Carpet & Carpet Tile

Open cell cushion backing can help negate many of the problems associated with sub-floor moisture.  The structure of open cell backing allows for ‘moisture wicking’, making it possible for sub-floor moisture to travel through the carpet backing and evaporate away at the seams of each carpet tile.  In contrast, hard-backed carpet tiles will trap moisture. Without the ability to evaporate, this can cause the growth of mold and mildew, both of which are detrimental to Indoor Air Quality.

Many carpet tiles have backings that contain PVC. If these tiles come into contact with adhesive left-over from a prior installation, a harmful phenomenon known as plasticizer migration can occur. This creates unpleasant odours which negatively impact Indoor Air Quality, and often necessitate the laborious removal of residual adhesive.

With no PVC in its backing, open cell cushion mitigates this problem, reducing the need to remove old adhesives and greatly speeding-up the installation process. Thanks to its moisture wicking technology, tiles with open cell cushion backing can even be directly installed in environments of up to 80% relative.

Cushion backing can also impart a wealth of benefits to health, wellness and safety. Open cell cushioning uses the same type of technology found in high-performance athletic shoes. With greater underfoot support, these carpet tiles significantly reduce muscle fatigue, often by as much as 24%. This is hugely beneficial in any environment, but the effects are amplified in sit-to-stand working spaces, where standing and sitting comfort are both an important concern.

Cushioning also brings acoustic benefits, reducing ambient noise and minimizing ground level vibrations by up to 50% more than hard-backed surfaces. In office environments, this improves productivity and minimizes distractions; making for happier employees, and better company performance.

Overall, Carpet Tile is more cost-effective to replace a ruined carpet tile than it is to re-seam, re-stretch and replace an entire roll of carpet.  With it’s industrial strength, carpet tiles waterproof carpet tiles, concerns about spills and moisture have become less of a concern. With consistent vacuuming and cleaning, most carpet tile floors will maintain their appearance, even under high traffic demands. And as sections wear out, the tiles are easily replaced.

Some carpet manufacturers offer both residential and commercial grade carpet.  These carpets are specifically designed and constructed to meet the unique needs of its environment and identifying the five main differences between commercial and residential carpet.

• • You will typically find a wider range of color and style options for residential carpet compared with commercial carpet.
  • In busy commercial spaces, dark-colored patterns are the popular choice. Dark patterns are traditionally more forgiving than solid colors: marks and stains over time will blend in with the pattern, allowing the carpet to last longer in a commercial environment where spills are more frequent.
  • In contrast, light-colored carpets are often favored in residential settings because they give the impression of space and light.

However, it’s becoming increasingly common for commercial spaces to mimic the comfortable environment of a residential setting – particularly in office environments. As this workplace trend grows in popularity, office designers are frequently selecting more textural, semi-solid floor covering patterns in lighter tones to channel residential aesthetics.

Comfort is the top priority for residential carpet and likely feels exceptionally luxurious underfoot when compared with commercial grade carpet. The two types of carpet are constructed differently: to improve underfoot comfort, residential carpet is likely to have a greater pile height, which creates the indulgent, plush feel.

Residential carpet is often supplied with a thick underlay, which acts as padding. This creates a more comfortable surface and has the added benefit of increasing sound absorption. Commercial grade carpet is starting to recognize the benefits of underfoot comfort and are following suite. Carpet in general offers a wealth of comfort and acoustic benefits in both commercial and residential applications.

If comfort is the main priority in a residential setting, durability is top for commercial grade carpet.

Commercial floor covering is created to handle high levels of foot traffic day after day. It’s carefully constructed so that it can withstand repeated heavy foot traffic without looking worn. For example, it normally has a shorter pile height, as longer fibers are prone to being crushed and distorted by high levels of foot traffic, meaning the carpet’s appearance deteriorates rapidly.

There are several factors which impact carpet durability, but the most important is the carpet backing.  Cushion backing carpets not only improves underfoot comfort and noise absorption, it also significantly extends the lifetime of the carpet by 40-50% over hardback carpet tiles.

For both residential and commercial grade carpet, vacuuming is the primary cleaning method, with an occasional deep clean.  However, due to the higher levels of foot traffic, commercial carpet requires much more extensive cleaning and maintenance than residential carpet.

High-traffic areas in commercial environments may need vacuuming every day to prevent dirt and grit from wearing away at carpet fibers, whereas many homeowners won’t vacuum more often than once a week. Furthermore, while homeowners are recommended to deep clean their carpets once a year, high-traffic commercial environments may require deep cleaning on a quarterly basis or at least every six months.

The biggest difference between residential and commercial grade carpet is the expectation that people have when buying it. Commercial grade carpet needs to retain a beautiful appearance for ten years or more to provide a well-maintained, professional atmosphere. In contrast, residential carpet isn’t expected to last anywhere near as long, or endure as much wear and tear.