How to Make Walls Impressive With Vinyl Flooring

At the backdrop of an apartment are wall surfaces. Walls support ceilings and floors with an enclosure that give structural forms to apartments and buildings. When you are looking to give your home or workplace a revamp, consider vinyl flooring for walls. Yes, vinyl flooring is an increasingly popular option for wall coverings. It provides impressive features in terms of aesthetic and practicability. As reported in Flooring Experts, the market for vinyl floorings rose sharply and expanded its usage to wall application. The site mentioned Domotex, the world’s leading flooring trade fair, showcases manufacturers transforming luxury vinyl tiles (LVTs) for wall usages.

Aesthetic Designs

When considering interior designs for commercial establishments, such as restaurants or retail shops, take note of the look and feel of the surrounding surfaces. A wall design with a neutral look allows floor furnishings with vibrant shades and unique patterns to stand out, and vice versa. You can achieve a seamless equilibrium with matching shades and patterns in upper, lower and vertical interiors. Vinyl planks and tiles add textures to backgrounds to accentuate an elegant appeal, which draws in viewers. Choosing designs that have flowing wave textures illustrate movements and stimulate visual sensory without falling flat.

From distinctive aesthetics to calming beauty throughout the interior walls of a restaurant’s dining area, there are viable selections to cater to the establishment’s theme. For instance, whimsical patterns bring out an eccentric theme, or woody and gravel textures resonate with a countryside heart. Besides main walls, vinyl’s aesthetic designs are applicable on smaller surfaces such as the facades of bar counters.

Wood Texture, licensed under Creative Commons CC0

Practical Applications 

Vinyl planks and tiles make practical backsplashes for kitchens as they are non-porous, which eases cleaning chores. You can find suitable choices that complement the floorings and ceilings. Need wall designs that provide an expansive outlook? The herringbone pattern resembles fish bones, as illustrated in the image below. The result is a visual expansion, which is ideal for hotel lobbies. Our eyes tend to project towards the width of the “V” lines in the herringbone, which results in an optical illusion that facilitates a broader area.

“Wall Or Floor”, by George Hodan, licensed under Creative Commons CC0

Resonating accents that adapt and align to floors and ceilings provide a pleasing and streamlined appearance. They provide cosiness for the family in an apartment and a collaborative focus for retail consumers and office workers. Vinyl is waterproof, so it makes a practical option for bathroom walls. Hence, vinyl is a sought-after material for its practical applications.

Premium Resilient Flooring (PRF)

A top reviewed contractor for vinyl flooring on Homees.co, NBL Express’ PRF provides qualities of aesthetic and practicability. With NBL Express PRF, home and establishment owners can choose suitable wall designs to complement the looks of the current floorage. PRF provides high durability against scratches and knocks and resistance against moisture and stains. Hence, the task of cleaning surfaces and preventing dirt accumulation is much easier. There are also matching designs to choose from if you are looking to revamp both walls and floors.

Learn more at https://www.nblexpress.com/premium/ and https://www.nblexpress.com/premium-75. Feel free to contact us at https://www.nblexpress.com/enquiry for enquiries and quotations. 

How to Make Spaces Look Bigger With the Right Flooring

Are you having trouble furnishing home spaces to become larger visually? Have you wondered how to make spaces look bigger with the right flooring? Choosing a suitable floor is an important decision to make when making effective use of limited square feet. This blog post provides advice on using essential design elements of lines and colours to enlarge spaces visually.

Uniformed Appearance  

Installing different floorings and segregating spaces gives a dynamic look and facilitates purposes for respective areas. However, you need to keep flooring types and segregation at a minimum to prevent floors from cramping up with different lines and colours. Unaligned floorings lead to breaking floorage into smaller pockets and thus visually reduce spaces. Instead, a recommended technique is to use the same or similar type to align overall floorage and open up individual rooms. A floorage that has a uniform appearance creates a visual spaciousness throughout the living room, bedrooms, balcony and kitchen. Moreover, the cohesiveness of a uniformed flooring brings comfort to the family.

Wider Planks with Diagonal Patterns

Our eyes sense narrowness when we see thinner planks or tiles. Laying of planks or tiles width-wise will convey depth and distance throughout the entire floorage. Moreover, with fewer planks due to optimal sizes, you can save costs. Floorings with diagonal patterns can push boundaries and make a room stand out. A diagonal pattern creates an optical extension as it breaks away from the rigidness of straight lines and squares. Wider planks with diagonal patterns can make rooms look bigger. On the other hand, make sure they are not oversized. Over-sized planks and over-elaborate designs cause our eyes to move quickly from one wall to another. Consequently, the room appears smaller.

Premium Resilient Floorings

Premium Resilient Flooring (PRFs) by NBL Express have uniformed appearances and are customisable into wider planks with diagonal patterns. With minimum seams or lines between planks, the resilient vinyl flooring creates an openness that looks less confining. Usually, homeowners install ceiling and wall lamps across the living room to brighten up spaces and complement surrounding furniture. Likewise, PRFs such as 70 Diamond Oak and 96 Frozen Grey have light tones and subdued patterns that create spaciousness. With optimal lighting, these floorings increase airiness and create a bright allure that freshens up our mind as well. PRFs are light-coloured and have organic patterns, which work well in transitioning between the living room, bedrooms, workroom, playroom, balcony and kitchen. Similarly, such floorings in an atrium or reception of commercial premises can gradually transit into adjoining rooms with darker tones.

PRF such as 70 Diamond Oak has light tones and subdued patterns that create spaciousness.

 Feel free to contact us at https://www.nblexpress.com/enquiry for enquiries and quotations.

All You Need to Know About Parquet vs Vinyl Floorings

Are you considering between parquet and vinyl floorings and having a hard time choosing? Parquet and vinyl may look and feel alike, but each has different features. Both parquet and vinyl floorings have a glossy finish that gives a classy sheen. Although vinyl is slightly colder than parquet, both materials have good thermal insulation. Consequently, the insulation is conducive to our foot soles against changing climates. A closer study reveals each strength comes with a flaw and vice versa. We put together this short guide to understand parquet and vinyl characteristics and make informed comparisons.

Parquet

Parquet dates back to the 16th century in France and derived from the French term “parquetry,” which means “small compartment.”[1] Parquet flooring comprises softwoods made from coniferous trees such as pines and spruces and hardwood from deciduous trees such as maple and oak. Traditional craftsmen made these woods into lumbers and formed varied geometric shapes to lay parquet flooring. In modern days, engineered wood evolves in commercial and residential settings. Engineered wood involves installing different softwood and hardwood materials, with a hardwood material forming the top layer. Wood materials provide the cosy allure of nature at home and geometrical patterns facilitate a sense of symmetry and balance. Unlike vinyl, it is possible to sand down parquet flooring to the desired state during new installation or renovation. With proper caring, parquet flooring should last for decades[2]. However, its original sheen fades away over time. Engineered wood has natural cosiness and long service life. On the other hand, the environment affects wood materials, and thus they are relatively porous. Wood is vulnerable to water, humidity and wood-decaying pests, and thus it is expensive to install and maintain. For durable and stylish derivatives to outdoor wood decking, you may learn about Timber Composite Decking by NBL Express.

Vinyl

Vinyl flooring is newer and made its first appearance to the general public in the 1930s in the United States.[3] Polyvinyl chloride (PVC), a synthetic thermoplastic or plastic polymer, is the main component. PVC has high malleability in moulding into diverse shapes and shades and thus is versatile in replicating softwood and hardwood materials. Due to its cost efficiency and wear-and-tear and flame resistance, vinyl became common in commercial and industrial settings in the 1950s. With its success on commercial and industrial fronts, residential premises gradually introduced vinyl flooring in the 1960s.[3] With its reinforced coatings, vinyl is typically less susceptible to scratches or dents as compared to parquet. Because it is generally less porous than parquet, vinyl is easier to clean stains or fix minor damages. Vinyl is ideal for floorage with low foot traffic and minimum furniture moving, and thus highly suitable for bedrooms. The major downside is its shorter service life. With careful cleaning and caring, vinyl can last 10 to 20 years.[4] Moderate damages require plank replacements, and significant cracks may need entire floor replacement. For resilient and sustainable solutions to replace or install new floorings, you can consider NBL’s Premium Resilient Flooring (PRF) 5mm and Premium Resilient Flooring (PRF) 7.5mm

Key Comparisons Summary 

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References

[1] https://www.reclaimedflooringco.com/the-history-of-french-parquet/

[2] https://www.homees.co/articles/all-about-parquet-flooring

[3] https://hillsborough.floorcoveringsinternational.com/articles/the-history-of-vinyl-flooring/

[4] https://www.homees.co/articles/everything-about-vinyl-flooring

[5] https://www.propertyguru.com.sg/property-guides/home-floor-type-singapore-18432

Cleaning and Restoring the Natural Shine of Vinyl Floorings

Vinyl floors are well-used in residential and commercial spaces due to their pleasant sheen and resistance against stains. However, these synthetic compounds undergo reactions with steam cleaners, direct sunlight and abrasive cleaning agents and consequently cause discolouration. Cleaning and restoring the natural shine of vinyl floorings require non-abrasive cleaning solutions and tools.

Homemade Solution

Are there underutilised food items such as white vinegar, baking soda and discarded citrus peels in your kitchen? Instead of throwing these items, you utilise them to make solutions at home for a quick clean-and-shine.

●    White vinegar: Its scent wards off ants and other common insects. Its acidity loosens up grease for easier cleaning and leaves a slight gloss on surfaces.[1]

●    Baking soda: Baking soda is a mild scouring agent that scrubs away stubborn grime.[2]

●    Citrus peels: Instead of going into trash bins, give citrus peels a new life. They have natural acidic properties that remove stains and leave surfaces with a temporary pleasant scent.[3]

NBL’s Concentrated Vinyl Floor Cleaner  

In our Professional Floor Care Series, we commit to producing sustainable cleaning solutions for consumers. For an extended effect on cleaning and restoring the natural shine to vinyl floorings, we recommend NBL’s Vinyl Floor Cleaner. With a thorough antibacterial formula that disinfects indoor planks and outdoor decks, you can maintain home hygiene and family health. Do you feel edgy of creepy crawlies growing in backyards and bedrooms? With concentrated citrus mint to repel household pests, it minimises unpleasant sights and stings. The solvents in the cleaner have sufficient concentration for economical dilutions for general cleaning, light cleaning and heavy-duty cleaning. You can tweak the dilution to remove accumulated dirt and grime without leaving an unpleasant residue or diminishing floorings’ gloss. With a non-rinse formula of non-soap surfactants, it is effective in cleaning and restoring the natural shine of vinyl floorings. Furthermore, due to low volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which prevent harsh vaporisation, the cleaner is eco-friendly and safe for breathing.  

The outcome is an assuring comfort with appealing gloss to welcome homeowners and loved ones. Therefore, the cleaner is highly applicable in both indoor and outdoor settings of residential and commercial premises. Non-abrasive tools such as microfibre cloths and mops are effective to absorb dust, dirt and grease. Do note to avoid using highly abrasive materials such as steel scrubbers, as they may damage vinyl’s protective layer. For regular care to prevent stubborn stains from building up, you can refer to our post on maintaining and cleaning PRF.

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Sources / Further Reading

1. Goetz, Anne. Homemade Vinyl Floor Cleaner. Hunker. Retrieved 30 July 2021.

2. Leverette, Mary (8 March 2021). How to Clean Vinyl Floors. The Spruce. Retrieved 30 July 2021.

3. DeannaCat (5 August 2019). How to Make Homemade Lemon Vinegar Cleaning Spray. Homestead and Chill. Retrieved 07 August 2021.

Disclaimer: These suggested products and processes are not definitive. We would be glad to guide you and advise queries on our products’ offerings, limitations and handling precautions.

What Makes A Flooring Child-Friendly

Are you looking for child-friendly flooring for your home? NBL Express Premium Resilient Flooring (PRF) and PRF 7.5 commit to features to protect your beloved young ones. Homes are havens for children to live, learn and grow. Beyond its soft lustre and earthy appearance of wood-like finishes, PRF has the properties that protect children and the family.

Sound Insulation

Rubber additives in resilient flooring provide sound absorbance. PRF has an optimal sound-insulating underlayment, in which sound absorption reaches 20 dB (decibel). It absorbs surrounding noises better than typical resilient flooring and insulates sound waves between rooms and storeys. It strongly reduces external noise interference to enhance speech and sound transmission within a child bedroom. Also, a sudden and piercing sound can scare a child. When neighbours do repair or renovation work, the high decibel can be traumatising to the young ones. Likewise, we do not want heavy shifting from home improvements to become an annoyance to neighbours. Hence, it offers a child-friendly environment to rest comfortably or focus on study.

Material Strengths

Learning to balance is a self-experiential and gradual process. Toddlers are prone to slip when the floor is slippery or trip over objects when they explore the house. Though falling is part and parcel of life, we need to minimise the risk with a child-friendly surface. Having a slip-resistant surface with optimal friction helps toddlers gain a foothold, and thus the confidence of walking. PRF’s underlayment provides additional cushioning that is comfortable to step on and provides some protection should toddlers fall. As playful kids explore the house and home items, they may unintentionally stain or damage floor tiles. Typical resilient flooring consists of versatile vinyl material and elastic rubber additives, while PRF further strengthens wear resistance. PRF contains a coating of crystal ceramic beads, known for its long-term durability and resistance against scratch and wear. PRF’s fortification makes it fire retardant with high heat resistance.

Eco-Friendly

Caring for the environment and our loved ones go hand in hand. On its own, vinyl is harmful to the environment as it is not biodegradable. We strictly comply with our green policy and Singapore Green Label to ensure our products and processes are environmentally safe. Investing in eco-quality flooring and educating children about ecology protection contribute to a greener ecology. PRF tiles utilise the German CLIC system of glue-less lamination. With efficient use of resources to minimise toxicity, our floorings are eco-friendly.

PRF has low environmentally harmful substances and has high resistance against termite breeding and mould and bacteria growth. Hence, it is relatively safe for toddlers to crawl on the low toxic floorage. Vinyl contains phthalate, formaldehyde and other volatile organic compounds (VOC), which cause respiratory and eye irritations. Besides using lower VOC, PRF adds an eco-fresh layer for abating harmful compounds and inducing quality indoor fresh air. Specialised Green UV treatment greatly enhances PRF’s resistance against stains, bacteria and water. Consequently, as cleaning and maintenance are much easier on PRF surfaces, it is child-friendly.

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Sources:

• https://www.nblexpress.com/blog

• https://www.nblexpress.com/premium

• https://www.nblexpress.com/premium-75

• https://www.allthingsflooring.com/2018/07/quiet-matters-guide-acoustic-flooring/

• https://www.flooringdirect.co.uk/flooring-planning-guide-i141

• https://www.thespruce.com/environmental-impact-of-vinyl-flooring-1314956