Non-motoring > Carpet or carpet tiles?	Miscellaneous
Thread Author: Robin O'Reliant	Replies: 74

Tue 7 Feb 12 11:02   Carpet or carpet tiles? - Robin O'Reliant

We've got to get rid if a fire surround in the through lounge after removal of the back boiler and fitted gas fire. We've never liked it and it just gets in the way. This means we will have a bare area on the floor and we've decided to buy a complete new carpet as the present one is showing it's age anyway. Carpet tiles would seem the ideal solution to me as they're easy to diy, need no underlay and the whole job is considerably cheaper, not to mention being able to keep a stock of spares for when the inevitable happens. Mrs RR's main concerrn is that they might look too industrial for a living room, anyone got any recent experience of using them and thoughs on whether they look an obvious cheapskate job or are as accdeptable on the eye as a one piece carpet? Reply to this message | Report message

Tue 7 Feb 12 11:16   Carpet or carpet tiles? - Zero

you want to live in an office? get tiles. Carpet tiles are NOT easy to DIY if you want the job done properly (ie not moving around and getting gappy) Its easier to fit carpet. And you need a floor of unbelievable smoothness and levelness, Reply to this message | Report message

Tue 7 Feb 12 11:18   Carpet or carpet tiles? - ToMoCo

>> Carpet tiles are NOT easy to DIY if you want the job done properly (ie >> not moving around and getting gappy) Its easier to fit carpet. And you need a >> floor of unbelievable smoothness and levelness, I agree with this. 100% go with Carpet. Reply to this message | Report message

Tue 7 Feb 12 16:30   Carpet or carpet tiles? - Roger.

>> you want to live in an office? get tiles. >> >> Carpet tiles are NOT easy to DIY if you want the job done properly (ie >> not moving around and getting gappy) Its easier to fit carpet. And you need a >> floor of unbelievable smoothness and levelness, >> I concur. Reply to this message | Report message

Tue 7 Feb 12 11:18   Carpet or carpet tiles? - Dutchie

My sister has carpet tiles in the lounge looks very nice and hard wearing. We've just had laminate flooring in our living room to replace a carpet,easy to clean and looks good. Reply to this message | Report message

Tue 7 Feb 12 11:23   Carpet or carpet tiles? - rtj70

I would think carpet is cheaper and quicker to install than tiles. We recently had the hall, stairs and landing done. Fitting for that was only about £60 and took far longer than a lounge. Cost of a carpet depends on what you want. We did try the usual carpet superstore places that claim to have 'sales' on all the time. The local carpet shop was cheaper, especially for fitting. Reply to this message | Report message

Tue 7 Feb 12 11:41   Carpet or carpet tiles? - Old Navy

We have recently used a "Trade" carpet supplier that operates out of an industrial unit nearby. They had a huge range of carpets but recommended contract quality stuff which they could supply at a good price compared to high street carpet of similar quality. Our bungalow lounge diner was probably an offcut or end of roll from a big job. :-) Worth checking out what is available off the beaten track. Reply to this message | Report message

Tue 7 Feb 12 12:07   Carpet or carpet tiles? - Zero

>> My sister has carpet tiles in the lounge looks very nice and hard wearing. Where does she keep the Vending Machine and the Photocopier? Reply to this message | Report message       1

Tue 7 Feb 12 12:23   Carpet or carpet tiles? - Dutchie

Not biting. Reply to this message | Report message

Tue 7 Feb 12 12:39   Carpet or carpet tiles? - Clk Sec

>>Mrs RR's main concerrn is that they might look too industrial for a living room, I think Mrs RR is right. Although, carpet tiles won't look out of place if you already have vertical blinds. :) Reply to this message | Report message

Tue 7 Feb 12 12:51   Carpet or carpet tiles? - Cliff Pope

Deep pile carpet may look nice and feel nice to walk on and be absolute bliss to lie on in front of a blazing log fire, but it will show the marks where the filing cabinet stood. Reply to this message | Report message

Tue 7 Feb 12 13:07   Carpet or carpet tiles? - Bromptonaut

Laid tiles in 'nursery' room before Miss B arrived in 1992, lasted until we left in 98. Domestic spec items with a thicker pile than usual office type. Easy to lift and clean/swap tiles to deal with accidents and even up wear but tbh the setup never looked homely. These days I'd go for laminate and rugs. Last edited by: Bromptonaut on Tue 7 Feb 12 at 13:07 Reply to this message | Report message

Tue 7 Feb 12 13:33   Carpet or carpet tiles? - Dutchie

We have done that Bromph.Laminated and a nice Tunisian Rug in the living room. Diniing room Laminated floor and rug.Upstairs bedrooms and landing carpets. Reply to this message | Report message

Tue 7 Feb 12 14:06   Carpet or carpet tiles? - Clk Sec

Laminate flooring. Not particularly good news for the folk next door. And for flat dwellers, potential hell for the poor unfortunates below. Reply to this message | Report message

Tue 7 Feb 12 14:36   Carpet or carpet tiles? - Dog

Tiles here in 'The Cottage'. Slate :) Reply to this message | Report message

Tue 7 Feb 12 15:06   Carpet or carpet tiles? - bathtub tom

I'm, slowly, decorating my hall, stairs and landing (it took eighteen months last time), SWMBO's after laminate, but I'm fighting a rearguard. We've got laminate in the dining room where it's fine, but it'll mean plumbing re-arrangements to get it under the skirting in the hall, or beading and I think it'll be too noisy on the stairs. The previous carpet lasted twenty years. If I could find another like it I reckon it'll outlast me. Is there a measure of carpet durability? Reply to this message | Report message

Tue 7 Feb 12 15:34   Carpet or carpet tiles? - Crankcase

>>Is there a measure of carpet durability? Yes, seems to be the answer. www.floorsonline.com/selection.html#durabilityindex Might not be the same in the UK of course. Last edited by: Crankcase on Tue 7 Feb 12 at 15:35 Reply to this message | Report message

Tue 7 Feb 12 15:44   Carpet or carpet tiles? - Runfer D'Hills

We've got ceramic tiles in all the rooms with taps and laminate everywhere else. Much to my chagrin when getting out of bed on a cold morning before the heat comes on but "she" likes how it looks apparently. I scurry across a cold "wooden" bedroom floor to a cold tiled bathroom one often at 4.00am prior to a London run. Still, I get my own back by putting my shoes on to shave and stomp about in them enough to ensure she's fully awake ( avoiding any full length mirrors of course, it's not a good look) However, the one exception is the stairs and landing which remain carpeted. Apparently there's a strong "Elfin-Safety" advice to not use laminate on those areas due to the possibility of slipping. Hope that helps BT? You could tell her it's illegal or something. :-) Reply to this message | Report message

Tue 7 Feb 12 16:31   Carpet or carpet tiles? - Roger.

We have laminate everywhere: not our choice -it was there. It's horrid! Reply to this message | Report message       1

Tue 7 Feb 12 16:34   Carpet or carpet tiles? - Dog

>>It's horrid!<< +1 Reply to this message | Report message       1

Tue 7 Feb 12 16:37   Carpet or carpet tiles? - Old Navy

+2 Reply to this message | Report message       1

Tue 7 Feb 12 16:41   Carpet or carpet tiles? - Clk Sec

And for those who live next door. Fortunately I don't. +3 Reply to this message | Report message       1

Tue 7 Feb 12 16:44   Carpet or carpet tiles? - Zero

+4 If you want wood look, sand and varnish the floorboards. Nothing looks better Reply to this message | Report message       1

Tue 7 Feb 12 16:46   Carpet or carpet tiles? - Clk Sec

I know someone who has done exactly that, and it looks terrific. Reply to this message | Report message

Tue 7 Feb 12 16:47   Carpet or carpet tiles? - Zero

I even had to source reclaimed 30's floorboards for the new part of the house to make it all match, Reply to this message | Report message

Tue 7 Feb 12 16:51   Carpet or carpet tiles? - Runfer D'Hills

Sounds like it might be an ideal place to get bits for the Lancer in due course too. Reply to this message | Report message

Tue 7 Feb 12 16:54   Carpet or carpet tiles? - Zero

the lancer has carpet tiles I understand the merc has laminate floor Reply to this message | Report message       1

Tue 7 Feb 12 17:03   Carpet or carpet tiles? - Runfer D'Hills

Probably has an Aga too. All manner of options I shall never bother to fathom in fact. Reply to this message | Report message

Tue 7 Feb 12 17:05   Carpet or carpet tiles? - Zero

>> Probably has an Aga too. I though mock tudor was a brick oven? Reply to this message | Report message

Tue 7 Feb 12 17:11   Carpet or carpet tiles? - rtj70

In our old house we had the original floor boards sanded in a few rooms and it looked wonderful. Much better than laminate. You got proper wooden floors in the 1920s and 30s. Reply to this message | Report message

Tue 7 Feb 12 19:37   Carpet or carpet tiles? - Robin O'Reliant

I'm not keen on laminate, I get the feeling it will be a bit of a fad along the lines of stone cladding. One year everyone wants it, the next year it will be enough to send potential buyers scurrying out the door. I'm still considering carpet tiles, apparantly you can now treat the floor (ours are very level btw) with some stuff that prevent the tiles from slipping while still allowing them to be peeled up, a bit like a post it note from a pad. More research needed, perhaps. Question for Dutchie, can you see the joins in your sisters tiles? Last edited by: Robin Regal on Tue 7 Feb 12 at 19:37 Reply to this message | Report message

Tue 7 Feb 12 19:41   Carpet or carpet tiles? - Runfer D'Hills

Fair point RR re laminate but at least it will have had a period of being fashionable. Carpet tiles never really achieved that heady status. Popular perhaps at one time but never fashionable ! We bought some new carpet for our renter. Nice actually but ever so cheap. :-) Reply to this message | Report message

Tue 7 Feb 12 19:54   Carpet or carpet tiles? - CGNorwich

Once you have put a decent laminate or wood floor down its there for life. You can easily change the look of the room with rugs. Far more versatile. Personally I prefer wood to laminate - We have Kahrs engineered wood flooring in the hall and dining room and it really is an excellent product. Reply to this message | Report message

Tue 7 Feb 12 19:56   Carpet or carpet tiles? - Robin O'Reliant

>> Once you have put a decent laminate or wood floor down its there for life. >> That's what worries me ;-) Reply to this message | Report message

Tue 7 Feb 12 20:02   Carpet or carpet tiles? - Old Navy

I can't see what the attraction is with laminate flooring, it is only thin kitchen worktop. Real wood every time if you must have a hard floor. Last edited by: Old Navy on Tue 7 Feb 12 at 20:05 Reply to this message | Report message

Tue 7 Feb 12 20:09   Carpet or carpet tiles? - CGNorwich

I generally prefer wood in a living room but would choose laminate in a kitchen or kitchen/diner. Horses for courses and all that Reply to this message | Report message

Tue 7 Feb 12 20:09   Carpet or carpet tiles? - Runfer D'Hills

>> I can't see what the attraction is with laminate flooring, Ooooh, now then, clearly you've not got the facility to do sock slides in your house then? Worth every penny ! If I get enough speed up on the grass and across the patio with the french doors open I can get almost all the way to the front door despite the chicane in the hall. Different hosiery constructions and raw materials do make a huge difference though. A high synthetic content is best for friction reduction but they do build up heat much more quickly if real effort and determination is employed. Understeer like fun too unfortunately. Cotton is generally the best compromise. Wool grabs on the joins. Last edited by: Humph D'Bout on Tue 7 Feb 12 at 20:11 Reply to this message | Report message

Tue 7 Feb 12 20:00   Carpet or carpet tiles? - Zero

>> with some stuff that prevent the tiles from slipping while still allowing them to be >> peeled up, a bit like a post it note from a pad. More research needed, >> perhaps. yeah its made by 3m and it comes in a spray can. Its crap. Have you gathered the voice of experience is talking yet? Let me make it clearer DO NOT USE CARPET TILES Reply to this message | Report message

Tue 7 Feb 12 20:07   Carpet or carpet tiles? - CGNorwich

Can only agree. Used them once many years ago in my son's bedroom. Absolutely horrible things. You will be taking them up and replacing them with carpet within weeks. I did Reply to this message | Report message

Tue 7 Feb 12 20:11   Carpet or carpet tiles? - R.P.

We had them in a kitchen/Utility room of two homes ( well it was the 80s) they were serviceable and utility, they were well fitted. Can't think of any other positives.. Reply to this message | Report message

Tue 7 Feb 12 20:20   Carpet or carpet tiles? - Runfer D'Hills

>> Can't think of any other positives.. Sure there are, for one, you don't have them anymore... :-) Reply to this message | Report message

Tue 7 Feb 12 20:11   Carpet or carpet tiles? - Clk Sec

I just cannot imagine carpet tiles in a lounge. Reply to this message | Report message

Tue 7 Feb 12 20:13   Carpet or carpet tiles? - Runfer D'Hills

My dog would dig them up. Last edited by: Humph D'Bout on Tue 7 Feb 12 at 20:13 Reply to this message | Report message

Tue 7 Feb 12 20:14   Carpet or carpet tiles? - Clk Sec

It wouldn't be too difficult. Reply to this message | Report message

Tue 7 Feb 12 20:31   Carpet or carpet tiles? - R.P.

Nor me. Reply to this message | Report message

Tue 7 Feb 12 20:48   Carpet or carpet tiles? - Armel Coussine

I forget where they came from, but there were lots lying around here years ago and I laid some in a corridor and a room or two. They weren't difficult to lay and were better than bare deal floors or lino for bedrooms, but they did make the place look like an office being grey. In the new extended configuration there are handsome floorboards called 'engineered boards' or something like that. They have a matt, easy-to-clean finish, but I have no idea what they will be like in twenty years' time (and realistically I don't ever expect to). I suppose laminate is that shiny plasticky-finish slightly bouncy stuff there was in my daughter's old Kensal Rise flat. It was all right but looked garish and had to be swept all the time. Reply to this message | Report message

Tue 7 Feb 12 20:51   Carpet or carpet tiles? - Runfer D'Hills

Not if you do sock slides AC. Keeps it pristine. Reply to this message | Report message

Tue 7 Feb 12 21:04   Carpet or carpet tiles? - Bromptonaut

We 'discovered' laminate in IKEA almost exactly twenty years ago so I think its been around too long to be a fad. Laid Pergo beech effect here when we moved in in 98 and it's still in place. May not look quite as smart as wood but it survives kids and trampled grit better. Couple of dings where things have been dropped and a patina of light scratches in sun but otherwise still looks great. Good for at least another 5 years I'd say. Reply to this message | Report message

Tue 7 Feb 12 21:32   Carpet or carpet tiles? - Dutchie

Our laminate looks smart plus some nice rugs.Easy to keep clean.Wooden floors fine Daughter got the wooden floors planks.Make up your own mind Robin. Reply to this message | Report message

Tue 7 Feb 12 21:55   Carpet or carpet tiles? - Robin O'Reliant

Looks like carpet then :-( Reply to this message | Report message

Tue 7 Feb 12 23:28   Carpet or carpet tiles? - legacylad

Depending on how much work you want to undertake...a pal of mine in demolition gave me first dabs on a leisure centre, so I took up the old carpet, AND all the floorboards and put down a solid maple ex squash court floor.It took me a weeks holiday to replace, sand and refix the skirting on top, but it looks good (to my eyes at least). Well worth the effort. Its down to stay so if I need a new look I experiment with emulsion and different prints/photoson the walls.I don't bother with rugs. They would detract from the red markings. Reply to this message | Report message

Tue 7 Feb 12 23:34   Carpet or carpet tiles? - Zero

You line the sofa up along the court markings? Reply to this message | Report message

Tue 7 Feb 12 23:46   Carpet or carpet tiles? - legacylad

Don't be silly. I use them as a sobriety test. Reply to this message | Report message

Wed 8 Feb 12 19:34   Carpet or carpet tiles? - Iffy

I have a large carpet tile embossed with my employer's name as an interior doormat. The editor walked on it when he came to visit when I was off. Hope he didn't notice, it would be hard to imagine a clearer case of theft from employer. Reply to this message | Report message

Wed 8 Feb 12 19:55   Carpet or carpet tiles? - R.P.

Normally you'd be carpeted for that sort of thing ....... Reply to this message | Report message

Wed 8 Feb 12 19:56   Carpet or carpet tiles? - Zero

Step to far if you ask me Reply to this message | Report message

Wed 8 Feb 12 20:02   Carpet or carpet tiles? - Robin O'Reliant

Unless there is an underlaying reason for having it? Reply to this message | Report message

Wed 8 Feb 12 20:09   Carpet or carpet tiles? - swiss tony

In your defence, you could say when working for him, you felt like a doormat...... Reply to this message | Report message

Wed 8 Feb 12 20:16   Carpet or carpet tiles? - Iffy

A few of us have been walked all over by an employer - I do the reverse every time I return home. Reply to this message | Report message

Wed 8 Feb 12 20:19   Carpet or carpet tiles? - Zero

I wash my hands of the whole affair oh wait, that's the towels I nicked from the Hilton. Reply to this message | Report message

Wed 8 Feb 12 20:42   Carpet or carpet tiles? - MD

The carpet in our first house in 1980 was Shag pile. The recent one wasn't. Reply to this message | Report message

Thu 9 Feb 12 08:38   Carpet or carpet tiles? - Roger.

Oh 'eck - you've just reminded me of the white long shag-pile carpet we had in our bedroom in the 1970s. We also had loads of woodchip and some wallpaper in a rather garish orangey coloured paisley pattern! Looking back, it was the nadir of our taste, but it WAS the 70s. Shudder! Reply to this message | Report message

Thu 9 Feb 12 08:53   Carpet or carpet tiles? - Clk Sec

>>white long shag-pile carpet we had in our bedroom in the 1970s. We had exactly the same in our bedroom in the late 70s, with a darker deep shag-pile carpet throughout the rest of the house. Very fashionable at the time. Reply to this message | Report message

Thu 9 Feb 12 09:11   Carpet or carpet tiles? - Duncan

Remember louvre doors? Or, as Del Boy pronounced it 'lowvree doors'! Reply to this message | Report message

Thu 9 Feb 12 09:17   Carpet or carpet tiles? - Clk Sec

>>Remember louvre doors? Yes. They added the wow factor to our fitted wardrobes. Reply to this message | Report message

Thu 9 Feb 12 09:29   Carpet or carpet tiles? - Bromptonaut

Our last house had a louvre door between hallway and lounge. Looked a bit naff but helped manage warm/cold spots with gas warm air heating. Remember that too? Still available from same manufacturer: www.johnsonandstarley.co.uk/warm-air/overview.asp Last edited by: Bromptonaut on Thu 9 Feb 12 at 09:30 Reply to this message | Report message

Thu 9 Feb 12 09:39   Carpet or carpet tiles? - Crankcase

As we like to live in the past to whatever extent we can manage, you'll be delighted to hear we've just bought one of these. We had one when I was small and it looks completely ridiculous, but it was cheap and does the job so we're happy. 1950 calling... tinyurl.com/89poej9 - www.argos.co.uk/ Last edited by: VxFan on Thu 9 Feb 12 at 10:23 Reply to this message | Report message

Thu 9 Feb 12 09:43   Carpet or carpet tiles? - Zero

>> 1950 calling... Wow, northing quite like fake nostalgia is there. Last edited by: VxFan on Thu 9 Feb 12 at 10:23 Reply to this message | Report message

Thu 9 Feb 12 09:52   Carpet or carpet tiles? - henry k

>> Wow, northing quite like fake nostalgia is there. >> These modern fakes all have a flat back so they can stand against a flat wall cos there is no chimney there. Proper ones have an extended back that fitted snug in a pukka fire place. Last edited by: VxFan on Thu 9 Feb 12 at 10:23 Reply to this message | Report message

Thu 9 Feb 12 09:40   Carpet or carpet tiles? - CGNorwich

That's much more sophisticated than what we had in 1970s. Basically we had a concrete cupboard with a steel door containing an oil fuelled pipe stove, made by Husqvarna. It would glow cherry red when on highest setting. A smaller stove with a water jacket supplied the hot water. No thermostats or other controls. Was actually cheap to run before the fuel crisis! Reply to this message | Report message

Thu 9 Feb 12 10:13   Carpet or carpet tiles? - MJM

>>www.johnsonandstarley.co.uk/warm-air/overview.asp<< Our JS 25/32 system is still pumping out the warm air. The house was built in 1976 so that's 36 years so far....... It'll be replaced with a similar system when the need arises. Reply to this message | Report message

Thu 9 Feb 12 10:31   Carpet or carpet tiles? - Bromptonaut

>> Our JS 25/32 system is still pumping out the warm air. The house was built >> in 1976 so that's 36 years so far....... >> It'll be replaced with a similar system when the need arises. Ours, of similar vintage, was still going strong when we left in 1998. Entire estate ws fitted with GHAH as standard. A lot of folks regarded it as a pain and replaced with conventional boilers and rads. We found it a bit noisy but, although notionally under the control of a timeclock, we often switched it manualy. Could get the house from chilly to warm inside fifteen minutes. Reply to this message | Report message

Thu 9 Feb 12 10:43   Carpet or carpet tiles? - Crankcase

I should add to mine that it does have a flat back, but we stand it in the pukka fireplace on days when we don't have time to light the real fire (ie in the week). Reply to this message | Report message

Thu 9 Feb 12 14:45   Carpet or carpet tiles? - Roger.

In the same house in which we suffered the woodchip & shag pile, we had hot water filled skirting radiators. It was in Chalfont St. Peter. Selling there and moving to Wales was our worst financial decision by a country mile as it only owed us C£18000 with a £7.5k, (bank group employee) 2.5% fixed for ever, mortgage! At the height of the last property boom, similar properties in the close were making near to half a million! Hindsight is a wonderful thing! Last edited by: Roger on Thu 9 Feb 12 at 14:45 Reply to this message | Report message

Thu 9 Feb 12 16:55   Carpet or carpet tiles? - Robin O'Reliant

>> Our last house had a louvre door between hallway and lounge. Looked a bit naff >> but helped manage warm/cold spots with gas warm air heating. >> >> Remember that too? >> >> Still available from same manufacturer: >> >> www.johnsonandstarley.co.uk/warm-air/overview.asp >> I used to sell that door to door in the early seventies, or at least canvas appointments for the rep who travelled with me and another knocker. The company literature used to state "No orders to be taken from blacks or Asians". You can just imagine the furore that would cause now. Reply to this message | Report message