How to 1/4 Turn Carpet Tiles
Carpet tiles are known for being easy to install. Of course, if you are trying to do something more complicated, like installing your tiles with a quarter turn to make a particular pattern, things can get slightly more complicated. You just need to plan ahead and take a little more time during installation. You don't want to finish installing a room full of carpet tiles and realize that half the room was done incorrectly.
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Find the center of the room. Before laying carpet tile, you want to make sure you are working from the center of the space. Starting at the middle will keep you from having too many cut tiles on one side of the room. It also creates better visual appeal.
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Lay one tile in the center of the room in any direction that you like. Lay out eight additional tiles surrounding the center tile. Lay them all out in the same direction. Do not pull the adhesive on the backs of the tiles. The tiles should be laid out and double-checked before being stuck to the floor.
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Turn the tile directly to the left and right of the center tile 90 degrees. Turn the tiles directly above and below the center tile in the same 90 degree direction. This will form the pattern of your floor.
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Add additional carpet tiles to cover the rest of the floor. Use your original nine tiles as your guide, alternating laying down a tile that is straight and a tile that is turned 90 degrees. Lay out the entire room.
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Stand back and check your work. Make sure that you were consistent with your pattern. It is easy to get confused when you are working so close to the tile. Check to make sure that each tile is surrounded on all four sides by a tile that is turned the opposite direction and you have a true checkerboard pattern.
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Pull the adhesive on one carpet tile and adhere it to the floor. Continue pulling adhesive and sticking tiles to the floor following the pattern you have laid out. Follow the manufacturer's instructions for adhering the carpet tiles.
References
Tips
- If you accidentally stick a tile to the floor incorrectly, pull the tile up as quickly as possible. The adhesive on the back of the tile may no longer stick effectively. Clean up any adhesive that is stuck to the floor by scraping it up with a putty knife. Use additional adhesive that was supplied with the floor tiles to stick the tile down in the right direction.
Writer Bio
Lisa East Hunter is a consultant and freelance writer in Phoenix. Her background in marketing and technology led her to explore all avenues of writing. She is currently dividing her time between freelance writing and her consulting business. Hunter has a Bachelor of Science in management information systems and marketing.
Photo Credits
- striped pattern of a carpet image by GoodMood Photo from Fotolia.com
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