Luxury Vinyl Tile Flooring Makeover

Heidi Rew, a blogger and home design enthusiast, never would have imagined a plumbing disaster could turn into one of the best decisions she'd ever made. Three years ago, she came home to a partially flooded basement. The cause? A cracked pipe (original to the home built in the ’60s) from her kitchen to the basement.That cracked pipe totally destroyed her basement carpet and caused Heidi and her husband to rethink carpet altogether.

Another piping issue might mean ripping up the carpet again, and hardwoods were out of budget. Plus, if another plumbing issue arose, the hardwoods could be destroyed too. When Heidi learned more about Mohawk Flooring’s luxury vinyl tile, she was sold. It’s waterproof (that put future plumbing fears at ease), the vinyl planks are easy to install over concrete, and it’s resistant to scuffs and scratches.

Here are the steps Heidi took when preparing for LVT three years ago:

Man Cave Makeover Before and After


Installing LVT

  • Step 1: Remove all furniture and appliances from the room as well as wall and doorway trim, and undercut any door casings.
  • Step 2: Take care of any repairs to the subfloors before installing new flooring, and make sure the flooring surface is clean, flat, dry and free of debris.
  • Step 3: If you're renovating the space, be sure to have your cabinets installed before installing luxury vinyl—don’t install cabinets on top of the flooring.
  • Step 4: Your luxury vinyl floors need to acclimate to the new environment for 48 hours, so you should have new flooring delivered to your home at least two days before installation.
  • Step 5: Always examine your new flooring for damage or defects before installation and be sure to read the approved installation instructions and warranty information.
  • Step 6: Let professional installers take care of the rest!


Luxury Vinyl is Built to Last

Over the past three years, Heidi's luxury vinyl floors have endured many parties, drum solos, endless miles on the exercise bike, weight lifting and lots of spilled drinks. All the while, Mohawk luxury vinyl tile has stood up to every challenge. It has resisted scratches, scuffs and water damage completely.

Not to mention, it never fails when friends come over—they always comment on the flooring. Heidi's friends love how LVT looks and how it feels like real wood flooring. In fact, some had to be convinced that it wasn’t real hardwood.

Man Cave Makeover 3 Years Later


No one wishes for a plumbing disaster, but Heidi's led to the best flooring option for her needs. She's looking forward to many more football-watching parties and game nights without needing to worry if someone spills a drink. Mohawk LVT flooring can take it, no problem.

Does LVT sound like the perfect flooring for your home? Visit us to get started on your project!

Everything you need to know before you buy vinyl