Case Study: Carpet Tile Replacement in Two Working Days

Updated October 2026 · Written by the Legacy Industrial Coatings commercial team

Quick answer: We replaced the worn carpet in a 1,788 SF commercial tenant suite with 9-by-36-inch carpet tile planks and reinstalled black rubber wall base, and the whole job, tear-out through finished base, took two working days. The same remove-prep-install-base sequence scales to a 50,000 to 100,000 SF office or multifamily building, where carpet tile typically runs about $6/SF installed and the work is phased over roughly 10 to 30 working days.

Carpet replacement sounds simple until you're the one managing it. The space has tenants, the furniture has to go somewhere, and the property manager wants to know how many days the suite will be down. This case study walks through a recent carpet tile replacement in a leased commercial suite: what we removed, what went down, how the two-day schedule worked, and how the same approach plays out on a full office floor or an apartment community's corridors and amenity spaces.

The client is kept anonymous. The space is a ground-floor tenant suite in a commercial building in eastern Kansas, managed by a commercial property firm.

What did the project include?

The scope was a straightforward replacement with three parts: take out the old carpet, install new modular carpet, and finish the wall-to-floor transition.

Item	Detail
Space	Leased ground-floor commercial tenant suite
Area	1,788 SF
Removed	Existing carpet throughout the suite
Installed	Shaw Contract Exhale carpet tile, 9 in. x 36 in. planks, color Flax
Adhesive	Manufacturer-compatible carpet tile adhesive, included in scope
Wall base	Black rubber wall base reinstalled in every newly carpeted area
Schedule	Two consecutive working days

Why carpet tile instead of new broadloom?

For leased commercial space, carpet tile solves problems that a roll of broadloom can't. We didn't choose the product for this owner, but these are the reasons we see property managers pick modular carpet again and again:

• Spot replacement. If one area gets stained or worn, a few tiles come up and new ones go down. With broadloom, a bad stain in a high-traffic path often means a visible seam patch or a whole-room replacement.
• Less waste on install. Tiles come in cartons and cut cleanly around columns, doorways and built-ins. Broadloom comes in 12-foot rolls, and fitting it into irregular rooms leaves more drop.
• Easier tenant turnovers. When a tenant moves out, the landlord can replace the worst areas instead of the whole suite, which keeps turnover costs predictable.
• Furniture moves. Tiles can be installed in sections, so furniture can shift from one side of a room to the other rather than leaving the space entirely.

Carpet tile isn't the answer for every room. Break rooms, restrooms and entries that see water are usually better in LVT, VCT or sheet vinyl. Our office flooring guide covers how to split a floor plan between soft and hard surfaces.

Why 9-by-36-inch planks instead of square tiles?

The most familiar carpet tile is a 24-by-24-inch square, but plank formats like 9 by 36 inches have become a common choice in offices and multifamily amenity spaces. Planks can be laid in brick (ashlar), herringbone or random patterns, which hides seams and reads more like a finished interior than a grid of squares. They also suit the long, narrow shapes of corridors. The trade-off is a little more labor per square foot, since there are more pieces to place and more seams to align.

How was the suite finished in two days?

Short schedules come from sequencing, not rushing. A carpet replacement like this one moves through four steps, and each one has to be finished before the next starts.

1. Tear-out. The old carpet and its pad or backing come up and go out to the dumpster. Old wall base comes off so the new flooring can run tight to the wall.
2. Prep. The old adhesive is scraped down, the slab is swept and checked, and any high spots, cracks or holes are patched so they don't telegraph through the new tile. On concrete slabs this is also when moisture should be checked; carpet tile adhesive can fail on a slab that's pushing vapor.
3. Layout and install. The installer snaps reference lines, starts from the center of the room, and works outward so the pattern stays straight and cut pieces at the walls stay even. Carpet tile adhesive is typically a pressure-sensitive type that's allowed to tack up before the tiles go down.
4. Wall base. Black rubber base went back on along every carpeted wall, which covers the cut edges of the tile and gives the room a clean, finished line.

On this project, all four steps were completed over two consecutive working days. Because carpet tile can take foot traffic soon after installation, the suite didn't need a long cure period before furniture moved back in, unlike most resinous floor coatings.

What does the rubber base add?

Wall base is easy to overlook on a bid, but it matters. It hides the cut edge where the flooring meets the wall, protects drywall from vacuum and cart scuffs, and keeps the room looking finished. Rubber base is the commercial standard because it flexes around corners, holds up to cleaning, and can be replaced in short runs. Skipping it, or reusing damaged base, is one of the fastest ways to make a new floor look old.

What was the outcome?

The suite went from worn, dated carpet to new modular carpet with a fresh base line in two working days, and the property firm now has a floor it can maintain tile by tile. Leftover tiles from the same dye lot (known as attic stock) are worth holding on site for future spot repairs, since a later production run can vary slightly in color.

How does this approach scale to a 50,000 to 100,000 SF office or multifamily project?

This was a single suite, but the same sequence runs every large carpet tile and office flooring job we bid. What changes is the planning around it.

• Phasing by floor or wing. A 50,000 to 100,000 SF commercial floor typically takes 10 to 30 working days, depending on size, prep and access. In occupied offices we phase by floor, department or wing, and often work nights and weekends so tenants stay open.
• Furniture and IT coordination. On a full office floor, moving workstations is often the critical path. Lift systems can raise systems furniture so tile goes underneath without disconnecting desks, but they need to be planned into the schedule.
• Multifamily logistics. In apartment communities, carpet tile usually goes into corridors, leasing offices, clubhouses and fitness areas, while units more often get LVP. Corridor work has to keep egress open and is often scheduled in short sections. See our multifamily flooring page for the full mix.
• Moisture testing. On large slabs, vapor emissions vary across a pour. Testing at multiple locations before ordering adhesive is the cheapest insurance against failed tiles later.
• Attic stock and dye lots. On a big order, all tile should come from as few dye lots as possible, with 2 to 5 percent extra held back for future repairs.

What does carpet tile cost at commercial scale?

The ranges below are market ranges for planning, based on a 50,000 SF floor. They are not Legacy's quoted prices. Actual cost depends on product grade, the condition of the existing floor, access and schedule.

Cost item	Typical range per SF	On a 50,000 SF floor
Carpet tile material (commercial grade)	About $2 to $5 (about $3 typical)	$100,000 to $250,000
Installation labor, including adhesive	About $2 to $4 (about $3 typical)	$100,000 to $200,000
Typical installed total	About $4.50 to $9 (about $6 typical)	$225,000 to $450,000
Remove and dispose of old carpet	About $0.50 to $2.50	$25,000 to $125,000
Floor prep and patching	About $0.50 to $3.00	$25,000 to $150,000

Larger projects tend to land toward the low end of each range per square foot, while premium designer tile, heavy prep, after-hours work and complex patterns push toward the high end. Wall base is priced separately by the linear foot.

Should an office or apartment community choose carpet tile or LVP?

Most buildings end up with both. Here's the short version of how we see the split:

• Choose carpet tile for open offices, private offices, conference rooms, multifamily corridors and leasing offices, where acoustics, comfort and spot replacement matter most.
• Choose LVP or LVT for break rooms, apartment units, entries, fitness rooms and anywhere that sees spills, pets or rolling loads.
• Consider polished concrete or a resinous system for lobbies, back-of-house corridors, mail rooms and trash rooms, where durability beats softness.

Whatever the mix, ask for a maintenance plan with the bid. Our commercial floor maintenance team can set up cleaning schedules by floor type, and you can see more completed work in our commercial case studies.

Frequently asked questions

How long does it take to replace carpet with carpet tile in a commercial suite?

A suite under about 2,000 SF can often be done in one to two working days, including tear-out, prep, installation and wall base. On this project, 1,788 SF was completed over two consecutive working days. A 50,000 to 100,000 SF floor typically takes 10 to 30 working days, phased by area.

How much does commercial carpet tile cost per square foot?

Commercial carpet tile typically runs about $4.50 to $9 per SF installed, with about $6 per SF common on a 50,000 SF project. Removing old carpet and prepping the floor are usually extra. These are market ranges, so get a site-specific quote.

Is carpet tile better than broadloom for offices?

For most leased offices, yes. Carpet tile can be replaced a few pieces at a time, creates less waste on install and is easier to work around furniture. Broadloom can cost less up front and has fewer visible seams, so it still suits some executive suites and hospitality spaces.

Can you walk on carpet tile right after it is installed?

Generally, yes. Carpet tile installed with a pressure-sensitive adhesive can usually take foot traffic soon after installation, so furniture can move back in quickly. Check the adhesive maker's instructions for rolling loads and heavy furniture.

Should you replace the wall base when you replace the carpet?

Usually, yes. New or reinstalled rubber base covers the cut edge of the new flooring, protects walls from cleaning equipment and gives the room a finished look. On this project, black rubber base was reinstalled in every newly carpeted area.

About Legacy Industrial Coatings

Legacy Industrial Coatings is a commercial flooring contractor installing carpet tile, LVP and LVT, VCT, sheet vinyl, rubber, polished concrete and resinous coatings for offices, multifamily communities, warehouses, healthcare, schools and manufacturers. We work with manufacturers including Sherwin-Williams, Sika, Neogard/Hempel and Polymer Nation, and serve projects from our offices in Dallas-Fort Worth and Phoenix.

Planning a carpet tile or office flooring project? Request a site walk and proposal or call us at 214-305-6516. We'll measure the space, check the slab and build a phased schedule that keeps your tenants open.