Can You Put Carpet Tiles Over Concrete?

Capabilities

• Carpet tiles can be used on concrete surfaces. However, that does not mean they will have the same effect on all concrete slabs throughout your house. For example, many people like the idea of carpeting their basement areas. However, basements are below grade and suffer from moisture and cold-temperature issues that the rest of the house is not subject to. This can make carpet tiles a poor choice when it comes to basements that are known to have moisture problems.

Moisture

• Because moisture is a primary concern, your first step should be ensuring that the concrete will not create any moisture problems. Concrete should have a vapor barrier installed underneath it in order to help control humidity, but this is only possible if you created the slab before installing carpet tiles. However, you can still test your concrete for moisture by sealing a patch with packing tape and a square of plastic for several days to see if any moisture collects on the sealed surface. It it does, your concrete is probably too damp for carpet.

Adhesive

• Most carpet tiles use adhesive. This is convenient but may pose problems for a concrete floor. Concrete that is greasy or dirty will not bond properly with these adhesives, leading to long-term problems. Clean your concrete carefully, washing it and letting it dry thoroughly before you try installing carpet.

Padding

• Another problem with carpet tile is that it can still feel cold and hard when concrete is immediately beneath it. Test your carpet tiles before installation to see if you would prefer to use padding over your concrete to prepare it. You can install padding, but it will probably not work with your tile adhesive, so you may need to switch to conventional carpet in return for greater comfort.