Are carpet tiles waterproof?

Q：Are carpet tiles waterproof?

A：No, they are not which is a common misconception. Funnily enough we once sold to some local fishermen who laid them in the wheelhouses of their fishing boats before heading out to sea. They were looking for a bit of warmth and comfort when standing at the ships controls. If constantly used in wet areas, over time the tiles will degrade and start to break up. Soaked tiles when dried tend to not only shrink a little but on the surface of the carpet tiles a visible white ring can be seen where the water has dried and left a stain. Now, there is a big difference between being water resistant and waterproof. As long as you are wiping with a damp cloth to clean and not immersing the whole tile in water and leaving it soaking wet then you should be fine. Some handle water better than others depending on the fibre used and the construction of the carpet square. An open grain finish will dry quite quickly in the sun when stood up outside but a close knit pile will retain the water and will take twice as long to dry, so again common sense has to be used when using near water.