Installation of Carpet Tiles

Remove all furniture from the room. Before you begin to lay tiles, decide where you will start the installation process. Start your first row at one of the room's walls. This method reduces the amount of preparation necessary. It will also allow you to make tile cuts on only two sides of the room. Alternatively, you can choose to start in the center of the room and work outwards, making tile cuts along each wall.

Take measurements to locate the center of the room if you plan to start your tiles there. The simplest way to find the middle of your room is to use a measuring tape to find the middle point of each of your room's four walls and mark the location on a baseboard or sub floor with a pencil. Hold a chalk line between the center points of opposing walls and snap it. Repeat the process on the other set of opposing walls, resulting in two lines that cross each other in the center of the room.

Begin to lay the tiles. If you start in the center of the room, lay tiles first along the chalk lines and fill in the rest of one quadrant. Lay tiles in one quadrant at a time. Set the tiles in even rows. If you start along a wall, plan the project so that the cut tiles will be in the most inconspicuous area of the room. As long as you start in one corner, two of the walls will not require tile cuts. Most carpet tiles have a peel and stick application. Peel away the thin layer of paper from the back of the tile to reveal adhesive.

Save all cuts until the end of the project. Cut tiles will become necessary when the distance between the wall and the last laid tile is not the same length as a full tile. There are two ways to measure the appropriate length of a cut tile. You can lay a full tile upside down on the ground over the last installed tile and slide it over to the wall. Use a pen or marker to make a line on the back of the top tile that marks the edge of the bottom tile. If you still have your measuring tape on hand, you can also simply place it between the end of the last full tile and the wall and note the measurement. Transfer the measurement to the back of a full tile and mark it with a pen or marker. In either case, use a straightedge tool and a utility knife to make a straight cut through the tile.

Consult the manufacturer's recommendations regarding adhesive set time. In some cases, you will be able to move furniture back into the room immediately. Other tiles may require minimal foot traffic and no furniture in the room for a specified amount of time.