Carpet Tape or FlorDots / Tactiles for Installing Carpet Tiles?
When it comes to securing rugs and carpets, there are two main options: flor dots / tactiles (used for FLOR Squares) and carpet tape. Both products are designed to keep rugs, carpet runners, stair treads and carpet tiles in place, but they have some differences in terms of their materials and application methods.
Flordots / TacTiles are small adhesive squares with adhesive on one side that are placed underneath each corner of a rug or carpet tile to hold it in place. FLORdots stick to the bottom of each tile where the 4 corners intersect, not to your floor. They are typically made of a reusable adhesive material that is strong enough to keep the the carpet tiles together to one another and won't damage the floor underneath because there is no adhesive on the bottom. Flor dots are designed to be easily removable, making them a good choice for people who frequently rearrange their furniture or like to change their home decor often. The downside is that they are not as strong and sticky as double sided carpet tape and they loose adhesive the more you use them.
Carpet tape double sided heavy duty, on the other hand, is a double-sided tape that is designed to be used with carpet tiles, carpet runners, stair treads, rubber flooring tiles or rugs. It is typically a stronger adhesive than flor dots and is used to hold carpet tiles in place or the edges of the carpet in place along walls and other surfaces. Carpet tape is also designed to be more permanent, making it a good choice for people who want a strong lasting solution for their flooring project. Most brands of carpet tape leave the floor residue free no mater what type of flooring you have. We recommend the Carpet Tile Tape by All Flooring Now which you can find on Amazon.
The choice between flor dots / tactiles and carpet tape will depend on your specific needs and preferences. Flor dots are a good choice if you would like to float the carpet tiles over the floor, while carpet tape is double sided and will keep your carpet tiles and rugs in place for a longer time. Here are some factors to consider when choosing between flordots / tactiles and carpet tape:
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Rugs or carpet tiles: Flor dots work well with carpet tiles FLOR squares going from wall to wall or large areas but won't work well for rugs because they don't have adhesive on both sides of the flordots and will not stop your rugs from sliding. Carpet tape is great for rugs, carpet tiles and mats because it's double sided and can be cut to any size you which no matter how large your rug or carpet tile project.
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Type of flooring: Both Flordots and carpet tape can be used on a variety of surfaces, including hardwood, tile, vinyl, laminate, concrete and rubber flooring.
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Frequency of use: If you frequently change your home decor or move furniture around, flor dots are good but not great because they loose their stick after uses and may not hold your carpet tiles to each other. Therefore carpet tape would be the better choice since it can be removed and reapplied and you will most likely have more carpet tape on the roll than you used the first time so you can apply new from the roll, carpet tape is the way to go.
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Strength of hold: Carpet tape is typically a much stronger adhesive than flordots / tactiles and is designed to provide a long-lasting hold. If you have a high-traffic area where your carpet is more likely to shift or slide out of place, carpet tape is the better choice.
- Price and value: Carpet tape will the better price for the overall value than flordots / tactiles. Typical size roll of carpet tape is 2" x 90 feet for around $17 where as flor dots you get 12 for $5.
Both flordots / tactiles / carpet stickers and carpet tape are affordable and easy to use, making them a great option for anyone who wants to keep their rugs and carpets securely in place. Ultimately, the choice between the two will depend on your specific needs and preferences, so consider the factors outlined above when making your decision.
