Carpet tiles can save children's rooms

You just steam-cleaned the carpet in your children's bedroom, but this time, it didn't seem to help much. Few, if any, of the stains came out and the pile is still crushed. Face it. It's time for new carpet. With your children still in elementary school, you're not sure you want to break the bank and spend a fortune on new carpet. A less expensive option might be to recover the bedroom floor with carpet tiles.

Coming in a wide range of styles and sizes, carpet tiles are easy to install yourself and can be replaced as needed. Should your child accidentally spill juice on a few tiles and stain them, all you'll need to do is pull up the tiles and replace them. The cost and convenience make carpet tiles a worthwhile option to pursue for many families.

Before you run out and purchase several boxes of carpet tiles, do your homework. Find out exactly what is involved in installing carpet tiles and make sure you can handle the installation. Don't forget to ask about the pros and cons. Should you have to replace a carpet tile a year later, how well will the new one match up with the old ones? Will you actually be able to see that the replaced tile is new? For some people, there is nothing better than plush carpet installed by a professional over firm padding, while for others, the ease and convenience of replacing carpet tiles themselves overrides that.

Once you are certain that carpet tiles are the way to go, calculate the square footage of the room where you plan to use the tiles. This will tell you approximately how many tiles you will need. Make sure you purchase extra for any mistakes you may make in cutting or require later for replacements.

After you have purchased the carpet tiles, start prepping the room. First, carefully remove all of the baseboards and store them in a nearby room. Then remove the old carpet and padding, pull up any old tack strips and throw them away. Sweep, vacuum and mop the floor if needed so the carpet tiles will stick, and prepare to lay the carpet tiles.

To lay the carpet tiles, locate the center of the floor and work outward. Remove the backing from the carpet tile and press it onto the floor. Lay another carpet tile next to the center one, making sure the nap or pattern is going in the same direction and being careful not to create a crown or a bump at the seam line. Continue laying the carpet tiles in a square until you reach the outer portion of the room. Depending upon the dimensions of the room, you may need to cut the tiles to fit the perimeter of the room. Measure carefully and cut the tiles as needed with a utility knife. Then press them into place until the floor is completely covered.

In just a few hours, you can remove the old carpet and recover the floor yourself with new carpet tiles. Then, the next time a nasty stain occurs, all you'll need to do is pull up the tile and replace it. No more dragging out the steam cleaner and hoping that you can get rid of an ugly stain.