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| How to fit Heuga carpet and vinyl tiles |
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| One of the best things about Heuga tiles is that they are easy to buy, easy to take home and easy to fit. |
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| Carpet tiles |
| SmartSteps |
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| Carpet tiles |
Step 1 - Sub-floor
Heuga carpet tiles can be laid over stone, ceramic or vinyl floors. Do not lay on a soft sub-floor such as existing carpet, underlay, cushion, vinyl or cork tiles. Before laying, ensure that the floor is clean, hard, smooth, level and dry (see figure 1).
Step 2 - Tools and preparation
You will need: - A Stanley knife fitted with a new heavy duty blades
- A straight edge, cutting board and tape measure
- Pencil or chalk marker
We recommend that all carpet tiles be removed from the box and allowed to acclimatise for 24 hours to room temperature.
In each box of tiles, you will find a number of peel-off adhesive dots, which can be used to fix individual tiles into position. You won’t need to fix every tile like this, just the key ones. The adhesive is low-tack, so you can reposition tiles easily. If you run out of dots, you can use small pieces of a proprietary, low-tack carpet tape from your local DIY store.
The arrows on the back of each carpet tile indicate the direction of the pile. For ranges designed to be laid in a conventional broadloom style, the tiles should be arranged with the arrows pointing in the same direction. However, other ranges can be installed in a variety of ways to achieve pattern effects (e.g. quarterturn, brick, ashlar or random). In these cases, you should always follow the instructions printed on the packaging.
Step 3 - Measurement
Plan your installation by drawing a straight line approximately 75cm from the main wall and then draw a line at right angles to this. The lines must be straight and at right angles to each other. An easy way of creating a right angle is to construct a triangle with sides of 90cm, 120cm and a diagonal of 150cm (see figure 2).
If you have an L-shaped room, you will need to subdivide the room into oblongs (see figure 3) and, for planning purposes, treat each oblong as a separate unit.
Step 4 - Trial run
We recommend that you carry out a trial run along both lines (see figure 4), to ensure that the planning is correct. Lay the first tile into the right angle formed by the crossing lines, and continue to lay tiles along the main line up to the wall. If you find that this leaves you with a very narrow strip against the wall, you may have to replan the guidelines.
Step 5 - Laying the first tiles
Once you have ensured that your initial laying point is suitable, fit the tiles along the first two lines, creating two crossed lines of tiles (see figure 5). To do this, attach adhesive dots in each corner of the tiles, remove the protective film from the dots and stick each tile to the floor. Perimeter tiles must be anchored firmly. When laying cut pile carpet tiles, be careful not to trap the pile between the edges of the tiles.
Step 6 - Laying the main area
Now cut the tiles in to the main wall and continue the tiling by building up a pyramid shape (see figure 6). Continue to expand the pyramid outwards until you are less than one tile width from each wall. Where necessary, use adhesive dots to keep the tiles in position. Ensure that each tile is butted tightly against its neighbour.
Step 7 - Cutting the edge tiles 1
You will have to cut the edge tiles to fit the space between the last row of full tiles and the wall. Turn the tile to be cut over (see figure 7), with the backing facing upwards and the arrows going in the opposite direction. Place the upside-down tile against the wall and underneath the last full tile of the installation.
Step 8 - Cutting the edge tiles 2
Using the edge of the full tile as a guide, draw a line across the tile to be cut (see figure 8). Remove the tile and score along the line with a Stanley knife and a straight edge. Then crack the tile from behind and cut through the top cloth. When cutting, always use a sharp blade and take precautions to cut safely.
Step 9 - Positioning the edge tiles
Position the cut tile with the cut edge against the wall (see figure 9). Make sure that the arrow on the back is pointing in the same direction as the arrows on the other tiles.
Step 10 - Pile direction
The arrows on the backs of the tiles (see figure 10) indicate the pile direction. They must all point in the same direction to ensure a consistent finish. Please note that special care must be taken with other laying directions. | | Back to top |
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| SmartSteps |
Sub-floor
Heuga SmartSteps can be installed on any sub-floor which is clean, hard, smooth, level and dry (see figure A). Vinyl tiles are impervious to water, so any moisture in the sub-floor may rise and become trapped. Therefore, if the tiles are to be laid at ground level, or in a basement, and there is any sign of dampness, it is essential that you effectively seal the floor before fitting the tiles. Sealants are available from most DIY stores.
Woodblock floors in particular must be completely dry, since any trapped moisture may cause the wood to expand and lift. When fitting over existing, fully adhered vinyl, ensure that any loose material is removed and resulting gaps filled and levelled.
Tools and preparation
You will need: - A Stanley knife fitted with a new heavy duty blade plus spare blades
- A metal straight edge
- Cutting board and tape measure
- Pencil or chalk marker
Heuga SmartSteps have unique, non-slip ribs on the back, and are designed to be laid loose i.e. just laid on the floor. We advise against permanent adhesion, but a proprietary, low-tack carpet tape can be used if needed, especially to keep narrow edge cuts completely still.
Heuga SmartSteps must be stored for 24 hours in the room where they are to be fitted in order to acclimatise to the atmospheric conditions, prior to fitting.
Measurement
 Measure the length and width of the room and divide the dimensions in two. The centre of the room will be the point where these two measurements intersect at right angles (see figure B). Mark the centre point, which will be the approximate starting point for the installation. Check the number of full tiles and the width of part tiles required to reach the walls in each direction.  It is desirable that any part tiles are at least half a full tile in width and that rows of part tiles at opposite sides of the room should be of similar width as this makes for a more professional look (see figure C). If necessary, adjust the start point by up to a half tile length in order to achieve this.
Heuga SmartSteps are designed for use as part of combined installation with Heuga carpet tiles. To create combinations, at this stage, you should plan the installation so as to minimise the need to cut tiles within the room.
Planning the installation
 Draw a chalk-line* through the start point parallel to the longest dimension. This line will act as a guide for locating the centre rows of tiles. To ensure the line is parallel to the walls, measure out from the wall near each end of the room, mark the points on the floor and draw the chalk line between the points. By installing tiles outwards from the centre of the room, you can ensure that any rows of part tiles at the sides of the room are of equal width (see figure D).
* Chalk-line: Take a length of string (not twine or monofilament), rub blackboard chalk liberally into the string. Stretch the string along the floor in the predetermined position and keeping each end held against the floor, pull the string up several centimetres the centre and release smartly to leave a chalk mark on the floor. You will need another person to carry out this operation.
The arrows on the back of each tile indicate the direction of the design. The tiles can be laid either all in the same direction, or alternatively, quarter-turn.
Installation
 Begin installation in the centre of the room and work uniformly outwards towards the walls. Periodically check that the edges of the centre rows of tiles remain along the chalk-line (see figure E). The tiles are designed to fit closely together, but care should be taken not to fit too tightly, as this will cause the tiles to buckle and create an uneven finish.
Cutting
 Heuga SmartSteps cut easily. First score a line on the face of the tile with your Stanley knife, and then snap off the unwanted piece. (see figures F and G)
Cutting should be done with a Stanley or similar knife with a sharp heavy-duty blade. A good metal straight-edge should be used. A cutting board should be used to prevent damage. For safety reasons, always cut away from your body when using a sharp knife.
Adjoining other finishes
Heuga SmartSteps are designed to be used in combination with all other Heuga carpet tile styles. No edge strips are needed when you do that.
Where SmartSteps tiles meet other finishes, such as traditional carpet, laminate or vinyl, then a suitable edge strip will be required.
Doorways
In doorways, a threshold strip should be used if tiles are to meet a different floor covering. If the tiles are to continue through a doorway no threshold strip is required, but the tiles in the doorway should be fixed in position with low-tack tape as above. | | Back to top |
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