We see tons of customers come in and purchase laminate flooring products from us. We partner with the best flooring vendors in Europe and North America.
We are concerned about the quality of some products from China and we care about our customers too much to offer many options from China as a result.
The Lumber Liquidators Report
Table of Contents [show]So it wasn?t a surprise to us when 60 Minutes came out with a scathing report last year on Lumber Liquidators, a seller of flooring in North America, and their products.
The report showed that laminate flooring sold by Lumber Liquidators exposed customers to formaldehyde in the actual wood. Lumber Liquidators sales quickly took a nosedive.
How Formaldehyde Can Harm Us
A study last year showed that occupational exposure to formaldehyde is associated with a higher risk of cancer. It also showed that men were 3 times more likely to get the neurodegenerative disease amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), alternatively known as Lou Gehrig?s Disease.You can imagine the risk posed to families all over the world who have purchased their new laminate floors from Lumber Liquidators. It?s scary. We?ve got families and just the thought of our kids continually breathing in toxic chemicals can really bring you down.
The CDC Chimes In
Last month, the Center for Disease Control (CDC) first released a report saying that the cancer risk from exposure to formaldehyde in laminate flooring was ?low?. However, just over 2 weeks later, on February 18th, the CDC revised that report, stating ?The estimated risk of cancer associated with exposure to the flooring increased.?More On Formaldehyde
Turns out that even low amounts of formaldehyde can lead to symptoms of asthma being prevalent and other respiratory issues. Furthermore, that risk of cancer we mentioned earlier was originally reported to be 2-9 cases per 100,000 people. It ended up being closer to 6-30 cases per 100,000 people, according the CDC revised report.This Hits Home
It?s true we breath in all kinds of things everyday. Whether it?s pollution in the air or dust particles at home, we can?t completely shut our bodies off to what?s out there.But there ARE things you can control. You can choose where you live and you can choose what kind of flooring you and your family have. Our hearts go out to the families around North America who were sold a cheap batch of goods from Lumber Liquidators.
And we mean the word ?cheap? quite literally. The original 60 Minutes report showed that extremely relaxed regulations in China allowed Lumber Liquidators to manufacture and sell flooring products that were cheaply made.
Investments in You and Your Family
In our view, when you buy flooring, you?re investing in your home and your family. You step on it everyday. Your kids run around on it. If you?ve got pets, they?re running around on it. But once you introduce a chemical like formaldehyde into the equation, you put all of the above into question.That?s why we primarily partner with flooring vendors who manufacture flooring products in Europe and North America. For those flooring vendors we partner with that manufacture outside of Europe, we are very selective with our partnership. We only partner with the best and to be the best in the flooring industry, you need the best in products.
Lumber Liquidators tried to save some money by selling cheaply made floors in China. That?s a values-based decision. They wanted to save some money. A local family-run business in Maple Ridge like ours ? we want what?s best for our customers. And this could be you reading this blog post right now.
We won?t ever put you in the position of having to worry about chemicals in flooring products. We primarily only sell floors that are made in Europe and North America.
So in closing, it?s really important that, in light of this report about Lumber Liquidators, that you ask the right questions of your local flooring company or whomever you decide to purchase flooring from. Ask where it?s made from and who the manufacturers or vendors are. These are important questions that you?ll be glad to have the answers to.
Remember this when you purchase flooring from a flooring store that deals with major brand names: there is more security for you and your family. When purchasing from small importers of flooring from China, you have considerably less security and further and more importantly you may be exposing your family and yourself to harmful chemicals.
About Shawn Farina ? Flooring Expert at Diverse Flooring
Shawn Farina operates Diverse Flooring, a family-run business in Maple Ridge, with his younger brother, Todd. He has been in the flooring industry for 18 years. Shawn is passionate about design and feels flooring has been a great avenue to help others make the best decisions for their homes.?Flooring is something we all will at one time or another have to purchase. It?s really satisfying feeling to see when a client is truly happy with their choice in both the new flooring and our company.? ? Shawn Farina
