The carpet underlay must be installed first, followed by the carpet. The carpet must then be cut to fit the room along with all seams neatly sealed. 

• Tough to repair and replace. Unlike its counterpart, where a tile damaged beyond repair can be simply removed and replaced, the entire carpet may need to be removed, including the underlay. 

Carpet Tiles

As the name suggests, carpet tiles are pre-cut, square-shaped pieces of carpet that have been designed to be directly installed to the floor just like porcelain tiles. 

One of the benefits of carpet tiles is that the underlay is built-in, this eliminates the need for a separate pad to be installed, effectively reducing cost, labour and fast-tracking your schedule.

It is extremely low maintenance, with damaged tiles easily and quickly removed to be cleaned or replaced. Replacement tiles can be stored effectively, requiring minimal space.

Carpet tiles offer a wide variety of design options and can provide particular designs that broadloom struggles to cost-effectively replicate, including checkered patterns or textured layouts. 

Some drawbacks of carpet tiles is design limitations and cost. While tiles open up certain design possibilities which broadloom is unable to achieve, it may not be suited for certain spaces, such as larger patterns or mosaic styles in a large office space. 

PROS

• Quick and easy to install. Since carpet tiles are already pre-cut to size and have a built-in underlay, they are much faster and less difficult to install.

• Customisable designs. The design choices are limitless when you have the power to choose your own pattern. Choose to lay tiles in a standard, checkered manner or experiment around until you find a visually pleasing design that suits your space.

• Low maintenance. Any stained or damaged pieces beyond repair can be quickly and easily replaced without affecting the rest of your flooring.

CONS

• More expensive than broadloom. Easy to install, pre-cut pieces with a built-in underlay will come at a higher cost.

• Visible seams. Because the tiles are simply placed next to each other as opposed to being chemically sealed, the seams remain visually clear. However, may not necessarily be a negative thing if a checkered pattern or texture is what you’re after.

• Not as soft underfoot. With built-in underlays, carpet tiles do not provide as much cushioning as the separate padding used with broadloom carpet.

To be completely honest, there is no clear-cut winner here. Ultimately, it boils down to your commercial space design needs and your budget. If you’re after a wholesome design that integrates seamlessly with your large office space, then broadloom is the way to go. If you’re wanting a little more customisation and know for a fact that damaged tiles are going to occur, carpet tiles are best for you. 

If you’re still undecided, why not speak to the friendly staff at Jupps Floor Coverings in Perth. One of our interior designers will work with you to find a carpeting solution that suits your commercial needs.