Fitting guide · dctuk.com · 0345 222 1544 · Flooring that ain’t boring
Paragon carpet tiles
How to fit Paragon carpet tiles
Paragon are made in Rotherham and their guide is nice and straightforward. They set out slightly differently to most brands — from a wall rather than the dead centre — which some people find easier to follow.
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Time
- 3–5 hours for a 20m² room
- People
- 1 person
- Skill level
- Beginner friendly
What you’ll need to fit Paragon carpet tiles
- Carpet tile tackifier
- Sharp fixed-blade utility knife and spare blades
- Metal ruler or straight edge
- Tape measure and chalk
- Double-sided tape for edges
- Vacuum or sweeping brush
- Knee pads
Before you start
24 hours at 18°C
Leave the tiles in the room for a day before you start, and keep the room at 18°C or above.
Get the floor ready
Clean, dry, smooth and sound. Old floorcoverings and the bulk of the old adhesive have to come off. Very absorbent surfaces need priming.
Ground floors need a damp barrier
Any floor directly on earth needs an effective damp proof membrane underneath.
Underfloor heating off
48 hours before, and don't turn it back on for 48 hours after. Then bring it up gradually over a week.
How to fit Paragon carpet tiles, step by step
Lay a row along one wall
Paragon's method starts at a wall. Loose-lay a row of tiles along one wall and check you'd be left with at least half a tile at both ends.
Mark your two lines
Measure the same distance out from the wall at each end of the room and chalk a line between the two points. Then chalk a second line at right angles — use a set square, or measure a 3-4-5 triangle to get it exactly square.
Start where the lines cross
Lay your first tile at the intersection and work outwards from there.
Roll on the tackifier
Spread it evenly and wait. It goes on white and has to turn clear before you lay anything on it.
Check the tile direction
There's an arrow on the back of every tile showing the pile direction. All arrows the same way gives a smooth, fitted-carpet look. Turning every other tile 90° gives a subtle checkerboard that hides marks and wear better.
Work outwards in a staircase
Build out from the start point in a stepped pattern rather than straight rows, keeping every joint aligned.
Fit them snugly
Tiles should touch without gaps, and without trapping any fibres in the joint.
Cut the edge tiles
Butt a spare tile against the wall, sitting on top of the tile you want to cut. Mark where its back edge crosses, then cut cleanly with a sharp knife. Use cardboard templates for pipes and awkward corners.
Finish off
Threshold strips in the doorways, vacuum through, done.
Watch it being done
Fitting carpet tiles with tackifier — The general tackifier method, which is exactly how Paragon tiles go down.
The Paragon bits that catch people out
Setting out from a wall
Paragon's published method references a wall rather than the room centre. Both work — the goal either way is decent-sized cuts at every edge.
Cut from the back
Paragon recommend marking and cutting from the back of the tile.
Bitumen backing and solvents don't mix
If you ever need to spot-clean with a solvent, go very lightly on bitumen-backed tiles.
The 7-day warm-up
After fitting over underfloor heating, Paragon want the temperature brought back up gradually over a full week.
Mistakes to avoid
- Assuming the wall is straight. Always check with a line.
- Laying before the tackifier has gone clear.
- Thin slivers at the edges or in doorways.
- Trapping carpet fibres between tiles.
- Cleaning bitumen-backed tiles aggressively with solvent.
Paragon fitting questions, answered
How do you lay Paragon carpet tiles?
Lay a trial row along one wall to check your edge cuts, chalk a line parallel to that wall and a second at right angles, then start where they cross and work outwards in a staircase pattern.
What adhesive do Paragon tiles need?
A standard carpet tile tackifier. Roll it on and wait until it turns from white to clear before laying.
How long do Paragon carpet tiles need to acclimatise?
At least 24 hours in the room, at a temperature of 18°C or above.
Can Paragon tiles be laid over underfloor heating?
Yes, up to a surface temperature of 27°C. Off 48 hours before, off 48 hours after, then back up gradually over seven days.
Are Paragon carpet tiles made in the UK?
Yes — they're manufactured in Rotherham.
Rather someone else did it?
If it's a big room, an awkward shape, or you just fancy a Saturday off, our own fitting teams cover the whole of the UK. Free site survey, tidy job, no dramas.
See how our fitting worksNationwide fitting, fully managed
Our own teams, a free site survey, and one point of contact from quote to clean-up.
Get a fitting quoteManufacturer’s own instructions: Paragon technical guides. Always check the guidance supplied in the box — ranges and backings vary.