Transforming Our Fire-Damaged Home With Malibu Wide Plank Flooring
This article is sponsored by Malibu Wide Plank.
After our home was almost completely destroyed by a devastating house fire, we spent 7 months on demolition and rebuilding. Now, we’re finally ready for flooring.Â
We received Malibu Wide Plank Engineered Hardwood Flooring in the colour Lombard for our kitchen and living room space. These water-resistant, click-lock 100% hardwood floors are the perfect addition to our home.
Tools materials:
- Malibu Wide Plank Engineered Hardwood (Lombard)
- Malibu Wide Plank Luxury Vinyl Plank (Lombard)
- 6 mil poly underlayment
- Laser level
- Tapping bar
- Rubber mallet
- Air nailer
- Jigsaw
- Floor spacers (⅛" and ¼")
- X-Acto knife
- Transition strips (matching)
- Measuring tape
- Pencil or marker
Step-by-step installation
1. Subfloor preparation
Because our subfloor is concrete in the basement and can contain moisture, we used a 6 mil poly underlayment during installation to act as a moisture barrier. This protects our beautiful planks from any moisture-related damage.
2. Pre-laying and planning
We pre-laid out the boards to ensure an even display of coloring and pattern, pulling planks from different boxes for each row. It's a good idea to lay out a bunch of rows before beginning.
3. Laying the first row
We laid out our first row using a laser level to ensure it was straight. Since our walls aren't perfectly straight, we followed the laser level rather than the wall line. We left a â…›" gap between the flooring and the wall to allow for expansion.
4. Installing subsequent rows
We clicked in our second row. At the end of the row, we measured, marked, and cut the plank with a jigsaw—which was easy to cut through. After placing it in position, we made sure it was completely clicked and locked using a tapping bar and mallet.
Then, we slid the rows up against the wall (maintaining the â…›" gap) and used an air nailer to secure the first row. From there, we continued the floating installation, row by row, using the click and lock system.
Tip: Place your boards at a 45-degree angle and slide them in. The click and lock system makes installation super easy.
We also laid underlayment as we worked, piece by piece, and row by row. It was my first time installing a floor, and I couldn't have asked for a better or easier experience.
5. Appreciating the finish
What I love most is the two different widths of boards and varying lengths in each box, giving the floor beautiful depth and dimension.
I was worried about using hardwood in the kitchen, but these water-resistant floors allow for a cohesive flow from the kitchen to the living room, making the space feel large, bright, and airy.
I was intimidated at first, but I’m glad I took on the challenge. Even the intricate cutting around kitchen plumbing was easy using just a jigsaw and careful measuring. With some help from family and practice, I got the hang of it quickly.
Malibu Wide Plank also provides matching transition strips, like the one between our mudroom and living room. All I had to do was measure, cut, and glue it into place to create a seamless transition.
Coordinating the basement
After laying these beautiful floors in our kitchen and living room space, we knew we wanted to seamlessly coordinate the main floor with our basement.Â
After the fire, the basement was a blank slate ready to go. We cleaned up the dust, dirt, and drywall debris, and began installing Malibu Wide Plank Luxury Vinyl Plank. I was so excited that we could install it in the same Lombard color.
1. Preparation and underlayment
We laid down underlayment and used ¼" floor spacers to allow for expansion, ensuring the floor didn’t touch the wall.
2. Staggering the boards
To stagger the boards, we cut the first board in half and started with that. Using the same click and lock system as upstairs, we began installing.
Cutting tip: To cut vinyl, simply mark, score with an X-Acto knife (3 times), flip, and snap. It’s that easy— no saw needed!
We pulled from different boxes to vary the color and grain pattern in each row.
3. Finishing the look
I love that I can create a cohesive look in the basement to match the main floor. The wide planks and Lombard color make the smaller basement space feel brighter and more open.
These luxury vinyl plank floors actually look like real hardwood as well. You don't have to sacrifice a beautiful look because you can have both: engineered hardwood and vinyl plank in the same coloring in your home.
Malibu Wide Plank has made it so easy to coordinate different spaces. They offer a variety of coordinating colors so you are sure to find one to suit your home and style.Â
Just like upstairs, Malibu Wide Plank offers matching transition pieces, so you don’t need to worry about matching stains or finishes.
Final thoughts
You can shop Malibu Wide Plank on HomeDepot.com and transform your space with their elegant, durable, high-quality planks.
Malibu Wide Plank Lombard French Oak Engineered Hardwood Flooring
Malibu Wide Plank French Oak Lombard Luxury Vinyl Plank Flooring
All I hoped for was beautiful cohesion between two spaces, and that was made possible with Malibu Wide Plank's engineered hardwood and luxury vinyl plank, both in Lombard.
After everything, we’re finally here and I couldn’t be happier. Thank you to Malibu Wide Plank for sponsoring this article.
Frequently asked questions
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