Dive Brief:
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Homebuilders are distancing themselves from Lumber Liquidators, whose reputation has suffered since a “60 Minutes” segment accused the firm of selling Chinese laminate flooring with unacceptable levels of formaldehyde.
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CNBC reported Thursday that big builders, including D.R. Horton, Pulte and Lennar, have issued statements saying they do not buy or sell Lumber Liquidators’ products and they have verified that their own flooring vendors do not sell the allegedly tainted laminates.
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Meanwhile, Lumber Liquidators issued its own statement on Thursday, offering to pay for safety testing of the laminate floors installed in customers’ homes and reiterating that it stands by its products.
Dive Insight:
The accusations against Lumber Liquidators, which the company has denied, could be a sort of boon to other manufacturers and some builders, as the fear of high formaldehyde levels in the laminate flooring could steer consumers to choose higher-priced solid wood or tile instead.
CBS News quoted a Credit Suisse survey of homeowners after the “60 Minutes” report that revealed most homeowners would choose resilient vinyl (LVT), stone or carpet for their floors if they decided against laminate.
