How to Read a Carpet Tile Specification Sheet
TL;DR
Start a carpet tile spec sheet with the exact product code and colourway, then read construction, dimensions and backing with their units. Keep pile height separate from total thickness, tufted yarn weight separate from total tile weight, and nominal size separate from tolerance. Use the sheet to narrow products; ask for the current installation guidance and any test report your project requires.
Start with the product identity
One collection can contain several designs, colours and constructions. Write the series, style or code, colourway, module size and sample label at the top of your comparison. If one of these is missing, you may be reading a series brochure rather than a sheet for the tile being quoted.
Check the issue date and revision next. Product information can change; keep the version used for the decision with the approved sample. The visual sample and the spec sheet work together: one shows appearance, the other identifies construction.
Read the key fields
| Field | How to read it | Use it to ask |
|---|---|---|
| Fibre and pile | Check fibre type, loop or cut construction, and any stated dye method. | How will this construction suit traffic, cleaning and the intended visual effect? |
| Module size | Read length and width, unit and any tolerance shown. | How many full tiles and cuts does the floor plan require? |
| Pile height / thickness | Pile height describes the textile surface; total thickness includes the complete tile. | Will doors, furniture and transitions clear the finished floor? |
| Tufted / face yarn weight | Check which yarn mass is stated and whether the unit is g/m² or oz/yd². | Are the compared products using the same weight definition? |
| Backing and total weight | Read the exact backing option and total tile mass separately from yarn mass. | Does the backing suit the proposed installation and handling plan? |
| Tests and care | A sheet may cite methods or documents; keep the report and care guide with it. | Which current documents cover the required property and exact construction? |
Compare two products without mixing units
Suppose two tiles share a 50 × 50 cm format and a grey colour. That does not make them interchangeable. Put the two product codes side by side, then compare fibre, pile form, backing, total thickness and yarn weight on the same unit basis. Mark a missing field as a question for the supplier.
If one sheet says 28 oz/yd² and the other says 950 g/m², first check that both numbers describe the same kind of yarn weight. The mass conversion is about 33.9 g/m² per oz/yd²; a conversion does not turn face weight into total product weight. The separate weight guide walks through this distinction.
Build a useful shortlist
- Save the current sheet and a photograph of the labelled physical sample.
- Copy each field with its unit, method and stated tolerance; do not fill blank cells from a different series.
- Compare the same field and unit across candidates, then check the room's traffic, layout and cleaning needs.
- Request installation, maintenance and project-required test documents for the shortlisted codes.
- Send the exact codes, quantities and open questions with your enquiry.
Browse product specifications · Read yarn-weight fields · Request a current spec sheet
Frequently asked questions
What should I check first on a carpet tile spec sheet?
The exact series, style or product code, colourway, module size and sample reference. These identify the tile the rest of the sheet describes.
Is pile height the same as total thickness?
No. Pile height describes the textile surface, while total thickness measures the complete tile including backing. Keep both field names and units visible.
Can I compare total weight with tufted yarn weight?
No. One covers the complete tile and the other covers yarn in a stated part of the pile. Compare the same weight definition and unit between products.
Does a spec sheet replace test reports?
It can identify relevant documents, but request the current report for any property that the project requires and check which product it covers.
Sources & further reading
- ISO 2424:2024 — Textile floor coverings vocabulary
- ISO 1763:2020 — Tufts and loops per unit
- ISO 1766:1999 — Thickness of pile above substrate
- CRI Green Label Plus — programme scope
- UNIJOY — full product catalogue
Figures attributed to other manufacturers are their own published values, quoted for context. Different laboratories, sample build-ups and substrates are not directly comparable.