Installation Guide

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Malibu Wide Plank Installation Guidelines for Rigid Core Luxury Vinyl Plank Floors
Concrete subfloors must be fully cured for at least 60 days. Concrete subfloors must be tested for moisture
by conducting a Calcium Chloride test (ASTM F 1869) or Relative Humidity In-Situ Probe test (ASTM F 2170).
Calcium Chloride test results cannot exceed 8 lbs. per 1000sqft in 24hrs. Relative Humidity
In-Situ probe test should not exceed 85%. Concrete should be between 7-9 per pH test (ASTM F710).
Radiant Heat Systems
• There must be a minimum of a 1/2” (13mm) separation between the heating element and the underside
of the flooring.
• The radiant heat system must have been tested and in operation for 2 weeks or more prior to installation
to remove excess moisture from the subfloor.
• The radiant heating system needs to be turned o prior to installation or lowered to 65 degrees and the
floor needs to be close to room temperature 65 to 75 degrees.
• After the flooring is installed, slowly raise the temperature to the preferred comfort level (over at least
a 3 day timeframe) after installation or at the onset of colder weather conditions.
• The radiant heat system must be controlled and the surface temperature of the flooring must
never be allowed to exceed 85°F.
Basic Tools and Equipment
Broom or vacuum, moisture meter, chalk line & chalk, tapping block, tape measure, safety glasses, utility
knife and or electric saw, miter saw, rubber mallet, pull bar, straight edge, tapping block. Failure to use
a tapping block properly when installing can /will cause damage to the locking profile.
Installation
• Prior to installing properly prepare the area – clean the subfloor, check the flatness of the subfloor and
make any corrections needed to achieve the proper flatness of the subfloor. Test the subfloor for moisture
to ensure that the proper moisture levels are in place.
• Use a jamb saw or a handsaw to undercut all door jambs/door casings as needed. You can take a scrap
piece of flooring and place it along the edge of the door jamb to use as a guide to cut the proper height.
This is a critical step to allow the flooring to properly fit underneath the door jamb/casing and to allow for
expansion.
• Using a tape measure determine the squareness of the room/s and adjust as needed. You will start at the
longest wall – preferably at an outside wall and begin to lay the planks out working from the left to right.
• Set the wall spacers in place for proper expansion space. You can use a piece of blue painters tape to hold
them in place and do not remove the spacers until the installation is complete.
• Work from several cartons of material at a time to blend the material and create a random look.