March 2011 My friend is a builder, just bought 1,000 sq. ft. of Morning Star Bamboo Flooring from Lumber Liquidators. She opened a number of boxes, getting ready to lay the floor, within 4 days she was experiencing extreme cognitive malfunctioning, inability to drive, metallic taste in her mouth. The doctors say this is not formaldehyde poison symptoms. She's had IV and is under treatment with vitamin and mineral supplements, limiting her diet to organic fruits and vegetables. She has been out of the environment where the fumes were for five days but she is still having recurring symptoms and we don't know what sort of treatment to seek. LL says the contents of the product is formaldehyde and polyurethane.

We're wondering if the brain damage is permanent, how long it will take to be well, what's next.

Beware of the Morning Star brand of Bamboo Flooring that LL sells!!

Any suggestions for anecdote for the toxic poisoning?

I am considering on using Morning Star " Tiger Strand " bamboo flooring. LL states that the formaldehyde level is within the manufacture spec's. If anyone has info either positive or negetive I would like to know, or if there is a similar looking product. Thanks

I installed the Morning Star Bamboo - 5/8" x 3-3/4" Prefinished Natural Strand Bamboo Flooring - 30 Year Warranty, 3.5 months ago and had the same problem with fumes. The smell was unbearable my throat was inflamed and irritated I had terrible headaches and burning eyes. Whenever I mop all of the windows need to be open because it off gasses all over again and will smell just as bad as when first installed it. Recently (within the past week) I had a potted plant and some water spilled on the floor when watering it. Today I noticed that the whole area that had been wet is now buckling, cracking and warping; the finish is literally peeling right off. I would not suggest installing this floor anywhere especially next to doors, windows, in kitchens, laundry rooms, dining rooms... I will be stopping by LL tomorrow with photos, we'll see what happens.

here are some photos of the flooring http://www.flickr.com/photos/62847075@N04/sets/72157626721160732/

Here is a link that might be useful: here are some photos of the flooring

you shouldn't be 'mopping' a wood floor. It sounds like your getting it way too wet and water and wood don't really mix well. You let standing water sit and your floor buckled. Totally your fault, no mfctg defect. Thats what any wood product does when exposed to too much water.

I'm having the same concern. I originally went to lumber liquidators and found a nice hand scraped strand bamboo flooring. I then went online and researched a load of companies. So far, I like Cali bamboo. My biggest concern was the formaldehyde in the products. Cali bamboo has little to no formaldehyde added in there product. I've read those same reviews about Morning star, but they were outdated. I was emailed a material safety data sheet on Morning Star brand, but no one could tell me how much formaldehyde content was in the morning star product. At the bottom of the sheet there was a disclaimer:

"The information and data herein are believed to be accurate and have been compiled from sources deemed to be reliable. It is offered for your consideration, investigation and verification. Lumber Liquidators makes no warranty of any kind, express or implied, concerning the accuracy of completeness of the information and data herein. Lumber Liquidators will not be liable for claims relating to any party's use of or reliance on information and data contained herein regardless of whether it is claimed that the information and data are inaccurate, incomplete or otherwise misleading. It is incumbent upon the user to obtain the most up-to-date information".

So I guess what they mean is that the info on the safety data sheet is BS.

I'd like to know. Cali bamboo is great, but I actually prefer the hand scraped look they have from Morning Star at lumber liquidators. Does anyone know if Morning Stars 2011 line has added formaldehyde?? (That's the lovely odor you smell from the floors). I can't seem to be able to get a solid answer.

This is what the safety data sheet states for Morning Star:

3000 John Deere Road
Toano, VA 23168
Emergency phone: 1 800-HARDWOOD
Fax: 1 757 259 7295
IMPORTANT NOTICE: This material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) is issued by LUMBER
LIQUIDATORS. LUMBER LIQUIDATORS flooring will issue a new MSDS when there is a
change in product specifications and/or regulations. LUMBER LIQUIDATORS will not accept
any responsibility for any change to its MSDS in content by other person or organization.
IDENTIFICATION
Product name: Prefinished Strand Bamboo Flooring
Trade name: Morning Star Bamboo Flooring
Other Names: Various
Manufacturer Information: Lumber Liquidators Inc
3000 John Deere Road
Toano, VA 23168
Tel: (757) 259-4280
Fax: (757) 259-7295
www.lumberliquidators.com
Description:
This product is composed of bamboo fibers bonded together with urea formaldehyde (UF) resins.
The fibers are mixed and pressed together to give a unique shade blend and increase hardness. The
wear layer is finished by 7 coats of polyurethane with aluminum oxide coating manufactured by
Treffert or Klumpp
UN number: Not applicable
Dangerous goods class: Not applicable
Product Use: Building Materials � Commercial or Residential
MSDS Morning Star Strand Bamboo Flooring,
Revision 3, April 2009 Page 2 of 7
Hazardous ingredients/identity information:
Name CAS
#2
% Agency Exposure Limits Comments
Bamboo1 None 89-90 OSHA3
OSHA
ACGIH4
ACGIH
PEL5-TWA6 15 mg/m3
PEL-TWA 5 mg/m3
TLV7-TWA 3 mg/m3
TLV-STEL8 10 mg/m3
Total dust
Respirable dust fraction
Respirable dust fraction
Inhalable particles
Urea Formaldehyde resin
solids
9011-
05-6
10-11 OSHA
OSHA
ACGIH
PEL-TWA 0.75ppm
PEL-STEL 2 ppm
TLV - Ceiling 0.3 ppm
Free gaseous formaldehyde
(contains less than 0.1%
free formaldehyde)
UV Finish
Polymerized polyurethane
None 0-1 OSHA
ACGIH
PEL-TWA none
TLV-TWA none
None
None
1 CAS # = Chemical Abstract System. 2 OSHA = Occupational Safety and Health Administration. 3 AGCIH = American
Conference of Government Industrial Hygienists. 4 PEL = Permissible Exposure Limit. 5 TWA = Time Weighted Average.
6 TLV = Threshold Limit Value. 7 STEL = Short Term Exposure Limit
Note: Bamboo is a member of the grass family which has distinct anatomical differences from that
of wood. Therefore, bamboo would be regulated as an organic dust in a category known as
"Particulates Not Otherwise Regulated" (PNOR), or Nuisance Dust by OSHA. The ACGIH
classifies dust or particulate in this category as "Particulates Not otherwise Specified".
Physical data:
Physical State: Solid
Boiling Point: Not applicable
Freezing Point: Not applicable
Specific Gravity: 0.58 g/ml
Vapour Density: Not applicable
% Volatiles By Volume: 0
Melting Point: Not applicable
Vapour Pressure: Not applicable
Percent Moisture 5% - 9%
Solubility in H20 (% by wt.): Evaporation Rate (Butyl Acetate = 1): Not applicable
pH: Not applicable
MSDS Morning Star Strand Bamboo Flooring,
Revision 3, April 2009 Page 3 of 7
Appearance and odor: Bamboo fibers mixed creating a shade blend unique
to each plank (light yellows for natural, light browns
for carbonized or a mix of lights yellows and light
browns shades). This product can also be stained
with various colors. Low-fuming urea formaldehyde
resins have a slightly aromatic odor.
Fire and explosion data:
Flash Point: Not applicable
Auto ignition Temperature:
Not available, however, it is usually accepted that the
ignition of bamboo begins when the temperature
reaches 204-260�C (400�500�F).
(Depends upon duration of exposure to heat source
and other variables).
Explosive Limits in Air: Not applicable. See below under "Unusual fire
and explosion hazards"
Extinguishing Media
Water, Carbon dioxide, Dry chemical, Sand.
Special Fire Fighting Procedures
None
Unusual Fire and Explosion
Hazards
Sawing, sanding or machining can produce bamboo
dust as a by-product which may present an explosion
hazard if a dust cloud contacts an ignition source. An
airborne concentration of air is often used as the LEL
for bamboo dust.
Reactivity data:
Conditions Contributing to Instability
Stable under normal conditions
Conditions to avoid Excessive moisture, condensation or water vapor;
Open flame or conditions above 400 F.
Incompatibility
Avoid contact with oxidizing agents. Avoid open
flame. Product may ignite when temperature reaches
in excess of 204�C (400�F).
Hazardous Decomposition Products
Thermal and/or thermal oxidative decomposition can
produce irritating and toxic fumes and gases,
including carbon monoxide, hydrogen cyanide,
aldehydes, organic acids and polynuclear aromatic
compounds.
Hazardous Polymerization Not applicable
MSDS Morning Star Strand Bamboo Flooring,
Revision 3, April 2009 Page 4 of 7
HEALTH HAZARD INFORMATION
Carcinogenicity Listing:
(X) NTP1: Group 2, A & B
Formaldehyde, Wood dust
NTP-Group 2: Reasonably anticipated to be a
carcinogen. A) Limited evidence of carcinogenicity
from studies in humans which indicates that causal
relationship is credible. B) Sufficient evidence of
carcinogenicity from studies in experimental animals
(X) IARC2 Monographs; Formaldehyde,
Group 2A, Wood dust, Group 1
IARC-Group 1: Carcinogenic to humans; sufficient
evidence of carcinogenicity. This classification is
primarily based on studies showing an association
between occupational exposure to wood dust and
adenocarcinoma of the nasal cavities and paranasal
sinuses.
(X) OSHA3 Regulated: Formaldehyde
IARC-Group 2A: Probably carcinogenic to humans;
limited human evidence and sufficient evidence in
experimental animals. Studies of cancer incidence
among workers in a wide variety of occupations have
failed to convincingly show carcinogenic activity of
formaldehyde in humans. Gaseous formaldehyde has
been shown to cause cancer in certain laboratory
animals after long-term exposure to very high
concentrations (14+ ppm); concentrations which are
far above the levels of formaldehyde gas emitted
by this product.
1 NTP = National Toxicology Program
2 IARC = International Agency for Research on Cancer
3 OSHA = Occupational Safety and Health Administration
Exposure hazard:
Eye Contact
Wood dust can cause mechanical irritation such
redness and watering.
Skin Contact
Not applicable for this product in its purchased form,
however various species of wood dust may evoke
allergic contact dermatitis in sensitized individuals.
High concentrations of gaseous formaldehyde may
cause allergic contact dermatitis.
Ingestion
Not likely to occur under normal use. If ingested,
may cause gastrointestinal tract irritation.
MSDS Morning Star Strand Bamboo Flooring,
Revision 3, April 2009 Page 5 of 7
Inhalation
Not applicable for this product in its purchased form,
however, wood dust may cause nasal dryness,
irritation and obstruction. Coughing and sneezing;
sinusitis and prolonged colds have also been reported.
Wood dust, depending on species, may cause
respiratory sensitization and/or irritation. However,
gaseous formaldehyde may cause respiratory
difficulties for sensitized/allergic individuals.
Emergency and first aid procedures:
Eyes
Flush eyes with large amounts of water. Remove to
fresh air. If irritation persists, get medical attention.
Skin
Wash affected areas with soap and water. Get
medical advice if rash or persistent irritation or
dermatitis occurs.
Inhalation
Although not applicable for this product in its
purchased form. However, if inhalation of bamboo
dust, remove to fresh air. Get medical advice if
persistent irritation, severe coughing or breathing
difficulty occurs.
Ingestion Not applicable under normal use.
PRECAUTIONS FOR USE
Accidental Release Measures
Not applicable for product in purchased form. Dust
generated from sawing, sanding, drilling, or routing
of products may be vacuumed or shoveled for
recovery or disposal. Avoid dusty conditions and
provide good ventilation. A NIOSH-approved dust
respirator should be worn if dust exposure limits are
exceeded.
Handling and Storage
No special handling precautions are required for
products in purchased form. Keep in cool, dry place
away from open flame. This product will release
small quantities of gaseous formaldehyde (≤0.12
mg/m3, which is below the E1 classification in
accordance with EN 717-1:1998 test methods).
Store in well ventilated area.
MSDS Morning Star Strand Bamboo Flooring,
Revision 3, April 2009 Page 6 of 7
Personal Protective Equipment:
Respiratory Protection
Not applicable for product in purchased form. A
NIOSH-approved dust respirator is recommended
when allowable exposure limits are exceeded.
Protective Gloves
Not required. However, cloth, canvas, or leather
gloves are recommended to minimize potential
mechanical irritation slivers from handling and
machining product.
Eye Protection Not applicable for product in purchased form.
Goggles or safety glasses are recommended when
machining this product.
Other Protective Clothing or Equipments Not applicable for product in purchased form. Outer
garments may be desirable in extremely dusty areas.
Work/Hygiene Practices Follow good hygienic and housekeeping practices.
Clean up areas where wood dust settles to avoid
excessive accumulation of this combustible material.
Minimize blowdown or other practices that generate
high airborne-dust concentrations.
Local Exhaust Provide local exhaust as needed so that exposure
limits are met.
Special / other None
OTHER INFORMATION
Disposal Consideration If disposed of or discarded in its purchased form,
incineration is preferable. Dry land disposal is
accepted in most states. It is, however, the user�s
responsibility to determine at the time of disposal
whether your product meets RCRA criteria for
hazardous waste. Follow applicable federal, state, and
local regulations.
Transport and Regulatory
information
Not regulated as hazardous material by the U.S
Department of Transportation and the Canadian
Transportation of Dangerous Goods (TDG).
Not a controlled product by WHMIS

If anyone is think to install Bamboo flooring �" please do NOT install:
GOODFELLOW STRAND BAMBOO
sold by Home Depot and Rona it literally is about as durable as a Bamboo skewer.
The installer laid the floor and my 20 LB dog sat down and got up and she splintered and cracked the surface through the stain and the terrible finish (her nails are short)

When the Goodfellow rep came out to my home to inspect the flooring he was smug and rude telling me it is performing as it should. When I asked him about 2 other Goodfellow products he said they were GARBAGE.

Seriously - this is a terrible product and the company has the worst customer service in Calgary - AVOID!

If you are buying click type flooring, buy a single case first and test it before you buy the rest. I had a carton of flooring that really smelled the other day. Then a different case that just did not lay flat (junk); it was actually springy. Then a case that looked great on the display panel but had RED boards in the mix. To get the case to look like the display board I would have to remove half the pieces. All went back. I sealed the returned cases perfectly; so the retailer did not have to discount a damaged carton. Nothing lost but my time.

As a contractor/remodeler, we have many clients that ask about sourcing their wood flooring material at Lumber Liquidators. We will not install LL products, even if it cost us the job. Just way too many problems... Sometimes you just get what you pay for. My suggestion, don't skimp on the wood, use quality installation materials and find a good installer. Your installer should be able to point you to products that they have installed that they know to be trouble free. If you go with LL, you are just rolling the dice with your flooring $$$.

Brought home a carton of Bamboo strand flooring from Lowes today to try the look. It is their brand new flooring, most expensive at $4.99 sq ft. Based on their computer it is brand new; one carton had been ordered..mine.

I love Lowes but this flooring made me sick within 3 hours. Wife pulled it up and reboxed it while I was sick in bed. Made we sick for almost 2 days even though it was boxed after 8 hours; fumes were still in the house. Will return it today.

Wow! Duro Design is expensive.
What about Calibamboo?

Here is a link that might be useful: Calibamboo

I would highly recommend TERAGREN Bamboo flooring. We have had it for 4 years now. It did not smell bad upon installation, and still looks like new. We have two small active dogs that run and jump off our sofa. It has held up very well. We to had a couple of small dents from dropping objects, and some light surface scratched from the dogs nails, but you have to expect some wear after 4 years. TERAGREN is FSC certified and had lower emissions. It costs a bit more, but you get what you pay for.

As for the MORNING STAR Bamboo we considered using it for a new home we are building because it is $2/ sq ft cheeper than the TERAGREN but I brought a sample piece home and the smell is HORRIBLE! It smells like poison. I couldn't imaging the small from large quantities. Plus I have read all the bad reviews above. No thanks, I'm sticking with TERAGREN because we have already used it and like it.

we bought in summer of 2005 bamboo flooring from LL, we did buy the brand 'supreme bamboo' we had absolutly no problems with fumes. it looks to me that the morning star bamboo seems to have more problems ,even so it looks like it would be the higher quality bamboo. we really enjoying our supreme bamboo flooring, though it got some dents in all these years and yes it scratches. first i thought it would be much harder than it actually is. we glued it down and we do not have any water problems, bamboo is a high moisture wood/gras and should not warp.i mop my floor frequently, of course not having standing water on it , but getting it wet, it still is flat like the first day.

First of all, I hate that this post is sooo long after you presented your problem. I'm a flooring inspector with 30 years in the flooring industry. Bamboo, a eco-friendly product, is very trendy now. This product is NOT a wood, it's actually a grass, and most of the bamboo products on the market are NOT as hard as Oak. The Janka hardness scale, the scale used to determine hardness in most species of hardwoods, is used specifically for HARDWOOD. The Bamboo associations make "claims" that bamboo is this percentage or that percentage harder than Oak...the operative word here being CLAIMS.
Also, Bamboo that is harvested too soon, before it's maturity (7 years)is going to be problematic. Look for the MOSO brand of Bamboo. If you live in a coastal region with relative high humidity; consider another choice as Bamboo is highly reactive to HUMIDITY-both low and high. It does scratch and dent easily and most finishers will NOT sand it when the time comes for you to have it refinished. When you can find a finisher who will sand it (and make sure the finisher is EXPERIENCED WITH BAMBOO), it will cost you a small fortune.
Lastly, I'm always called in when the problems arise...the best recommendations I can give anyone is to: research the product by googling COMPLAINTS ON "BAMBOO OR OTHER PRODUCT", google the retailer (very important, especially if they are a national chain like Lumber Liquidators)COMPLAINTS ON LUMBER LIQUIDATORS OR OTHER NATIONAL CHAIN, and once you have decided on a national chain or local retailer, find out about their installers/mechanics. Ask questions: How long have they been installing (if they have been installing less than 10 years, be careful...floor finishers-15 years; just my personal recommendations) Do they offer a workmanship warranty on their installation? Are their mechanic's covered by workman's comp and general liability? One last important note: check out the PRODUCT WARRANTY. This is so important because a lot of manufacturers DO NOT allow any claims for LABOR to remove or reinstall their products in failure; only MATERIAL REPLACEMENT. You can locate the Manufacturer's Warranty on their website, along with the Maintenance and Care recommendations for the product. Be advised: if you don't follow their care/maintenance procedures to the letter, it can negate the product warranty. Faulty installation can also negate the warranty!

i had the same freaking problem. purchased morning star strand bamboo and it stinks bad and it does not go away. if anyone want to join me in a class action lawsuit please reply. LL knows about this issue and continues to sell the product and not tell consumers

This is an interesting thread. We are shopping for bamboo flooring for our kitchen. We are extremely formaldehyde sensitive, and we believe it happened from some very low quality carpeting and pad we had installed in our basement and which stayed in our house a year. We have been very sensitive ever since. (So if you are having a problem, I suggest you take the flooring out sooner, rather than later. We kept thinking it would eventually get better, but it caused harm to our health. From what I understand, formaldehyde is also carcinogenic. I'm not a doctor, just a consumer who had a problem, so keep that in mind. I'm not giving professional advice.) Anyway, we are now very careful about what we buy. So, from what I am reading, I would be better off with the regular prefinished bamboo, and not the strand type? I brought home a sample of some strand bamboo, which advertised low offgassing, but I am a bit nervous now. The vendor also sells regular Teragren bamboo. I have a feeling that might be a better choice? Any advice is appreciated.
Pam

I had no idea that this thread existed. I was not previously a member but joined up to post comments. I just ordered 1300sq ft of the morningstar strand qing cobra.

I also got a sample first. I have it here with me at work, so I did 2 tests on it after reading about some of the water issues....

First test, poured water on the top sheet and left the pool sit for 5 minutes. I wiped the water off, and there was no noticeable discoloration or softness of the wood. I dont believe the top coat is porous enough to allow it through.

Second test, poured water on the top sheet, and made effort to get some on the tung/groove areas, and bottom sheet. Left it for an hour and 30 mins and went to a meeting. I wiped it off again, top sheet was still fine, no discoloration or softness. The tung/groove area still felt hard, not maliable or soft. The bottom layer did look discolored like it had soaked up some of the water. I tried peeling on the bottom to reproduce some of the splintering issues that were presented before, but I could only get a strand or 2 to come up with my thumbnail.

Anyone having water issues must have either their animals peeing everywhere, windows leaking, or leaving water stand on it much longer than a reasonable period of time.

As for the odor, the sample i received doesnt smell too bad? Maybe when i get the whole load though, it will be more evident. More to follow...

It is not hard to mess up urea formaldehyde (UF) gluing.

Low quality ingredients can make the problem worse.

There are a number of curing 'tricks' for UF.

Some chemical, some temperature.

A mistake anywhere along the line can result in excessive formaldehyde release from the material (and wet and warm can also cause release of formaldehyde, thus the reason UF is limited to indoor use mainly).

please look at my post "bad bamboo floor odor from LL "Lumber Liquidators" ths.gardenweb.com/forums/load/flooring/msg0302064114023.html

Found this post too late! Just had it installed and yes it stinks. Anyone find any way to help disapate the smell or does it ever subside?

We are having the same issue..
we had it installed at the end of last year and since then we have had tons of health issues.
still are having issues.

any word on possible litigation? Would it be a general lawsuite or just against one particular company?

I was close to purchasing 1500sf of strand bamboo flooring from WELL known store that specializes in flooring. I actually did buy half and canceled the order after further investigation. Thank God I didn't take the floor with me otherwise I would have been charged a huge restocking fee. Anyway, I would like to share information I found so that if someone is on the fence with their decision to purchase strand bamboo flooring they can decide for themselves. As for me, I found out that based on the MSDS located on website of this well advertised flooring store that the strand bamboo is glued together with the use of urea formaldehyde (UF) resins. After reading the description on the MSDS downloaded FROM THE WEBSITE it will list clear as day that the strand bamboo is glued together with urea formaldehyde. After I was able to establish that as a fact I then did research on the use of urea formaldehyde as it relates to indoor air quality. Apparently it's used in multiple items that could be in a home but one must consider the elevated levels when potentially flooring an entire home with the stuff or the room that you would be sleeping in. Hence in my opinion the reason some people are having bad reactions to the stuff after getting it installed. Please visit this website http://www.epa.gov/iaq/formaldehyde.html . After reading the information about how urea formaldehyde can affect the indoor air quality I decided that IT WAS NOT FOR ME. I KNOW, not all bamboo flooring uses glue that is formaldehyde based. You will have to do the research and ask questions before buying but do not go on the words of the sales rep, read the MSDS. Granted, I would assume that depending on how much flooring is use would impact how much air quality would be affected but as stated I decided it was not worth the health of my family to find out. Not to mention the stuff isn't cheap by any means depending on how much flooring you need. I have no bones to pick with the store or the manufacturer but I think it's fair that everyone knows the facts. I can think of ten other businesses that sell or manufacture products that are questionable all in the effort to make a buck. My issue is putting a large amount of material in a living space that is potentially toxic to the health of human beings. I even told the customer service rep at the store when I was canceling my order with my concern of the glue used to bind the material containing urea formaldehyde and they said in a dismissive tone, 'the flooring does not have formaldehyde but...whatever.' The rep was the same rep that sold me the flooring may I add! My sole purpose for posting this info is to hopefully to inform someone but in the end it is still your decision. I hope that I was able to help make a difference in a positive way, God bless!!!

Well guess what folks, after I made the post above.....the store altered the MSDS on the website which means my post got into the brain of someone at headquaters and had them thinking. What happens if more people view this on our website and we are stuck with all this flooring that no one wants to buy??? We better alter the MSDS so that it's not so obvious immediately and keep selling this stuff! Damn shame, damn shame! Whoever did that you must sleep well at night! You altered the information three days after my post went up. Although your MSDS still says the stand bamboo flooring contains formaldehyde it just doesn't say urea formaldehyde anymore and it's not as easy to find the info like it was before. On one hand it's good to know my post reached someone that high up in your company on the other hand innocent people are going to spend hundreds or thousands of their hard earned money, LIKE I ALMOST DID, buying something that I wouldn't take for free after finding out what it's made of. Think about the proud Mom or Dad or Mom and Dad that just installed all the urea formaldehyde glued flooring throughout the house and into the kids room not knowing what it could do to them, potentially.

well, I was just reading all of this last night as a friend has had problems with fumes from her bamboo floor. When I went and googled today, look! I found a lawsuit against lumber liquidators by their own stockholders. and yes, it has to do with excessive levels of formaldehyde http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/lumber-liquidator-shareholder-files-class-action/2013/11/30/343bc96e-59ec-11e3-bdbf-097ab2a3dc2b_story.html

Thank you for this post! I have a sample of Morning Star bamboo from LL that I love, was about to buy it today! My son has asthma and I would never want formaldehyde in my home. THANK YOU!

I would like to speak to people adversely affected by the wood fumes. I work for a firm interested in representing victims. Please contact me at 917/301-0430 or at djc73pi@yahoo.com.

We installed 720 sf of the Morning Star Click bamboo flooring sold by Lumber Liquidators in June of 2013. The material finish scratches easy, however, the scratches are the least of our problems. The cupping started with the shorter pieces in the hallways. By December 2013, the entire installation was cupping and gaps appeared in random areas. When LLI was contacted about the defects, we were informed that the condition was not covered under their warranty.
In reading the various reviews on independent sites for this product, it seems that there is a chronic problem with scratching, cupping and separations. Lumber Liquidators will use any excuse to avoid any liability for providing their customers with a very poor product.
Our first mistake in selecting our new floor was believing that the reviews on the LLI site were unbiased reviews. The product reviews on the LLI website are "selected" reviews. Gee....I wonder who selects them. Our second mistake was actually purchasing this product.
We will have to replace our six month old floor and it sure as heck will not be with a product supplied by Lumber Liquidators.
We learned a $5,000.00 lesson the hard way… don’t make the same mistake.
The LLI warranty should be condensed to read: “Warranty is void if material is removed from factory packaging”.
STAY AWAY FROM LUMBER LIQUIDATORS!!!!!!!!!!

Lumber Liquidators is the dollar store of retail flooring. I bought the Morning Star Bamboo and it's junk.
One of the reasons I bought this floor is because they advertise it being "green"....how can it be green if it has formaldehyde in it and emits toxic chemicals in to the air you breathe! So what are they saying? It's good for the enviorment but it may give you Cancer? Would you want your children playing or crawling on this floor? My husband and I have both experienced sore & dry throats and it has a very distinct smell. We were fine before this floor was installed. When I questioned LL about this issue their comment was "you shouldn't be experiencing any problems "NOW" because it is almost a year" since it was installed. I guess it does't matter if the toxins initially got into my system and causing us problems! And another thing to keep in mind, there was no indication on the labeling or the box saying it was formaldehyde compliant. This is in gross violation of The Formaldehyde Standards Act for Composite Wood Products that was put into law by President Obama in 2010.

After 2 months when this Morning Star Strand Bamboo was installed we started getting large gaps and separations that ran the whole perimeter of one wall. The installers came and repaired it and 3 months later it happened again. Called LL and they sent out one of "their " inspectors....what a joke this guy was. We went by all the guidelines, bought a humidifier, meter,....the works!
Literally baby sat this floor.....which is totally ridiculous but we did it and this guy still found fault. I have come to the conclusion it really doesn't matter what you do because they will find a reason to blame you or the installer. They have a nice little racket going on. And their 30 warranty......doesn't mean diddley squat!
That's even a bigger joke! All I can say is don't let their low prices fool you. If you buy from them and have a problem it will be the biggest headache of your life.
Just read the reviews because they are telling you the truth....I know, because I was one of their victims. If you are reading this and decide not to buy their products then you are one of the lucky ones!

DON'T BUY BAMBOO FLOORING FROM RONA !!
I bought the Bamboo Clik Flooring, installed about 50 boxes, about 800 sq ft. After over a year of off-gassing it still stinks - pungent odour. Rona will do nothing!! They say there is no MSDS sheet for this product. I wonder why!!!!
Rona is pathetic!! I expected any odour would have been gone long ago but it has not disappeared. This product appears to be Very Toxic - Do Not Buy and do not expect any support from Rona after they have your money!!! Rona - in Canada.

We installed about 700 sq ft of the LL Morning Star bamboo. It did have an odor to it initially, but has subsided over time. No odor problem now.

We had Morning Star Bamboo installed approx 3 months ago and noticed the smell. My entire family has been complaining of burning eyes, headaches and I've had severe respiratory issues. I'm very worried about this floorings affect on my family. We can't afford to replace it or move out but it's obviously causing us health issues. At this point I don't know what to do but I'm 100% sure it's this flooring. The whole air quality in our home has changed for the worse since installing these floors!!!

Has anyone had Morningstar strand bamboo tested for formaldehyde levels? It's an expensive test, and I would like to know if it's been done before I spend the money. I live in California.

I have had Morning Star Bamboo flooring installed for a little over a year. What a mistake. Initially I noticed how easily the edges chipped. Now after a year I have noticed a substantial shrinkage of the whole floor. The joints were all tight when first installed but now there is 1/16 inch gap between all boards. No odor problem now but it was noticeable for a few months. I just had a formaldehyde test done and levels were .031 ppm after one year of off gassing. I do suspect that much higher levels of formaldehyde were present when the floor was first installed. My family had no noticeable ill effects from the off gassing but I can't say the same for my dog. My dog was just diagnosed with lymphoma. I can't prove that the formaldehyde gas was the cause but it is a strong possibility based on what I have read about the gases effects on people and animals..

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/lumber-liquidators-update/

Do not let Lumber Liquidators BS you! Morning Star Bamboo does give off Formaldehyde gases! I know because I have a house full of it. We started noticing our eyes burning and I was getting asthma attacks soon after we installed MS Flooring. Thought maybe it was allergies, then the dogs eyes started turning red and they were scratching all the time. I got suspicious and bought a formaldehyde monitor, acceptable is < 10 and as soon as I put it in the room, it went to 27! After I opened all the doors and windows it went down below 10. If you have any doubts, get yourself a monitor and test under differing conditions and in different rooms. Lumber Liquidators denies that the Bamboo flooring is an offender. I can not wait to see them in court, because after what we have been through, there will be no settlements!

In the meantime, you may want to put in some large wool rugs. It absorbs formaldehyde and renders it harmless.

Sign the petition to recall contaminated Chinese flooring. http://www.thepetitionsite.com/.../uscpc-recall-chinese.../

Yup, if you have LL stock, dump quick they are going down lol.

Holy crap! I just bought a condo and was going to install bamboo floors, but I'm having second thoughts, now.

About 2 weeks ago I installed stranded bamboo flooring (eco forest natural) from floor and decor. I am experiencing irritation of the eyes, nose and throat. I was wondering if anyone has used any bamboo floor from home and decor. I Can't find any reviews on this brand except one about poor quality. I am extremely concerned about my health and I won't be able to replace it anytime soon. Any information would help. Thanks.

maciasvivians, Look up "Urea Formaldehyde" .....most likely, that is what is causing your health problems. Flooring made with urea formaldehyde can take up to 2 years to off gas and you will expierence the problems you mentioned. You can also look up what the CDC says and what you can do to alleviate some of the off gassing. Strand bamboo 90% of the time is made with a Urea formaldehyde resin.

Thank you NBQ14!

We have a problem and we don't know if it is in anyway connected to our bamboo flooring. We installed it with the construction of our house and since we moved in on Dec. 2012 we have this gradually increasing problem with our health. Admittedly we are an old couple but with very different and generally healthy background. The problem we both have is so unbelievable similar that can only be explained by some environmental issues. We get tired extremely quickly and all tests and follow up shows nothing wrong with our hearts, circulation or what have you. We have excellent diet always eat at home, plenty of vegetables and fruits, nuts and little red meat. Our weight is exactly where it SHOULD be ... but still we get tired quickly no matter what we do. We used to walk miles and miles every week (about 4 miles 4miles per day and have no idea what happened to us. I have developed a constant headache that our San Diego doctors have given up diagnosing and a recent visit to Mayo Clinic resulted in no diagnosis.HAS ANYONE EXPERIENCED THE SAME? Please let us know since medical profession has given up. If the bamboo is the problem we are willing to replace it; but we must be sure before going through the inconvenience and cost.

Ash Farhang, Are your symptoms just tiredness? Are you having any respiratory problems? Any irritation to your eyes nose or throat? If so, it could be from the formaldehyde in your flooring. Bamboo flooring is made with a "urea resin based glue" which contains formaldehyde. I bought my bamboo from Lumber Liquidators and it was off gassing formaldehyde at high levels. Both my husband and I were severely ill with bronchitis like symptoms. Not only could your flooring be off gassing but since this was a "new home" your cabinets, wall boards etc. could also add to the off gassing of formaldehyde. If you have this flooring in several rooms the formaldehyde levels could be very high. Lumber Liquidators have had many problems with their flooring...especially the ones manufactured in China. If I was you I would have an air test done and to be safe maybe have the floor tested also by an independent lab. It's not cheap but at least it will put your mind at ease. I would also mention this to your doctor. I removed my bamboo flooring and haven't had any symptoms since. Good luck to you!

Yes!!! Please write me back. I have all these symptoms from formaldehyde but they say the morning star bamboo did not have high levels. PLEASE!!!

I think it's only the laminate. Is that what you have? That's the bad stuff. The strand is what we have, and the issue with it is lifting and warping, but we haven't had that. or not too bad. There is a class action suit on the issue though. Not sure what is being done on the bad stuff. We had ours tested by an independent lab.

Does anyone happen to have an extra qing kobra or french roast bamboo flooring that they want to get rid of or sell?

@maciasviviana how did you end up with the eco forest bamboo? I had it installed yesterday and am having respiratory issues. Wondering if I air it out and open the windows it will get better.

gretchen, Is there a distinct odor? Sinuses burning? Or just hard breathing?

If you had carpet previously it trapped the allergens and dust. Hard surface flooring does not. As you travel across the floor, you gate will stir up the allergens and dust, unlike carpet. I know around here, there is a bunch of cedar pollen in the air and people with hard surface flooring are having fits, with respiratory problems.

@ gretchen...Did you have issues with the bamboo acclimating in the house? How long was the bamboo acclimated in the home BEFORE it was installed?

What type of installation? Floating (with glue on the edges)? Nail/cleat/staple? Glue down?

Where was the cutting done? Were the HVAC vents taped off before/during the installation? If not, have you changed out the HVAC air filter?

Was any other work done other than installing the flooring?

I'm adding to this thread because it seems like many folks who are posting comments here don't have a thorough background in the toxicity of a wide variety of home remodeling materials. Unless you buy your flooring (wood, bamboo, cork, etc.) from a well-known, long-running green housing material distributor, it is likely that your flooring is filled with toxic glues, sealers, and other chemicals that produce VOCs (volatile organic compounds). Bamboo in particular has a lot of glue because bamboo stalks are so thin (look at a bamboo cutting board to fully appreciate how much glue is needed). I have a MPH degree (Master of Public Health) and one of my areas of expertise is environmental health.

I'm currently renovating a new condo apartment and for every material, I had to buy it from a specialty distributor that carefully vetted their product portfolio. The benefit of buying from green supply companies -- living in a healthy home. The challenge of purchasing green, healthy building materials -- cost. Green materials are more expensive. But, if you add up all the costs related to adverse health reactions and getting medical treatment to address them...then cheaper, less healthy building materials aren't so cheap, are they?

A good place to start is Green Building Supply (based in Illinois, they have a great website), which ships all over the U.S. I bought cork flooring from them, they're great. Can't recommend them enough.

They carry a wide array of building materials including safe paints, safe caulks and sealers, safe flooring, etc.

If you want to get advice before a purchase, check out the website, 'My Chemical Free House.' Corinne is a building biologist and her site is filled with awesome tips for choosing safe and healthy building materials.

Take good care & stay safe!