I've decided to retire the 6-tile area rug concept because the product is simply not intended for that type of use. Instead, these carpet tiles are designed to be installed wall-to-wall as the finished flooring, not on top of an already finished floor.
Although I had devised a method for assembling the carpet tiles on a barrier grip mat to protect the finish of a nice hard wood floor, for example, the solution was not ideal. The grip mat that was provided with orders of 6-tiles had a friction component associated with it such that when the tacky StayTac coated backing of the carpet tiles met with it, lifting and rotating tiles became a difficult task.
The StayTac coating is not in itself sticky, just tacky. In other words, the coating prevents the tiles from sliding around on the floor, yet still allows them to be lifted up. This installation method is fantastic because it allows an installation to be conducted by an amateur without any glue or special equipment, aside from a blade to cut tiles for a snug fit up against the wall. Furthermore, since one of the unique traits of Clockwork, Cocoon, and Etruscan is the ability to create different designs depending on how the tiles are rotated, the StayTac installation method lets owners change the design during installation or anytime later just by lifting and rotating some or all of the tiles.
The drawback to the coated backing is that if the carpet tiles are assembled on a nice hard wood floor, they can leave a moderately sticky residue on the wood that has proven itself to be difficult to clean. I learned this the hard way. Before devising the barrier mat method, I had set 6 tiles of Cocoon on the hard wood floor in my living room. About a year later, I lifted a tile in order to change the design around and noticed the floor was not as smooth as the rest of the wood. Regular cleaning solutions did not help, but it came to light that a mix of water and distilled white vinegar would clean away the residue. Unfortunately, even with this cleaning solution, the scrubbing task proved laborious. Eventually I cleaned it all away, sometimes applying pressure with a rag and other times using a more relaxed circular motion. It takes between 30 and 60 minutes per tile.
With the Modular Area Rug concept now extinguished, it may be time to rebrand my retail distribution website because the name Adaptive Rugs does not intuitively reflect a wall-to-wall carpeting product. "Rugs" are typically associated with area rugs, and "carpet" is typically associated with wall-to-wall carpeting.
The shift will happen gradually and without a set deadline. In the meantime, the Adaptive Rugs website is up and running, allowing orders to be placed for wall-to-wall modular carpeting. Your continued interest in this unique flooring product is perpetually appreciated.
Thanks very much,
Edward Borlenghi, Designer of the three tile styles
Cocoon, Brown/Tan assembly on plywood subfloor.
