We went to Lumber Liquidators because of all the ads online and on TV and never thought to look them up online. We purchased Dream Home 12MM Brazilian Koa Laminate and have one whole flat left unopened. We hired SD Flooring through Lumber Liquidators to install the flooring. We started seeing problems immediately. I saw two major flaws the day they left. No matter how we tried to clean the floor it streaked or smudged so we didn't continue only in small spots and one of those spots was not in the kitchen. The installer named Henry told my husband to not leave a damp towel on the floor and we were given no instructions on cleaning this flooring. I bought laminate flooring 8mm from Sams Club 6 years ago that we had installed and I've used my steamer on it several times without problems.

My floor was paid through their payment plan and is now paid off but looks bad it embarrasses me when people come over to visit. They turned the whole thing over to the installers who hired a professional that wasn't here 10 minutes and wouldn't answer any questions and was rude. We watched him and when his report came out he screwed up where he tested the moisture as he said he did it under the dining room table when he actually did it in the our computer room. I watched him like a hawk. I showed him a very small dent I did by dropping something very heavy on my big toe which bruised it badly and when it bounced off it hit the floor and left this little dent. He took a picture of it with his little tape measure but didn't add it to his report. Which might have shown our honesty.

Our flooring is swelling everywhere and chipping in all rooms and he said we were dropping sharp objects on the floor. No one is that clumsy and no one here has dropped any knives.. Of course he blamed us and our animals for the whole thing. We had very old carpet down that had a previous owners dog that had used the carpet which caused our little dogs to do the same thing. My husband tore up all the carpet and staples, etc. Then he bought the best sealer at $60 a gallon and used 2 gallons to put two coats down on the whole flooring 2 weeks before the flooring was put down as our dogs are potty trained.

We have looked for another inspector but there doesn't seem to be one of these people anywhere near us in Reinbeck, IA 50669. LL refuses to talk with us and the inspector did blame the installer for several things. If we could get another professional inspector to inspect this flooring to see what we are dealing with as I believe this guy is in the bag for LL. I watched as he put the testing paper in the spot he chose and the picture he showed was not the same one - I'd bet my life on it. We don't clean the floor as we are afraid to. They tell us now we need to buy their Bellawood cleaner and their broom. You spray small amounts of the cleaner on the mop and rub pretty hard to clean the floor and with my back being the way it is and disabled because of it and my husband just had neck surgery last summer we are unable to clean the floor the proper way according to them. Why didn't they tell us that when we bought this from them? Man I was wanting laminate just like my son has had for 8 years and they use the wet swiffer jet on theirs and I use a steam cleaner on the one in my bedroom and they aren't doing what this flooring is done. We paid approx. $3600 for the laminate and installation and that's not counting the $120 for the sealant.

I believe Lumber Liquidators and SD Flooring should make this right with us and give us back all our money we spent with them so we can have a good looking floor put in and I will not go with laminate or wood that's for sure. I will not go through this HELL again.

Is there a way we can get one of you professional wood inspectors in Iowa and not charge us two arms and two legs to have a real inspector check this floor. Please! What do we do? We got rid of some really old stinky carpet from the previous owners to be stuck with this ugly shit. I hope someone has something promising for us. PLEASE!!!!

If I knew how too attach some pictures I have them and then you can see what we are living with and these pictures were taken approx 8 months ago so if I took more pictures now you would see why they should make it right. Like I said if anyone wants to test this flooring we still have a whole flat in our basement never opened.

visit the NWFA site and search certified wood floor inspector..thats the best thing you can do.

Good luck with dealing with LL..you are just a number in a numbers game.

In the future stay out of box stores and work with local floor dealer/covering retailer ir even better, the right flooring contractor/outfit.

Sorry to hear your trouble.
You might try a laminate flooring inspector.
search nalfa inspector it should pull up the North American Laminate Flooring Association website and they have 2 inspectors in Iowa. I believe Portsmouth and Davenport as well as some in IL, KS and MO.
One of those might be close to you. The website should give you all their contact information.
Hope the best for you.

you really need to go after the steam mop folks that claim they are ok to use on a hardwood floor. Guess what? they are hands down the worst way to maintain your wood floor with as water in the vapor form is the worst thing for a wood or laminate floor.

No steamers, no Swiffer Jet use on laminate floors. No manufacturer is going to warranty improper maintenance. Just micro fiber spot clean and or, very slight damp mop is all you should need.

Unfortunately the good inspectors do cost an arm but only a foot. You get to keep the leg.

The reason they use a hit and run, hired gun inspector, is they work cheap and make it up on the volume.

Or the guy there, is just eyes and ears, with someone else actually writing the report as an inspection service and not an actual inspector. In this situation, the person writing the report can keep info out that pins their client, the manufacturer.

I do agree, anything with moisture directly on laminate is a replacement waiting to happen.

Some laminates are way better than others where moisture is concerned.

I have done inspections on many floors for homeowners regarding Lumber Liquidator products. Laminate and hardwood. 1st installation is acceptance period the end. 2nd Get a highly qualified inspector or save your money. Even so it is like pulling teeth to get a LL manager on site to look at a complaint. I believe they are forbidden to do so. No client has ever told me that a LL manager ever came to look at their concern. I suppose that is so that cannot be taken to court and be questioned regarding these complaints.
Regarding being told anything regarding the installation process, what they will or won't do if they occur. What your warranty actually is!
Talk to your lawyer about the UCC regarding selling products that cannot perform as stated. BUT remember lawyers cost a lot of money, SO is it going to be worth it. I would call the BBB and file a complaint.
The bottom line I have seen clients who have been able to get something out of them, A STORE CREDIT READ THEIR TERMS AND CONDITIONS, They have supplied product if pressured hard enough but they will wear you down.
The end this could gone on forever. Best advise above.

Good luck with getting anything out of Lumber Liquidators! They cover all the angles so after you pay them they have no responsibility. I think they do this because they know they sell garbage and that there is going to be problems! I've read hundreds of complaints and it's always....and I mean always the same old story. You'd have to live in a perfect environment to comply with their conditions. And if they're not blaming you, they will blame the installer. The most you will get out of them is a store credit, and who wants to buy more of their junk. They have had many problems with their Bamboo, Laminate and their Bellawood label. And as far as the inspectors they send out! They are there for one reason and one reason only, and that is to exonerate Lumber Liquidators from any responsibility. My advice to you would be contact a lawyer, go to small claims court or contact your Attorney General. Another good thing to do is keep posting your complaint on as many forums as you can because I'am sure they are losing customers to all the negative posts. You have to hit them where it hurts.....and that's their pocket. The same way they are hitting the consumers pocket.

I recall inspector Ray Darrah saying about six years ago that his company actually lost the LL account for that reason. They didn't like his reports. I was sworn to secrecy but hey...it's been six years and I doubt anything has changed.

It has been years since I looked at one for LL. Must be a good reason why.

With no skin in the game and paid up front, I just tell the truth of what I found.

LL also says you need to have a NWFACP inspector to inspect the floor which is a cock n bull story.
Any seasoned licensed flooring contractor/installer has the ability to inspect a floor for you and write up a report but it has to be factual and spec industry standards that will hold up in a court of law.

The guy they now use here and for a few years, is not NWFACP. LL connot afford a NWFACP.
The guy here is FICTS and only has a Carpet Cert.

I correct myself. If you want your own inspection done they say NWFACP or they wont recognize the report which is stupid since they dont always use them.

Heard that!
BONUS: I'd rather investigate a concern for a property owner, than any manufacturer.
After all, they are the one with the complaint.
I get to talk and explain everything to them, as I do my investigation. Unlike the A-holeish attitude you must have when out for a manufacturer and the 20 questions hit from the property owner, looking over your shoulder.
I mean you can be as polite as you can, but all they hear is, I cannot tell you s*it, maam.

I do private inspections as well. Who gets info directly just depends who is paying the bill. On a private examination the retailer or installer is welcome but I wont say anything to them while there and the consumer gets the report. It's not a-holeish at all. Thats just the way it is. You should know that by now. A professional attitude is the way it should be. Ya don't want to be in the middle of a fight at the consumers house. Thats another reason you don't say anything until the report is out. Oh, sure you can say this is wrong or that is not correctly installed, but still, get it on paper before jabbering your mouth off.

On the mans claims I just tell them they will receive the report in 7 to 10 business days. And not in any a-holeish attitude. Everyone is always very nice to me.