Carpet tile — also called modular carpet or carpet squares — is a flooring product manufactured in discrete square or rectangular units rather than continuous rolls. The standard commercial format is 24"×24", though 18"×18", 36"×36", and plank formats (9"×36" or 12"×48") are also common. Carpet tile has become the dominant carpet format in commercial construction, largely replacing broadloom in open office, corporate, and institutional environments.
Carpet tile's dominance in commercial work comes from several practical advantages. Individual tiles can be replaced when stained or worn — a critical benefit in high-traffic corridors and under workstations. Tiles can be rotated or flipped to distribute wear evenly. Design flexibility allows creating patterns, borders, and wayfinding graphics by mixing colorways within a product line. And installation can be phased to work around occupied spaces without disrupting an entire floor.
Carpet tile is typically installed using one of three methods: full spread adhesive (every tile glued down), perimeter adhesive (only perimeter tiles glued, interior tiles held by weight and friction — called "free-lay"), or peel-and-stick adhesive backing. Full spread is standard in most commercial applications. Free-lay is used in raised access floor systems where tiles must be regularly lifted for under-floor cabling access.
Carpet tile is estimated by square yard (SY) or square foot (SF) depending on manufacturer pricing. A standard waste factor of 5–7% applies to straight-lay installations. Diagonal installations, complex patterns, and rooms with many angles require 10–12% waste. Always account for pattern repeat when mixing tile colorways in a design — some design configurations require additional tile to maintain pattern alignment at room edges.
Novi Bid is built for commercial flooring stores — from takeoff to signed contract.
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