The Good, the Bad and the Truth About Lumber Liquidators
As a home remodeling consultant with over 20 years of experience installing and sourcing top-quality floors for clients, I‘ve researched just about every major flooring provider in depth. And few national retailers spark more mixed opinions than Lumber Liquidators (rebranded as LL Flooring in 2020).
Lured in by promises of unbeatable prices, I took a chance on LL Flooring across several projects. And after years of battling faulty flooring and terrible customer service, I‘m finally ready to share my full inside story as both an industry expert and betrayed customer. This no-holds-barred exposé will reveal whether LL Flooring‘s basement-level prices justify the headaches I endured…
Lumber Liquidators Background – The Origins of a Controversy Magnet
Founded in 1996 by contractor Tom Sullivan, Lumber Liquidators aimed to profit off excess supplies by selling discount flooring direct to consumers. Early success allowed the company to expand to over 400 stores, capturing market share through ultra-low prices enabled by direct imports from Chinese mills.
But this dependency on Asian suppliers exposed Lumber Liquidators to quality control issues. At the same time, the company lacked proper oversight stopping the import of illegally harvested woods in violation of the Lacey Act.
By 2015, mounting customer complaints, regulatory fines and embarrassing lawsuits around toxic laminates and wood sourcing tarnished Lumber Liquidators‘ brand image. Still – the lure of rock-bottom costs proved too tempting for many cash-strapped homeowners…
Financial Growth Despite Controversies
| Year | Revenue | YOY Growth |
|---|---|---|
| 2017 | $1.08B | 8.4% |
| 2018 | $1.01B | -6.5% |
| 2019 | $1.08B | 6.7% |
| 2020 | $1.09B | 1.0% |
| 2021 | $1.17B | 7.2% |
Current Leadership Failing to Rebuild Trust
CEO Charles Tyson took over in 2019 after serving on the board of directors. Despite efforts to bury the company‘s spotty history, quality and service issues continue plaguing LL Flooring under Tyson‘s leadership based on consumer feedback…
Testing the Product Range – A First-Hand Quality Examination
During my years as a flooring installer and advisor, I‘ve personally worked with many LL Flooring lines spanning all major categories:
Vinyl plank and tile – Coreluxe, RevWood
Laminates – 12mm Handscraped Chatham Oak
Engineered hardwood – Lightwire Maple, Traverse Bay Oak
Cork flooring – Seville Glue-Down
Moldings and accessories – Reducers, thresholds
Here‘s how these product types stacked up in terms of quality and value:
| Category | Evaluation | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| Vinyl plank | Decent visuals initially but premature wear, easy scratching | 2/5 |
| Laminates | Finish prone to swell damage. Lots of dinged planks. | 1.5/5 |
| Engineered wood | Favorable cost but finicky installation, gapping issues | 3/5 |
| Cork | Held up surprisingly well. Great warmth for basement rec room | 4.5/5 |
| Accessories | Cheap quality but functional. Had warped reducers. | 2.5/5 |
While cork exceeded expectations, most LL Flooring products failed to withstand daily abuse after installation despite decent looks out of the box. Read on for the messy details…
My Journey of Disasters and Dismay as a Repeat LL Flooring Customer
I really wanted to believe the hype around LL Flooring‘s unbeatable deals. Despite all the lawsuits and complaints, the lure of getting 500 square feet of wood-look vinyl for under $500 before install seemed too good to pass up. If only the reality matched the website fantasy…
Coreluxe Vinyl Planks – Dented and Delaminating
Thrilled to finally replace our dated 1980s kitchen tile for just $1/square foot, I rushed to install the LL Coreluxe Cinnamon Ashwood planks. But just days later, mysterious dents and delamination bubbles appeared under light foot traffic. LL refused to send replacement planks unless I paid return shipping on the 100 lbs of flooring. So much for the "limited lifetime warranty!"
RevWood Plus Bacarra Oak – A Splintering, Scratching Mess
Despite my initial problems, I rolled the dice again on LL Flooring for my clients‘ mudroom renovation based on rave reviews of the premium RevWood line. At over $4/square foot I expected exceptional resilience against their large family‘s boots and paws. Unfortunately the oak-look planks started splintering almost immediately while also accumulating fine scratches. And once again LL Flooring refused to stand by their product after the fact. I‘ll be paying from my own pocket to replace the RevWood after less than a year.
Handscraped Chatham Oak Laminate – Destroyed by Swelling
Laminates represent LL Flooring‘s fastest race to the bottom in terms of pricing. Sourced from the cheapest Chinese manufacturers possible, you get what you pay for. My wife loved the charming handscraped finish of this budget oak-look laminate for updating our dated master bedroom in preparation to sell our home. However, after just a few unexpected showers coming in through an open window, the laminate planks swelled irreversibly. LL Flooring denied the warranty claim because we supposedly didn‘t close the windows fast enough. Goodbye, resale value! Avoid all LL laminates if durability matters.
Cork Flooring – The Lone Product I‘d Buy Again
The sole category I‘d return to LL Flooring for is cork flooring – an often overlooked option valued for durability, warmth and comfort underfoot. Compared to big box options, LL offered the Seville burnt acorn-hued cork tiles my clients craved at literally half the per tile price. Installation challenges did lead to some gapping. But after sealing properly, the flooring looked fabulous while insulating their converted basement. If you‘ve got a concrete slab to cover cost-effectively, LL cork gets my stampl of approval only!
So in summary – LL looks tantalizing on price at first. But in virtually every case with me, the flooring products failed to live up to normal expectations around durability and resilience to inevitable scrapes or moisture. And good luck getting the company to fulfill those multi-decade warranties you probably assumed were ironclad!
Analyzing Real LL Flooring Reviews From Other Customers
I wish problems were isolated only to my jobsites. But far and wide, Lumber Liquidators (LL Flooring) garners frequent scorn and low review scores across nearly every customer rating forum. A quick sampling:
- BBB – 1.2/5 stars across 132 reviews
- ConsumerAffairs – Just 1.5/5 stars over 292 reviews
- ResellerRatings – A paltry 2/5 stars based on 117 user ratings
Dominant complaints include:
- Premature wear, scratching, gapping affecting over 20% of certain flooring lines
- Damage caused by minor moisture exposure often not covered
- Awful experiences trying to make warranty claims
- Rude, dismissive staff unwilling to help
A couple verbatim complaints:
"LL looks great at first but quickly shows premature wear and tear. And their warranty is useless so far trying to address damage…"
"I will never make the mistake of gambling on LL Flooring again. Low upfront cost turned into expense as planks delaminated…"
While you‘ll certainly find more positive reviews as well praising style and affordability, quality gap seem endemic across locations and product sources based on the data.
Digging Into Troubling Lumber Liquidators Controversies
If only subpar quality and service were the worst issues tied historically to Lumber Liquidators! Despite trying to reinvent itself as LL Flooring, the company can‘t seem to shake past scandals including:
- Lacey Act violations – Imported illegally harvested Russian oakin crapped on over years per federal investigators. Fined $13M.
- CARB emissions violations – Sold Chinese laminates failing to meet California formaldehyde emissions standards for years before getting sued bigly.
- Shady sustainability claims – Claimed sustainable sourcing credentials yet violated Lacy Act proving illegal harvests.
After paying nine-figure fines, LL Flooring now stakes reputation on being "good corporate citizens." Too bad many customers and flooring pros consider them deceptive greenwashers willing break laws and cut corners to earn a quick buck. Tread carefully before handing them business!
Navigating the Retail Experience In Store and Online
Given consistent feedback around fickle product quality, I‘d strongly advise visiting an LL Flooring store in person before purchasing flooring rather than relying on online orders. Benefits include:
- Inspect planks across multiple boxes for color consistency
- Validate finishes and dimensions match listings
- Check for dents, delamination and other defects
- Negotiate clearance pricing not published online
That said – LL Flooring also pushes web sales, especially out West where stores are limited. If buying online:
- Stick with warehouse direct-ship items to reduce handling
- Ask questions about stock and packaging before hitting buy
- Select premium delivery options even at added cost
- Thoroughly document unboxing and inspect goods ASAP
Buying floors direct just to save a trip remains an unnecessary gamble I wouldn‘t recommend given existing quality control issues. And returns will prove complicated sending back heavy flooring pallets on your own dime – yet another hidden cost negating upfront deals.
Falling Behind on Price and Value Compared to Retail Rivals
The dirty secret in flooring circles is Lumber Liquidators actually fails to offer the lowest prices on comparable products despite their marketing hype and past reputation.
In head-to-head price checks, big box retailers including Home Depot and Costco beat LL products spec-for-spec in numerous categories:
| Store | Product | Price / sq. ft. |
|---|---|---|
| Home Depot | LifeProof Vinyl Flooring | $0.88 |
| Lumber Liquidators | Coreluxe Vinyl Tile | $1.35 |
| Menards | Cascade Oak Laminate | $0.99 |
| Lumber Liquidators | Cascade Oak Laminate | $1.39 |
| Costco | Transcend Shockproof Laminate | $1.19 |
| Lumber Liquidators | Dream Home Shockproof Laminate | $1.79 |
Add in free shipping and easy returns at these national chains, and LL Flooring fails to justify their positioning as the price leader based on my experience. Their race to low-quality cheapness just can‘t keep pace with better capitalized rivals.
Saving Money Through LL Flooring Sales and Promotions
The biggest myth I continue dispelling is that everyday Lumber Liquidators prices are the real deal. In fact, their only discounts come by waiting for sales tied to big seasonal tentpole events.
Keep an eye out for heavy promotions during:
- Early January – inventory clearance
- Late May – Memorial Day kickoff
- July 4th – Independence Day
- Labor Day – September flooring sales
- Black Friday blowouts in late November
I have seen select products priced up to 50% off during major holiday sales if overstock exists. But the overall selection still trails leading big box chains for value most of the year.
A few other LL Flooring money saving strategies:
- Open box markdowns on prior customer returns
- Upcharging installation as profit center
- DIY fees avoided – though results may very greatly!
But spending hours chasing pennies per square feet rarely justifies awful service and dubious quality I discovered over repeat purchases.
LL Flooring Return Policy and Warranties – Fraudulent or Just Useless?
All LL Flooring floors ship with limited material warranties against certain manufacturing flaws. Terms range from just 1-2 years on low-end goods to lifetime coverage for premium cores. However…
The warranties prove largely fictional and impossible to actually use based on hundreds of unresolved complaints!
Reasons LL Flooring typically denies claims:
- Visible damage blamed on transportation
- Swelling or delamination tied to moisture
- Fading from sunlight damage
- Routine wear-and-tear exceeding usage guidelines
Good luck finding clarity around what satisfactory "proof of damage" entails either. Submitting dated photos and completion paperwork got me nowhere.
Returns also cost you all shipping fees both ways – easily $300+ for large orders. Net result – LL Flooring keeps your money even after sending defective products with egregiously exaggerated durability claims.
Reaching Customer Service – An Exercise in Futility
I foolishly hoped LL Flooring would make things right after flooring failures exceeding reasonable standards. My ensuing battles seeking help perfectly demonstrate their awful culture of deflection though:
Online chat – Wait times exceed 30 minutes for copy-paste responses and generic troubleshooting tips before getting ignored or disconnected abruptly.
Email support – Form responses point back to warranty terms that exclude any responsibility for poorly made products. Replies take 1+ week if you get any acknowledgment at all.
Phone calls – Rude, dismissive staff barely let you explain problems before reciting terms saying you probably caused the damage yourself somehow. Good luck asking for supervisors – they always seem "in a meeting."
Social media – LL Flooring ignores Facebook and Twitter complaints completely. Negative public feedback just gets deleted or blocked.
In person – Local store workers throw up hands claiming online/warehouse issues are different departments. One actually suggested doing a chargeback as only realistic path to get money back!
My hard truth – LL Flooring operates like shady liquidators peddling contracts not worth their ink. Don‘t expect equitable resolutions from operations leaders acting like used car salesmen pitching lemons out of shady garages.
Final Verdict: More Headaches Than Bargains
The rational side of me as flooring expert understands why cash-strapped homeowners fall for Lumber Liquidators‘ (LL Flooring) too-good-to-be-true pricing. But after years wasted battling defective floors and appallingly obstinate customer service, I pledge never making the mistake of patronizing these unscrupulous hucksters again.
LL Flooring fails to deliver quality commensurate with Ask pricing across multiple product categories I tested first-hand:
Vinyl – Prone to premature wear, delamination and denting
Laminates – Finish damage from minor moisture exposure
Engineered wood – Fickle installation, expansive gapping
Rather than stand behind exaggerated durability claims from their Chinese manufacturing partners, LL Flooring continually shirks warranty responsibility through opaque limitations and unreasonable burdens of proof.
Couple pervasive product quality problems with awful customer service practically daring you to file credit card chargebacks, and ONLY the most desperate bargain hunters should contemplate Lumber Liquidators in their flooring journeys. For a few extra pennies per square foot, nearly all big box stores will provide a tensive shopping and ownership experience once purchases leave distribution warehouses.
I wasted too much time and money giving LL Flooring second changes after ignoring red flags from their controversial history. Heed my costly lesson – this race to the bottom proves unworthy of your hard-earned cash as a smart shopper. Despite my initial savings excitement as a flooring "expert," LL Flooring ultimately cost me triple through replacements, lost clients and damage control trying to salvage their failures. Caveat emptor!
