Installation Guide

• Carefully inspect material prior to installation – look for damage to the locking profile and check that the
locking profile properly is engaged to prevent separation after installing. If any concerns with the material
contact the place of purchase and do NOT install the material.
• Use the proper leveling compounds to provide a flat surface – subfloors should be 3/16” in 10’ or 1/8”:
in 6’ – the use of a 6’ level can help to determine the flatness of the subfloor.
• Perimeter expansion is required for floating floors – maintain proper expansion space based on the total
square footage – for areas less than 2500 sq. ft – minimum expansion space is ¼” areas larger than 2500
sq. ft. – maintain a space of 3/8” to 1/2”.
• Material has a pre-attached underlayment – do not use or add additional underlayment underneath
the flooring as this will void the warranty.
• Moisture testing is required and should be performed with the proper testing equipment.
Approved Subfloors
Concrete, APA rated Plywood & OSB, Particleboard, Ceramic tile, Non Cushioned Sheet Vinyl (single layer).
Non Approved Subfloors
Wood subfloors/Sleepers or Wood flooring installed directly over concrete, Carpet or Carpet Padding,
Floating wood or laminate floors, Rubber or Cork floors.
General Subfloor Requirements
• Clean: All wood and concrete subfloors must be swept clean or vacuumed to remove dust and debris.
Do not install flooring over any chemically treated subfloor. Remove adhesive residue when present.
Do not use chemical or solvent to remove the adhesive.
• Flat: All wood and concrete subfloors must be flat within 1/8” over a 6’ span, or 3/16” over a 10’ span.
All areas of the subfloor must be checked prior to installation. High spots can be sanded or grinded down
and low spots filled with appropriate patching compounds. A cementitious patching/leveling
compound is advised with a minimum compressive strength of 3000 psi. Never sand and grind materials
covered with lead paint, or containing asbestos. Follow local building codes for proper removal practices
of asbestos and lead paints.
• Dry: Wood subfloors should be dry. The moisture in wood subfloors should not exceed 12%. If high
moisture is present stop installation until the moisture source has been corrected. Use a pin type
moisture meter to measure the moisture content of the subfloor.
• Do NOT install over any sleeper systems, wood subfloor or wood flooring that is directly installed
over a concrete subfloor – doing so may trap moisture under the flooring and damage the wood
subfloor/flooring.
Crawl Space – Ground in the crawl space must be dry and the ground covered 100% with a 6 mil black
polyethylene. Clearance from ground to the bottom of the floor joists is a minimum of 18” and the
perimeter venting must be a minimum of 1.5% of the total square footage of the crawl space area.
Where necessary, local regulations prevail.
2
Malibu Wide Plank Installation Guidelines for Rigid Core Luxury Vinyl Plank Floors