It’s the ultimate flooring face-off
Traditional carpet, aka “broadloom” carpet, is cheaper upfront at $1 to $8 per square foot.
Carpet tiles, aka “squares” of carpet, are a little more expensive at $2.50 to $11 per square foot.
Carpet tiles are more durable and easier to install, but wall-to-wall carpet is often softer underfoot and may be easier to match with your aesthetic.
When it comes to your home, comfort is king. This is why the soft underfoot feel of carpet has kept it among the most popular flooring choices. However, carpet is anything but a one-size-fits-all flooring solution. Along with the wide variety of colors and styles to choose from, homeowners can also pick between two main types of carpet: carpet tiles or carpet that’s wall-to-wall (broadloom).
Carpet tiles, also called carpet squares, are individual tiles of carpet that manufacturers make from the scraps of big rolls of broadloom carpet. Since carpet tiles are smaller in area, they’re easier to install and replace than large stretches of broadloom. Business owners have traditionally used many different types of carpet tiles in commercial settings for a long time, but the low-cost options and ease of installation for carpet tiles are making them more and more popular in residential spaces.
The classic look and feel of carpet, plus its seamless appearance, have helped its continuing popularity. Broadloom carpet is also a bit better at hiding imperfections in the flooring below, so that’s worth considering if you don’t have a big budget to pay for subflooring replacement or repairs before installation.
Carpet tiles make placing carpet as easy as, well, placing tile—just if the tile was way softer. In addition to their ease of installation, carpet tile is also highly durable and much easier to replace in the event of a spill or other damage. However, without the additional comfort of carpet padding (which broadloom carpet requires), it can be a little firmer underfoot than its wall-to-wall counterpart.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Durable | Not as soft underfoot |
| Easy and less costly to repair | Can show seams and imperfections |
| Easy to DIY | Fewer options than broadloom carpet |
Best for:
High foot-traffic areas
Areas with perfectly level subfloor
Those who want to DIY installation
Carpet tiles are pretty similar in price to broadloom carpet at $2.50 to $11 per square foot. There are plenty of inexpensive options for people on a budget. Plus, in the event of a spill or other type of damage, you can simply peel up an individual carpet tile and replace it, which is a lot more affordable (and less of a headache) than replacing an entire room’s wall-to-wall carpet flooring.
Carpet tiles come with a ready-to-go adhesive backing, which makes installing the flooring as easy as peeling and sticking—a DIY-friendly project for many. And while the styles and designs available may be slightly less extensive than those of wall-to-wall carpet, these days, there are still plenty of options to choose from.
Carpet tile tends not to be quite as soft underfoot as wall-to-wall carpeting does. Although some padding may be on the tile, it’s not as thick as the carpet padding used with broadloom flooring. Because of this, carpet tile can also allow imperfections in the subfloor to show through more easily than with broadloom carpet, and the seams between tiles may also be visible.
Also known as broadloom or wall-to-wall carpeting, traditional carpet comes in large rolls of up to 15 feet in length that can be used to quickly cover huge stretches of floor area. Broadloom carpet comes in a wide variety of colors and styles, and because pros install padding underneath, carpet is very soft underfoot. Because of the added materials needed for installation, however, getting new carpet costs more on average than installing new carpet tiles.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Super soft underfoot | Not as easy to install |
| Can reduce ambient noise | Harder to repair (may need full replacement) |
| Hides imperfections in flooring | Requires carpet padding, increasing project costs |
Best for:
Homeowners hiring pros to install their flooring
Those who want the softest possible flooring
Bedrooms and other areas less prone to damage
When it comes to soft, warm, cozy flooring, broadloom carpet simply can’t be beat, which is why it’s been a mainstay in homes for so long. Compared to carpet tiles, broadloom carpet does a better job of hiding imperfections in the subfloor. Additionally, you won’t see any seams with a professional install, and you have more customization options available with broadloom.
Carpet does have its cons, including its less-DIYable installation process. Since it needs to be custom-cut to the room size and laid on carpet padding, it’s best to leave broadloom carpet installation to a pro.
Additionally, if your broadloom carpet is irreparably damaged—say, you splatter paint on the carpet while refreshing your wall—you may need to replace the whole room’s worth of flooring rather than just repairing one spot on the carpet, like you can with carpet tiles. Plus, you may have to pay for more padding, which can quickly increase the price of your flooring project.
And now, the moment we’ve all been waiting for: How do these two types of carpet stack up against each other?
Since appearance comes down to personal preference, in this category, carpet and carpet tiles are tied. While many people prefer the cleaner look of seamless broadloom carpet, for others, the tiled look may be an intentional design choice. It’s all up to you and your eye.
Because it’s the more traditional in-home flooring, broadloom or wall-to-wall carpet comes in slightly more colors and styles than carpet tiles do.
Since you can easily spot-clean them and they’re tough enough to withstand serious foot traffic, carpet tiles win in the durability category.
Standard carpet installation costs $3 to $11 per square foot, depending on the type of carpet you choose. However, you also need to add padding, which can cost up to $2 per square foot.
On the other hand, carpet tile prices start at $2.50 per square foot and can go up to $11 or more. With carpet tiles, you don’t have to spend extra on padding, and since the prices for carpet tiles and carpet are similar otherwise, carpet tiles just inch out the victory here.
Thanks to its peel-and-stick construction, carpet tiles are far easier to install than broadloom carpet. In fact, carpet tile installation is a totally achievable DIY project for many homeowners.
Carpet tile also wins when it comes to ease of repair, which means you’ll never feel your stomach sink through your feet when you accidentally spill something on it. All you need to do is peel up one tile and replace it instead of having to replace carpet in the entire room.
Still have questions about which of these two flooring choices is right for you—or ready to get started on installation? Contact your local carpet installer for more information and to get one step closer to a soft place to land.
Carpet tiles are a relatively simple DIY project that most homeowners could tackle in a weekend. However, carpet tile installation is more complicated if your subfloor is uneven or you have a complicated removal for an existing floor because of asbestos tile. IT’s best to hire a pro in these cases, but if your floor is smooth and simple, DIYing carpet tiles can be a good way to save money on your project.
Jose was great to work with in figuring out what carpeting we wanted and the carpet padding to go with it. We looked at several businesses and went with Solo Flooring based on the very positive reviews we had seen as well as competitive pricing. After choosing the carpet, Jose placed our...
SOLO FLOORING INCHe gave me a very reasonable quote upfront without any bargain. Work was quick and perfect. I m definitely going to work with him for carpet installation. Would highly recommend.
KO-Am Enterprises, IncChris Clark at Abbey Design in Leesburg, Va is such a pleasure to work with. We had to replace our entire basement carpet and padding after our sump pump failed. We quickly had our order placed, carpet in, and his install team did such a quick, professional job. We highly recommend them.
Abbey Design + RemodelEverything went very smoothly. Sales personnel was helpful,installers moved all my furniture, installed carpets so it looked great and put everything back exactly as I wanted.
Outstanding! Mauricio was very professional and did an excellent job with the installation. He was careful with furniture and carpet as well. I will be recommending Closet America to all of my friends!
Closet America, LLCDanny O'Connor did a great job! He provided a written estimate for the work to be performed, and we scheduled him to do the work 2 days later. He showed up on time, and got right to work. Our basement has about 95 square yards of carpet, and a lot if it had developed ripples. Danny moved all...
Carpet Repair USAMNM was extremely accommodating in doing the work on very short notice. He did an excellent job in re-stretching the carpet and fixing the seam areas which were not done properly when the carpet was initially installed by another company. I highly recommend MNM.
Chuck Morris and the folks at Morris Paint were a pleasure to work with. Chuck took extra time to help me find an affordable but quality carpet selection, and worked with other contractors and me to schedule install around other work. The carpet and tile look great. There were some minor...
In the store, Ted efficiently and pleasantly helped me to select quality carpet at a good price. He and his installers were cooperative in working around my schedule, which was tight because of other work I was having done in our home. Even though a hurricane was predicted on the day...
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