Help! Lumber Liquidators Bamboo

10 years ago

Hi All,
i have read through many of the previous threads about this topic, unfortunately, not quite in time. I'm looking for advice on how
to move forward.

We bought bamboo from LL about 1 year ago - perhaps naively, it never even entered my mind that I would need to research anything safety related.

We purchased enough for the 4 bedrooms in our home. We were pleased that they agreed to let us keep the flooring there until we were ready for it as we wanted to do one room at a time however after a few months they started calling us weekly to pick it up, which we did. We put the new floor into the master bedroom (glued because that's what they recommended) before hearing about the formaldehyde and lawsuits. We've been sitting with the remaining flooring in our garage since because we feel immobilized.

We contacted LL who assured us our product was fine but it's not sitting right. At the same time the thought of having to rip up the glued floor, throw out thousands of dollars of flooring and spend thousands more for new flooring (and installation) makes me physically sick - it's not money we have, though obviously our health and safety is worth it.

Is that our only option? does anyone have any thoughts or ideas?

Featured Answer

tphilly

10 years ago

Have you verified your bamboo has the high formaldehyde levels? Not all bamboo from LL was a problem.

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Comments (10)

K Sissy
10 years ago
What kind of guarantee does LL offer? I don't know much about the lawsuit, but I'm thinking that they may refund some of your $ just to keep you as a customer. Are there specific lot nos that are included in the suit? Is there some way to find out for sure if your floors are included in the floors that are a part of the suit? If you can't satisfy yourself that your floors aren't a part of the affected floors in the suit, you will have to resign yourself to the idea that you have to remove these floors. As bad as it sounds, the $ that you've already spent may be the least of your worries. Getting these floors removed as soon as possible once you find out if they are a part of the affected lot is the important thing. Remember, as upset as you are, and you have every rite to be so, being tactful and pleasant when speaking with LL might get you more from them. That has been my experience when I've been in your place with companies about their bad products,etc. Good luck!
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Samara MG
Original Author
10 years ago
tphilly, any idea where i can get this done (I'm in Canada). everything I've found seems to test for air quality and I don't think it will show anything. There has been no noticeable change in the air as many people said they had. the floor has no odour at all.
tphilly
10 years ago
On classaction.org/lumber liquidators there's a list. Also, it is bamboo manufactured in China (should be on the box labels), and there's a free test kit available on the LL website, too (if your bamboo was made in China).
Samara MG
Original Author
10 years ago
the list only mentions laminate but we know bamboo was also a concern - it is the morning star brand.
Samara MG
Original Author
10 years ago
we also were not offered a free test kit when we called. apparently they are inky giving it to laminate flooring customers.
bekahjoy2015
10 years ago
If they are in still in boxes, LL should take them back! That's what they told me when I had issues with the flooring I bought from them. Ask to speak to a manager and keep asking!
PRO
Sharon and Sons Flooring & Cabinets
10 years ago
Hi Samara,

Unfortunately at this time Lumber Liquidators is only providing free test kits for the Laminate floors they sold. Due to the fact that there is adhesive used in the construction of Bamboo and other wood floors I would definitely contact a firm in your area that can test for formaldehyde. If indeed the levels come back high you probably have a good case for Lumber Liquidators to take back the remaining floor and reimburse you for the floor already installed
Samara MG
Original Author
10 years ago
got the material data safety sheet from LL. Wondering if someone can explain it a bit? Also wondering if its a legitimate document? Can it be fudged?
PRO
Cancork Floor Inc.
10 years ago
Sorry but I can't read the MSDS sheet. Be aware that Morning Star is just a box. All of LL's bamboo (over the past 10+ years) has been called Morning Star no matter WHO they used to produce it. It is my understanding that LL changes manufacturers about as often as most people change their socks.

If you are in Canada, there are different laws that apply. Sadly, Canada doesn't have many "indoor air quality laws". For some reason Health Canada doesn't see this as a priority (remember: Health Canada allowed the use of Thalidomide for 5 years longer than the USA in the 70's).

There are labs throughout the USA that test formaldehyde. Google them. Contact them and find out what is required to have a slice of your flooring tested. Go ahead and spend the $100 - $200 on the test (plus cost of shipping) to one of these accredited US facilities. Don't mess with the LL testing kit. They are of little value and are show readings that are unreliable (read: useless).

Get the tests done so that you can feel better about using the materials in your home. As much as I dislike low end bamboo, not all of it is "nasty". While you are at it, please, please, please check your heating/cooling system to MAKE SURE you have the ability to keep the humidity at EXACTLY 45%-55% humidity. I mean EXACTLY. If you do NOT have humidity control, you might find the problem with your bamboo isn't the formaldehyde...it is the material itself.

Bamboo is notoriously tricky to keep happy. Humidity control is a must. If your home doesn't have this capability, you will find this floor to be more of a problem than the formaldehyde. You will have no recourse because your home doesn't have the proper HVAC system required to keep this floor happy.

Please test the samples (pay the few hundred it costs to test it) and test your HVAC system. If you don't have the HVAC requirements, you might be able to sell the floor on-line.

Good luck.