Carpet Tile Types

Tufted

• Tufted carpet tile begins as a non-colored yarn that is produced by a tufting machine—a large sewing machine with numerous needles on it. This yarn is then dyed with a pattern after it has been manufactured. This is a medium-length carpet that is very common in homes.

Woven

• Woven, cut-pile carpet tile (see Resources) is produced with looms. Woven carpet tiles are more labor-intensive to produce and contain many different colors of yarns, so is more expensive than tufted carpet tiles. According to Building Materials 365, generally the thicker the carpet tile the more expensive it is.This type of carpet is limited by the number of different colors that can be sewn together. This carpeting can be cut to any length and is a popular choice for living rooms.

Needfelt

• Needfelt carpet tiles are produced through a process that uses electrostatic current to attract and assemble the fibers. This type of tile lies very flat and is known for its high durability. This carpet tile is typically used in commercial buildings in high-traffic areas.

Flatweave

• A flatweave carpet tile is produced by knitting the horizontal and vertical threads together to form embroidery. The front and back of this carpeting are almost exactly the same. This type of carpeting is considered to be fairly durable and is often used as throw rugs.

Fiberglass

• When carpet tile is designated as fiberglass it refers to the backing of the tile. According to the Carpet Information Centre, carpet tiles have backing so they require no underlay or adhesives.Typically a tufted carpet is glued to a thin fiberglass backing and then cut into squares. The fiberglass backing reinforces the tiles, which ensures that the ends of the carpet tiles do not buckle or curl upward. This can add many years to the life of the carpet tiles and also allows for easier installation.

Vinyl

• A vinyl carpet tile (see Resources) can be any type of weave that is attached to a vinyl backing. It retains all of the positive characteristics of fiberglass carpet tile, and many varieties of carpet can be attached to it.