This Lumber Liquidators bamboo flooring review discusses the AquaSeal like Toffee engineered bamboo and ReNature bamboo flooring, solid and engineered planks.
We will also discuss the class action lawsuit against Lumber Liquidators’ Morning Star strand bamboo flooring and answer if Lumber Liquidators' bamboo flooring is high in formaldehyde.
Contents
- LL Flooring (Lumber Liquidators)
- Products
- 1. ReNature bamboo flooring review
- a). Renature Solid-stranded planks
- b). Engineered
- 2. AquaSeal 72 bamboo flooring review
- Cost/price
- Financing
- Pros and cons
- How to install bamboo flooring lumber liquidators
- Cleaning
- Preventive care and maintenance
- Morningstar XD bamboo flooring and a class-action lawsuit
- Formaldehyde in bamboo flooring by Lumber Liquidators
- Our verdict
LL Flooring (Lumber Liquidators)
LL Flooring, previously known as Lumber Liquidators, began operation in 1996 by a building contractor (Tom Sullivan) as a wood and wood flooring reseller company.
However, over the past 25 years, they have diversified into various flooring types, including engineered hardwoods, tiles, laminate, vinyl, bamboo, installation materials, etc. They also offer pro installation services.
The company has more than 400 locations countrywide. You can contact them via 1-844-4-LLFLOOR, customercare@lumberliquidators.com, or visit their nearest branch. The responsive customer support team, including Pro Sales, are ready to assist you. Just reach out.
Products
LL Flooring has ReNature with engineered and solid bamboo planks or AquaSeal water-resistant planks.
1. ReNature bamboo flooring review
a). Renature Solid-stranded planks
There are two ReNature carbonized solid bamboo planks, ReNature Portland Strand Distressed Wide Plank and Bismark Strand Distressed Wide Plank Solid Bamboo Flooring. Both are for residential and light commercial use.
Both the two planks are brown, and have a luxurious wood look and a stained finish. However, Portland has a dark shade and a natural wood grain texture, while Bismark has a medium shade and subtle texture.
Specs
- Dimensions: 0.5″ x 5.125″ x 72.875
- Janka hardness: 2789
- Installation profile: Above/on Grade
- Edge style: Bevel
- Milling: tongue and groove (T&G)
- Installation: Nail or nail with glue assist
- Indoor air quality certification: FloorScore
- Warranty: Lifetime residential and 15 years light commercial. The warranty covers wear, manufacturer defects, and delamination.
- Price: Bismark $3.79 per square foot and Portland $3.49
b). Engineered
LL Flooring has 14 ReNature engineered bamboo flooring available in blonde, brown, white, gray, and red colors, all with a natural wood look. These engineered planks have an MDF (medium-density fiberboard) core or a plywood core and a carbonized or natural stranded bamboo veneer.
To make it easier for you to select the right ReNature engineered bamboo plank, let us break them down into those with MDF and plywood core.
i). MDF core planks specs
- Intended use: Residential
- Warranty: 35-year residential and 5-year light commercial covering finish wear, manufacturer defects, and delamination.
- Veneer: 2mm strand bamboo
- Edge style: 2-side bevel
- Installation level: Below/On/above grade
- Miling profile: Click
- Installation: Float (click)
| Name | Description | Price/Sq. Ft |
| ReNature Cordova Strand Distressed Wide Plank (0.38″ Thick x 5.125″ wide x 16.125-48″ long. | Cordova has gray planks with a stranded carbonized veneer, natural wood grain texture, and a stained finish. These boards come with a GreenGuard Gold indoor air quality certification and are not compatible with radiant heat. | $2.49 |
| ReNature Raleigh Strand Distressed Wide Plank (0.38″ Thick x 5.125″ wide x 16.125-48″ long. | Raleigh carbonized planks have elegant-looking distressed streaks, natural wood grain texture, and a clear finish. These boards have a Janka rating of 4356, FloorScore indoor quality certification, and radiant-heat compatibility. | $2.49 |
| ReNature Madison County Strand Distressed Wide Plank (0.38″ Thick x 5.125″ wide x 24-48″ long with majority planks 48″ | The dark-brown, richly toned carbonized Madison County Strand planks feature a distressed texture and a stained finish. They are compatible with radiant heat and claimed to have a FloorScore or GreenGuard Gold indoor air certification. | $2.49 |
| ReNature Strand Kona Wide Plank (0.51″ Thick x 7.5″ wide x 23.625-72.875-48″ long with majority planks 72.875″ | These boards have FloorScore indoor air quality certification, a subtle texture, stained finish, and a dark brown carbonized veneer. They are also are radiant-heat compatible. | $2.79 |
| ReNature Bismark Strand Distressed (0.38″ Thick x 5.125″ wide x 16.125-48″) | Janka of 4356, carbonized distressed medium brown veneer with a stained finish, compatible with radiant heat. They don’t have an indoor air quality certification. | $3.09 |
| ReNature Portland Strand Extra Wide Plank (0.5″ Thick x 7.5″ wide x 23.625″ - 72.875″ Long) | Portland Strand Extra Wide Planks have a FloorScrore indoor air quality certification, Janka of 4356, and a dark brown carbonized veneer with a stained finish and subtle texture. You can install them over a radiant heating system. | $3.49 |
| ReNature Strand Belgrade Wide Plank (0.375″ Thick x 5.125″ wide x 16.125-48″ Long) | These GreenGuard Gold indoor air quality certified planks with a carbonized brown (dark) veneer feature a distressed surface and a stained finish. Unfortunately, they are not radiant-heat compatible. | $2.49 |
| ReNature Strand Lake Charles Wide Plank (0.375″ Thick x 5.125″ wide x 16.125 - 48″ Long) | Strand Lake Charles Wide planks are brown(light) and have natural bamboo veneer with a distressed surface. They have GreenGuard Gold indoor air quality certification but aren’t compatible with radiant heating systems. | $2.49 |
| ReNature Strand Natural Wide Plank (0.375″ Thick x 5.125″ wide x 16.125 - 48″ Long) | The blonde color, clear finish, and natural wood grain make Strand Natural Wide Plank adorable. These boards have a Janka of 4356, GreenGuard Gold indoor air quality certification but are not radiant heat compatible. | $2.98 |
| ReNature Sierra Vista Strand Wide Plank (0.375″ Thick x 5.125″ wide x 18 - 36″ Long) | Sierra Vista Strand Wide Planks have a medium brown, carbonized bamboo veneer with a natural wood grain texture and a stained finish. They are radiant-heat compatible and have a FloorScore indoor air quality certification. | $2.48 |
ii). Plywood planks
If you prefer ReNature engineered planks with a plywood core, you can pick from any of the four boards that come with longer residential and light commercial warranties.
Specs/details
- Intended use: Residential
- Veneer: 2mm strand bamboo
- Warranty: 50 years residential and 10 years light commercial
- Milling Profile: Tongue and Groove
- Installation level: Below/On/above grade
- Installation: Nail, LL Approved Glue, Nail with Glue Assist, Edge Glue
- Edge style: Bevel
- Indoor air quality certification: FloorScore
- Radiant heat compatible: No.
| Name | Characteristics | Price/Sq. Ft |
| ReNature Porto Ferry Strand Wide Plank (0.5″ Thick x 5.313″ wide x 57.438-72.048″ long with majority planks 72.048″ | Smooth, medium red carbonized planks with a clear finish | $3.79 |
| ReNature Cape Town Strand Extra Wide Plank (0.5″ Thick x 7.5″ wide x 15.75-72.048″ Long) | Distressed, carbonized, blonde planks with a clear finish | $2.99 |
| ReNature Saint Anton Strand Extra Wide Plank (0.5″ Thick x 7.5″ wide x 15.75- 72.048″ Long) | The natural Saint Anton Strand Extra Wide white planks have a distressed surface and a clear finish. | $3.89 |
| ReNature Copenhagen Strand Extra Wide Plank (0.5″ Thick x 7.5″ wide x 15.75- 72.048″ Long) | Carbonized with subtle texture, a medium brown color, and a clear finish | $3.89 |
2. AquaSeal 72 bamboo flooring review
These water-resistant bamboo flooring employs AquaSeal water-resistance technology to ensure they offer water protection for up to 72 hours. You will have ample time to clean any puddles, spillages, or messes that may happen.
However, don't forget to dry any spillage since all organic flooring, including bamboo floors, are not waterproof.
Additionally, you can occasionally wet-mop them, and they are easy to install (have a click-lock system) and resist wearing and scratching so well. However, not everyone agrees that these boards are indeed scratch-resistant.
You will love their super sleek natural wood look. They don’t have repeat patterns.
Specs
- Dimensions: 0.5″ x 5.125″ x 72.875
- Construction: Engineered SPC (stone plastic/polymer composite) core with stranded bamboo veneer
- Installation profile: Below/above/on grade
- Edge style: 2-side bevel
- Milling: Click Lock
- Installation: LL Approved Glue, Click
- Indoor air quality certification: FloorScore (Toffee) and GreenGuard Gold (Dove Springs and Cabernet)
- Warranty: 50 years residential and 15 years light commercial. It covers finish wear and manufacturer defects. You also get a limited pet stain (24 hours) and a water-resistant, 72 hours warranty.
- Finish stain: stained finish
| Name – color | Dimensions | Price |
| Strand Toffee Engineered Water Resistant Click Bamboo Flooring – Blonde | 6mm Thick x 5.125″ Wide x 36.25″ Long with 1mm veneer. | $2.99 |
| Dove Springs Strand Distressed – Blonde | 6 mm thick x 7.5″ Wide 5" - 72" Long (with most boards are 72" and 1.2mm veneer | $3.19 |
| Cabernet Extra Wide Plank – Brown | 6 mm thick x 7.5″ Wide 5" - 72" Long (with most boards are 72" and 1.2mm veneer | $3.19 |
Cost/price
Lumber Liquidators bamboo flooring costs is $2.48- $3.89 per square foot, making them some of the affordable bamboo flooring planks you can buy. However, the price isn’t inclusive of professional installation costs ranging from $2-$5.
LL Flooring bamboo planks’ price is comparable to Floor and Décors Eco-Forest, Home Depot’s Home Decorators Collection, Home Legend, and LifeProof bamboo flooring.
However, they are much cheaper than Ambient, Cali Bamboo, or Teragren bamboo flooring that many people consider superior.
Financing
To help support your project, LL Flooring offers financing to qualifying planks with a minimum monthly payment. The rates are 6.99% APR FOR 48 MONTHS for any in-store purchases at least $2500 bought with LL Flooring credit card.
Pros and cons
Some of the pros of these bamboo flooring planks include:
- Affordable
- Available in various colors plank sizes and types, including water-resistant planks
- Come with a lifetime, 35 or 50-year warranty, and a 5, 10, or 15-year light commercial warranty.
- LL flooring offers financing to qualifying purchases.
- Excellent customer support team.
On the downside, some of the cons of these planks include
- The planks are vulnerable to scratches, just as many other brands. Also, there are Complaints about the tendency to buckle, warp or shrink. However, this may be due to not maintaining the recommended conditions.
- LL Flooring has suffered credibility issues in a previous brand, the Morningstar XD planks.
- While you are permitted to install a radiant heat system on some planks, doing so will invalidate your warranty.
- You cannot refinish these planks bamboo planks
How to install bamboo flooring lumber liquidators
How you will install Lumber Liquidators bamboo flooring and installation level depending on the plank type, you select, i.e.,
a). Solid bamboo
For Renature solid planks, install them on or above grade only. They require a temperature of 60°-80F° and relative humidity above 30% but below 70% with no more than 20% during acclimation, installation, and your floor’s lifespan.
Otherwise, expect cupping, gaps, buckling, checking if the above relative humidity requirements are unmet.
Secondly, installation is by nail or nail with glue assist. Follow all provided installation steps and requirements, including the gaps, underlayments, and procedures. Also, ensure your wood or fully cured concrete subfloor is flat and clean.
Finally, there is no run limit for the nail down, and while you can install beneath cabinets, LL Flooring doesn’t recommend it. Also, don’t install them over radiant heating systems.
b). Engineered bamboo
You can install Lumber Liquidator’s ReNature engineered bamboo boards on all grade levels (below, on, and above) as well as on the wall (inside a house).
These planks require an optimum temperature of n 60º and 80º F and relative humidity of between 30% and no more than 70%. The maximum humidity fluctuation is 30% during acclimation, installation, and throughout the floor’s lifespan.
On how to install them, planks with an MDF core come with a click-lock and need float installation. On the other hand, those with a plywood core have a tongue and groove and require glue-down, glue-down with nail assist, or edge glue float using adhesive such as PVA wood glue or Exmore Tongue and Groove adhesive.
However, before installation, acclimate them. These planks require at least 72 hours of acclimation. Stack no more than eight boxes inside the rooms you will install them.
For planks with plywood core, place 6 mil poly down first if you acclimatize them on concrete subfloors. To know they have acclimated well, ensure their moisture content is within 4% of that of the subfloor. Your Lignomat SDM Ligno-Scanner SDM Moisture Meter or LIGNOMAT mini-Ligno DX/C will do the work just fine.
Finally, for both planks with plywood or MDF core, ensure you have suitable subfloors, i.e., wood, concrete, lightweight subfloors, or existing floors (requirements vary). Also, have the correct expansion gaps, underlayments, moisture barriers/retarders, and use moldings as required.
AquaSeal
AquaSeal needs an ideal temperature of 50°- 85F° and relative humidity between 30% and 70% during acclimation, installation, and the entire lifespan. Acclimation should take at least 48 hours. Just stack no more than eight unopened boxes for the duration.
You can install AquaSeal bamboo by click-lock or glue-down method on all floor grade levels. However, follow Lumber Liquidators installation instructions the correct gaps, subfloors, and adhesives (for glue down).
Ideal subfloors include wood, fully cured concrete, some gypsum-based slabs (float installation only), and some existing floor except carpet, padding, existing floating floors, cushioned vinyl. Fill grout lines and remove any natural flooring on concrete.
You can use an underlayment, but it shouldn’t replace 6-mil polyethylene moisture or LL underlayment with a water vapor permeance of 0.1 perms or less when tested following the ASTM E96.
Finally, don’t install over radiant heat or under fixed cabinets or island type fo cabinetry.
Cleaning
- Regularly sweep and vacuum floors with a vacuum with a felt brush to remove dust, grit, and particles that may scratch your floors. Avoid those with stiff bristles or beater heads.
- Use Bellawood Floor Cleaner during deep cleaning, on soiled areas, or when removing spots. Bona Refill Hardwood Floor Cleaner may leave a white film.
- Never use any cleaning products with oil, polish, wax, as they may leave a dull film. Also, avoid scouring pads or steel wool as they will scratch the floor.
- Occasionally, you can wet or jet mop only your AquaSeal flooring
For pet lovers, keep your pet’s nail short and clean any pet messes (slobbers, urine, or poop) immediately you notice it. The longer the stain says, the harder it will be to remove.
To remove pet messes stains, follow the below procedure:
- Soak as much of the deposit with a patter tissue and dispose of it well.
- Clean the area using the suitable disinfectant until there is no more residue remaining.
- Bluff dry the area with a soft piece of cloth.
- Clean using Bellawood Floor Cleaner.
Preventive care and maintenance
To help prolong your floor lifespan, reduce scratches, markings, dents, dings or discoloration, or damage, follow the below routine and preventive care measures:
- Use doormats on your doors’ interior and exterior sides to help collect dirt, grit, water, and so on.
- Have area rugs on areas with high traffic
- Place shades, area rugs, blinds, or tint your window to block the sun as it may cause natural color change or patina.
- When moving heavy appliances, equipment, or furniture, place protective plywood, luan board, or any other similar product. NEVER or slide heavy furniture or equipment.
- Dry any spills as soon as possible with a dry microfiber mop or dry with a soft cloth, even for the water-resistant floor (will cause slip).
- Remove shoes with very pointy heels, cleats, or showing sharp metallic parts
- Install floor protectors/pads on furniture and have protective mats on office chairs with casters. The rug shouldn’t be studded or have a rubber backing.
Morningstar XD bamboo flooring and a class-action lawsuit
After a successful class-action lawsuit against Lumber Liquidators’ Morning Star Strand bamboo flooring, the company agreed to pay $30 million to everyone who purchased these flooring planks since 2012 and March 15, 2019.
The settlement received its final court approval on October 22, 2020, if you filed a claim before July 15, 2020.
The issues raised in the Lumber Liquidators’ bamboo flooring class action lawsuit were defective Morningstar XD bamboo planks that couldn’t withstand ambient moisture variation.
These planks shrink, warp, crank, scratch, gap, buckle, delaminate, splinter, get gaps and swell, something that would prematurely fail the floorings before the 30-year warranty.
Initially, LL flooring blamed installers, and homeowners had to pay for repair costs. Although Lumber Liquidators didn’t agree to the claims, they opted for a settlement to avoid prolonged and burdensome ligation whose outcome was uncertain.
Finally, as you would expect, Lumber Liquidators discontinued the Morningstar XD bamboo planks.
Formaldehyde in bamboo flooring by Lumber Liquidators
Complaints and exposé indeed revealed that Lumber Liquidators laminate flooring might be higher in formaldehyde. For starters, formaldehyde is one of the chemicals that may cause cancer.
The higher formaldehyde occurs due to the use of higher formaldehyde boards when making these laminate flooring.
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission has taken action. They want Lumber Liquidators to have stringent testing measures of these planks. Also, under a recall program, Lumber Liquidators are supposed to test all homes with these flooring planks.
Does Lumber Liquidators bamboo flooring have formaldehyde too? If this is an issue, you have. Don’t worry, don’t worry since the formaldehyde in bamboo flooring by Lumber Liquidators is acceptable. Their planks have an indoor air quality certification, as already seen.
Our verdict
Lumber Liquidators bamboo flooring is an affordable and excellent choice of bamboo flooring that will serve you well. However, ensure you correctly install it and maintain the right conditions (temperature and humidity).
Also, don’t forget to follow recommended care and maintenance routines that we have given you.
