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60 minutes eviscerates Lumber Liquidators

Blanky

Blanky

Platinum Member
http://www.cbs.com/shows/60_minutes...ators-linked-to-health-and-safety-violations/

This is why last week LL warned investors that the upcoming 60 minutes piece would be bad for the company and right now the stock is getting crushed, down 20% today as of this writing.

LL HQ was raided by the Federal government in September 2013 and there is a class action against it. Two main issues are sourcing wood from places it shouldn't, but of greater concern is formaldehyde in its laminates. Apparently, despite the class action about that, as recently as this 60 minutes piece, using investigators presumably in the past few months, LL is still selling laminates that don't comply with law.

60 minutes quoted one guy who said that Home Depot and Lowes laminates all met regulations, as did LL USA-manufacturered product, but that all of its Chinese did not. Of some purchases they made 1 of 30 different laminate purchases met spec.
 
I have some friends with expensive hardwood floors and they freak every time their kid drops something on it and are running for a towel every time something is spilled.

When I got a new dishwasher, I dragged it across my laminate floor and it didn't live a mark.
 
How interesting. I am about to buy a pile of hardwood from them and marveled at the competitive cost. Flooring has a 100 year guarantee and the salesman said when questioned how good that would be, that the company was strong and growing. This was yesterday. I have some of their hardwood in my trunk right now.
 
dainthomas said:
I have some friends with expensive hardwood floors and they freak every time their kid drops something on it and are running for a towel every time something is spilled.

When I got a new dishwasher, I dragged it across my laminate floor and it didn't live a mark.
Click to expand...

Heh I agree wood is nice but not nearly as durable. I grew up in a house with cherry wood hardwood floors and cabinets. Cabinets are fine but the floor needs refinishing. In that house I would still put in real wood. In my 2000 sq foot cookie cutter? I'd go with laminate.
 
Moonbeam said:
How interesting. I am about to buy a pile of hardwood from them and marveled at the competitive cost. Flooring has a 100 year guarantee and the salesman said when questioned how good that would be, that the company was strong and growing. This was yesterday. I have some of their hardwood in my trunk right now.
Click to expand...

Sounds like they put a little more hardwood in your trunk than you bargained for in this case.
 
The piece definately puts LL in a very bad light. Their CEO comes off as gruff and uncaring.
My only concern about the piece is that the people breaking the story happen to be supported by short-sellers of the stock, hardly what I would call independent parties.

If the piece turns out to be 100% true, it is scary and the company likely should be put out of business. The formaldehyde levels where astronomical - three mile island is likely a safer place to be than a LL warehouse.
 
Shop Canadian for quality wood n wood products

latest
 
MomentsofSanity said:
Sounds like they put a little more hardwood in your trunk than you bargained for in this case.
Click to expand...

I only got three planks as a sample, but I'm now concerned that the wood itself may have been cut illegally. I even wondered if that might not be the case since their hardwood prices are in my opinion, outstanding. 3.99 a sq foot for solid 3/4 in x 3 maple on sale and 5.?? for 3/4 x 5 in with aluminum oxide in the finish. Installation is 4 bucks a foot and 1 dollar for premium padding, which I will also now wonder about what it contains.
 
Homebuilders can get laminate that doesn't meet standards from many different sources and chances are you won't have a clue unless an issue arises.
 
Moonbeam said:
I only got three planks as a sample, but I'm now concerned that the wood itself may have been cut illegally. I even wondered if that might not be the case since their hardwood prices are in my opinion, outstanding. 3.99 a sq foot for solid 3/4 in x 3 maple on sale and 5.?? for 3/4 x 5 in with aluminum oxide in the finish. Installation is 4 bucks a foot and 1 dollar for premium padding, which I will also now wonder about what it contains.
Click to expand...

So... you took just a little bit of their hardwood into your trunk to see if you liked it?
 
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smackababy said:
This is the price you pay for cheap laminate flooring. Get a real job and go with hardwood. It looks better anyway.
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I redid my kitchen in laminate, opting for durability. I'm now on a second install of all new stuff very begrudgingly paid for by the company I bought it from. This isn't "cheap" stuff, either. The edges were curling on about half the boards.

The house I am designing now will have 100% hardwood, since even the very best laminate looks and feels pretty low rent like it belongs in a trailer park or something similar.
 
Tsavo said:
I redid my kitchen in laminate, opting for durability. I'm now on a second install of all new stuff very begrudgingly paid for by the company I bought it from. This isn't "cheap" stuff, either. The edges were curling on about half the boards.

The house I am designing now will have 100% hardwood, since even the very best laminate looks and feels pretty low rent like it belongs in a trailer park or something similar.
Click to expand...

That must have been some cheap garbage or really poorly installed if it curled at the edges.
 
Genx87 said:
That must have been some cheap garbage or really poorly installed if it curled at the edges.
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A friend of mine is at the tail end of a multi-year shitstorm because a certified flooring contractor used a sealant/glue combination where the two products cancel each other out so that it neither seals nor glues.

Since the products say not to use with each other their insurance wouldn't pay so the contractor was on the hook 100% and didn't want to do what it would take to make things right... so it went to court.

I jokingly ask my friend what he's going to do with his new flooring company.
 
senseamp said:
If shopping for a house, how do I know if laminate is from Formaldehyde Liquidators?
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You won't unless you have it tested. The Chinese companies were mis labeling it on purpose. They were estimating 10 of thousands in Cali alone.


I grew up in a house with cherry wood hardwood floors and cabinets.
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Cherry is too soft for flooring, imo.

Current house, 1937, quarter sawn white oak. Had most of them refinished over the last 3 years. That was the 1st time since the house was built.
 
Jaepheth said:
A friend of mine is at the tail end of a multi-year shitstorm because a certified flooring contractor used a sealant/glue combination where the two products cancel each other out so that it neither seals nor glues.

Since the products say not to use with each other their insurance wouldn't pay so the contractor was on the hook 100% and didn't want to do what it would take to make things right... so it went to court.

I jokingly ask my friend what he's going to do with his new flooring company.
Click to expand...

It is amazing to me how many contractors are out there that are terrible at their jobs. I suspect it is because the consumer just doesnt know any better. It isnt like going to a retail outlet with branding. These are a lot of times small organizations or a crew that goes from house to house. But one would think for them to continue to get new business. It would often times be passed word of mouth. Which in like the case you are talking about end their ability to find new work pretty quick.
 
12mm laminate works great for fiancees craft room. resilient vinyl flooring is awesome in my living room.

The problem is, most laminite sold on the market is that 6-8mm crap. Good vinyl is quieter than wood, proects subfloor from moisture, and is fully waterproof. living room has front door / mud area, and I didnt want to put a threshold and have 2 differnt floor surfaces in the room, so I just put vinyl for the whole room.

Im saying, wood lasts and looks nice, but its not always the best option.
 
dainthomas said:
I have some friends with expensive hardwood floors and they freak every time their kid drops something on it and are running for a towel every time something is spilled.

When I got a new dishwasher, I dragged it across my laminate floor and it didn't live a mark.
Click to expand...

Your friends need to invest in some rugs. 😛
 
Tsavo said:
I redid my kitchen in laminate, opting for durability. I'm now on a second install of all new stuff very begrudgingly paid for by the company I bought it from. This isn't "cheap" stuff, either. The edges were curling on about half the boards.
Click to expand...

I'm not an expert, but I do watch Flipping Vegas occasionally... On that show they say you need to let the laminate sit in the house for a while before you install it, so that it "acclimates" to the local humidity, etc. This prevents warping, according to the show.
 
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