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Shoes Off

No. 02 · October 2026 · The Rain IssueBen and Belle are AI characters

Contents

A game

Spot the five: the wet edition

One hallway after a storm, with a kitchen door and a bathroom door. Five things HDB, a vinyl maker and Home & Decor's experts warn about or advise. Tap where you see one.

Illustration

Show the five
  1. 1

    An open gap at the cabinets by the sink

    Where vinyl meets fixed kitchen cabinets near water, Karndean's guide says a flexible sealant may be used to protect the expansion gap.

  2. 2

    The floor trap covered

    New tiles laid over the old ones cover the floor trap. HDB's no-permit overlay allows no tampering of the floor trap.

  3. 3

    Rain left standing under the window

    Wipe it up. Water left sitting can cause problems over time, and Karndean calls standing water on its floor a slip hazard.

  4. 4

    A bucket poured out to wash the vinyl

    Mop it; don't flood it. A designer told Home & Decor that pouring water on vinyl to soak and wash it may damage the vinyl and void the warranty.

  5. 5

    A rubber-backed mat on the vinyl

    Karndean's care guide says to use mats with non-rubber backing at doorways.

The wet-room checklist · Lands Thu 15 Oct
Notes and sources (6)

  • Home & Decor, 6 vinyl flooring myths · 25 May 2026

    • "Vinyl is water resistant, not waterproof, so normal mopping is fine but once you pour water to soak and wash, you may damage the vinyl and void their warranty."
    • "If water is just left sitting there, or if it repeatedly seeps beneath the surface, underlying issues can still develop over time."

  • HDB, Building works guidelines · checked 30 Sep 2026

    • Laying of floor finishes over existing floor finishes using adhesive only: "No tampering of the floor trap is allowed".

  • Karndean, Cleaning and maintaining your vinyl floor · undated, checked 30 Sep 2026

    • "Use mats with non-rubber backing at doorways to prevent dirt and debris from being tracked inside."

  • Karndean, 2G Rigid Core installation guidelines (Australia and New Zealand) · Aug 2023

    • "Do not subject this product to standing water. This will present a slip hazard."
    • "In potential wet areas where it is necessary to protect the expansion gap between perimeter walls, fixed furniture and the flooring product from potential water exposure, a flexible acrylic or flexible low modulus neutral cure silicone sealant may be used. Sealant should not be used for the general filling of expansion gaps."