New to carpet tile - Contractor Talk - Professional Construction and Remodeling Forum

J&J Home Imp. · 06-06-2007, 06:36 AM

I am a pretty experienced floor guy but I am new to carpet tile and I doing a bid on about 700 yds. in a college dorm. I had a few questions. There is existing glue down carpet in there now and its on top of 50 yr old VCT tile. Does that all need to be tore out down to the bare concrete? I know with roll carpet you can just go right over the old glue it just takes more of it. Also what are you guys charging per yd. for labor? I am thinking around $7.00 a yd. but it sounds a little high. I am getting $4.00 for roll carpet and this tile looks like a lot more work. thanks for the help guys.

gideond · 06-06-2007, 08:02 AM

If you have 50 year old VCT to take up you'd better have an asbestos removal permit.

PrecisionFloors · 06-06-2007, 05:11 PM

Carpet tile is one of, if not the, easiest floor coverings to install. I would leave the VCT if it is bonded well. Carpet tile goes down with pressure sensitive adhesive so it will pretty much stick to anything. Prep it like you would regular glue-down. You will love the speed at which you can lay it. 700 yds should go down in 3 days tops.

Zero Punch · 06-06-2007, 07:27 PM

Have they already speced a carpet tile? You may inquire if they are familiar with Lee's permalink installation of carpet tile over existing glue down carpet. http://www.leescarpets.com/site/pdf/...link_tiles.pdf
There's a good possibility that removing the existing glue down will cause some of the VAT to give way or otherwise compromise it's present encapsulation.

J&J Home Imp. · 06-07-2007, 06:16 AM

Going over it really isn't an option because of all the door way transitions. The tile is down pretty good. I have installed over it in this dorm before. A tile comes up here and there but if I just patch it and go that has worked in the past. The main thing I was concerned of was going over the old glue, but if you think it will work then I will try it. It would save a lot of tear out thats for sure. As far as having it done in 3 days I don't know about that. There is a door seam every 6' on both sides of the hall way and I have never done this before so there will be a little learing curve i am sure. In my estimating software it says it will take 119hrs for 2 guys and its usually pretty close.

PrecisionFloors · 06-07-2007, 07:34 AM

"Seams" are a non-issue with carpet tile. You'll see once you get going with it.... I bet you love it. Let us know how it turns out, and good luck.

J&J Home Imp. · 06-07-2007, 11:07 AM

Well in the doors I will be "seaming" up to exsisting carpet so I have to make sure they are tight as possible.

Demonseed · 06-22-2007, 06:05 PM

It depends on the carpet tile you are using. C and A peel and stick, or do you need a pressure sensitive adhesive? Either way with carpet tile you will find it will be alot easier to just mix some patch real thin and flash patch every thing. If it is peel and stick, start priming the floor, if not put down the adhesive. 700 yards of carpet tile, doing it that way, is a 4 day job for one guy. That includes the prep and hanging base. When it comes to seaming to the existing carpet, throw some cove base adhesive under the tile at the seam, that will keep it in place.

Ironically, we have been doing dorm rooms in a college the last few weeks, with carpet tile, in the exact same scenario.