I don't usually write product reviews here, but I want to do an informational post on the Allure Trafficmaster Flooring from Home Depot because I suspect it is important.
Recently, I bought a new house. OK, not really new, as it was built in 1986, but it is a place to live. Anyway, it is a HUGE renovation project, and I don't exactly have tons of money. I needed to put down a floor in my bedroom after ripping out the old carpet that was there. I wanted a non-carpeted surface. While wandering through the Home Depot, I came across this vinyl floating floor from Halstead Industries called Allure Trafficmaster. It comes in boxes of plank strips that stick to one another, not your subfloor, and it looked really good. Better yet, it was reasonably priced, so I decided to go with it.
I bought 12 boxes. Eleven boxes were batch #10-10-2009, and one was #10-03-2009. I took it home and let it acclimate in its boxes for a couple of days, as one usually does with flooring. Then, in the space of only a few hours, my husband and I laid the entire 12 boxes. It looked fantastic. We moved in our furniture, closed the skylights and turned on the air conditioning, and prepared to spend our first night in the new bedroom.
As I was laying in bed, I noticed the bad odor. I opened a skylight part way, but left on the air. By morning, the smell was really bad. I turned off the air and turned on the ceiling fans, opening windows all over the house. Surely it was like a new car smell, and would dissipate quickly. It didn't.
I grew concerned, so I called the Customer Service line at Halstead. The woman registered my name and concerns, and told me that if I would wash it down a couple of times with some vinegar, it should take care of the problem. An odd idea, but I tried it. For 3 days I mopped the floor with vinegar. Now, it smelled more like a pickle factory, but that was somehow better than the strange chemical odor alternative. However, as soon as the vinegar smell dissipated, the chemical smell was back.
I Googled Allure Flooring to see if anyone else had this problem. There were a few angry complaints on various forums, but many people said the smell went away very quickly, and they loved their new floor. The only people with serious complaints seemed to be the ones who had installed it over concrete below grade who were having issues with it coming apart, and with mold trapped underneath. I had installed mine on a second floor over very dry plywood, so that wasn't it.
I had asked for an MSDS sheet on the flooring when I called, and the woman very kindly sent it to me via email. There are a lot of interesting items there. First, the MSDS sheet says it is for Metroflor Vinly Sheet Flooring and Metroflor Resilient Tile Flooring. Then, over to the side, it has a box that says Allure Vinyl Sheet Flooring and Resilient Tile Flooring. So which is it? It's hard to say. Metroflor is an upgraded product that is also manufactured by Halstead, but it is not the same product. That seemed odd. The MSDS seemed to indicate that the product was pretty innocuous though, which I tried hard to find relieving. There was a second "MSDS" sheet on the adhesive that is used to lock the floor pieces together. This didn't really look like a MSDS, rather it was a report from the Fu Hong Chemical Company, Ltd. of Taiwan. It showed a spectacular list of chemicals that sounded scary but were not detected in the sample of the adhesive. So I knew what it wasn't, but that didn't tell me exactly what it was.Hmmm....
The room got worse. It was always strangely humid in the room. My bed sheets felt cold and clammy. I was already keeping the air handler for the house going around the clock, along with a ceiling fan. I kept the adjoining bathroom window open. I added an Ionic Pro and a de-humidifier. Nothing helped. I woke up each morning with a sore throat, and sometimes my eyes would run in the night. After about a month, my daughter said, "this room is unhealthy." She's 13. Maybe she'll be a scientist.
I emailed my brother, who is a noted polymer scientist, and forwarded him the MSDS sheets Halstead had sent me. He told me that they had sent an SGS [contract testing organization] report, and he couldn't tell me what was wrong because all the report showed was a list of chemicals that were NOT found in the adhesive.
It was time to call Halstead again. The nice Customer Service woman listened to my story very patiently. She asked if I would like an "abatement kit." I asked her what that was, and she said it was a neutralizer I could apply, and then a sealer. [Alarm bells are beginning to go off in my head.] She went on to say that the product was made from recycled vinyl from China [Red flag! Red flag!] and that most batches had no odor at all, but some batches did seem to have a bad smell and she didn't know why.
OK, when you start saying that something was manufactured in China, that's when I start to get worried. It's not like the Chinese have such a great track record these days when it comes to the safety of their products. Who knows what could be hidden in this stuff? I was about to enter full panic attack mode when I heard her say "... or would you just like me to issue you a credit?" Excuse me?
The Customer Service representative asked me how many boxes I had bought. I told her I had bought 12 boxes in mid June. She said to just take my receipt to Home Depot, have them call the Halstead Customer Service line and reference my name, and they would take care of the credit. I was stunned, but I decided not to waste any time on this, so I jumped in my car and headed for the Home Depot.
At the Home Depot, the woman in returns had me speak with the Assistant Manager, who called Halstead and confirmed that I was due a $550.00 refund. They promptly credited it back to my Discover card and apologized for the inconvenience.
"Don't they want the flooring back?" I asked. Apparently not. No company rep would visit or call, no return the defective product hassle, just take the money and be on your way. It all seemed so suspiciously easy. I asked my brother the scientist about it. His take was that they knew they had an issue of some sort, and that it would be easier to pay me off rather than risk a lawsuit. Interesting.
I went home and ripped out the flooring and hauled it out of my house as quickly as I could. It took about 3 hours to rip it all up and haul it out. I opened the windows and ventilated everything. I also stripped all the sheets and bedclothes from the bed and washed them thoroughly. That was Thursday. It is now Saturday. The smell is gone, and the humidity levels have evened out considerably. I slept much more easily, and haven't had any sore throats or runny eyes since.
So exactly what is the issue with Allure Flooring? It's hard to say, as I cannot afford to test the stuff to see what it actually contained. I am extremely grateful to have it out of my home, though. And while I wasn't compensated for the time I spent laying or removing it, I really don't care. What is a few hours compared with the exposure to something terribly toxic, which is what I believe was happening with the Allure I bought.
Now, in fairness, the Assistant Manager at Home Depot said that they sell this stuff every day, and mine was the first complaint they'd ever had. So maybe not all batches are smelly. But if you think you want this flooring, be really cautious. You might get more than you bargained for.
204 comments:
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*yikes* what a scarey scarey story!!! thanks for sharing!
what have you put down in place now?
I am going to install cork. I have it in the house, and I am going to smell it for awhile before I actually install it. I used it in the kids' rooms, and have been very pleased.
It is the worst flooring in the world. It looks hood but our smell has not gone away in 6 months. It is stronger when it's warm out or it's raining. We installed it over a subfloor. I read a study in Sweden that they confirmed some serious dangers of vinyl. We also cannot afford an expensive floor but feel at this point we have to rip it out. I would not trust this product at all.
You installed the vinyl version right ? Does anyone have any info on thier commercial styles ?
At least they refunded you. We installed 22 boxes in our basement, and the seams lifted everywhere. It is so bad we can seriously stub our toes on it. We can't run a vacuum or broom over it. All they would give us was another 22 boxes to replace it. So far, we haven't dared ripping up the old floor and putting the new one in. I really don't want to go through all the work if it will lift again? But here we are, with 22 boxes of floor that we don't trust?
You know, I would sell those 22 boxes, rip out the old stuff, and use the money toward some other type of flooring. Something would be better than nothing, or in this case, something would definitely be better than toxic and curling.
Don't install any type of plank flooring on concrete without some sort of subfloor first. The moisture from the concrete will wick up into the flooring every time. Best thing to do is either tile flooring with infloor heating if its too cold or lay down styrofoam and plywood and then carpet or laminate. As long as there are no water issues in the basement!
I installed 500 sq ft in September 2008 (over a year ago) in a subgrade basement over concrete. I totally forgot about the smell and was about to put the tile looking flooring in my kitchen.
I had similar reactions (stuffy nose, runny eyes, and even the chemical smell). I was told the smell would go away quickly. I also ran an IONIC machine to clear the air. Neither of my two sons had any reaction to the flooring. None of my guests noticed the smell either.
The smell DID leave but not for about 2-3 months.
I installed the Cherry wood planks which were in stock at my local Home Depot making sure to match all the lot #s. I acclimated the flooring for 3 days. First I painted KILZ, then a concrete floor primer and paint. I used a mold & mildew blocker which also acts as a temperature and sound barrier. It kind of looks like really thin memory foam.
I love the flooring. It's super easy to just use a microfibre mop to clean up. I have 1 seam in 1 spot that didn't fully adhere and I'm sure it was installation error on my part with a piece of dirt or a tiny sliver from the cutting process. I'm the only one who notices it and it merely makes a bump the size of a nickle in the seam.
AND..I used the 100lb roller on all the seams.
I am a flooring specialist at a Home Depot, and I have never heard any compliants about this flooring. I do like the idea of painting the floor first (concrete) or staple down some very thin plastic film to prevent moisture build up (causes mold and mildew which could result in health issues). Do not install Allure over any type "heated" floor. As far as the flooring being a health issue you should contact The Home Depot customer service hotline and inform them of these potential health hazards as we are always concerned about our customers and hopefully someone will look into correcting these problems.
Put ours in a month, the installer was impressed with it. It smelled for maybe three days, now nothing or next to nothing.
Sounds like you got a bad batch, we are liking the floor. Happened to me with a roof ;(
Installed just shy of a full pallet(40 something boxes) in my basement directly on the concrete but did seal the floors and walls several years prior with Drylock. Not the first choice but after 4 different foundation cracks with water leakage seemed like a cheap substitute for carpet or tile for fear of more flooding. It's only been down for little over 3 months but the seams are holding so far and the smell was gone within days. I do have to say it does scratch easily from sharp objects so I would definately recommend treating it like wood and put soft rubber or felt on furiniture legs(I used rubber pads under my couch because it slid around very easily with felt. Everytime I went down there my sectional was all spread around just from the dog jumping onto it).
(same guy from above: "40 something boxes")
Forgot to mention briefly inspect each plank before installing. I came across 1 plank out of the 40+ boxes with a manufacture's defect. The planks are constructed of two layers and one of mine had something that got in between them during manufacturing that provided a significant bump on the finished side which of course I didnt notice untill I installed two rows past it and had to remove those two rows to replace it.
Health concerns are everywhere. Carpet is is horriably worse than your situation. A vinyl floor didn't make your sheets humid feeling, opening your windows did. Which also let in more airborne pollutants than your floor. Buy a mask.
Well, it could be said that the windows being open could cause clammy sheets, but since the windows were open long after the flooring was out, and the clamminess gone, one might assume that we were either going through an extraordinary dry spell, or there was something else in the air causing the clamminess. It is merely an observation, and I don't have anything scientific to put behind why it was that way.
I agree that carpet is a horrible polluter, which is why I ripped it all out of the house. As to wearing a mask, it is not exactly a practical way to live one's life, but it is a thought. Might even help me lose a few pounds.
Clearly, many people have excellent results with Allure flooring; mine was not one of those cases.
I was sent this link and I'm glad I read this. I have fibromyalgia and want to put in new floors. I'm glad to hear that even Bill Nye says that carpets are bad for our health. I thought that the allure floors would be great cause of the cost and ease of up keep.
I can't chance installing a health hazard in my home. I lived for years in an apartment that had mold issues on the walls and I'll pay for this for the rest of my life. In addition to my fibro my daughter and I have asthma. What did you end up getting?
Thanks for pointing this out. I have a concrete floor so I will seal it and then find something better to install.
I ended up with cork, which I purchased very affordably from Lumber Liquidators. No smell, looks great, comfortable under foot, and reasonably easily installed.
I would not risk putting in Allure if I had fibromyalgia or asthma, even a non-smelly batch. Certainly carpet can contribute to bad air, but I think almost any manmade item can.
I installed 1000 sq ft of Commercial allure(confetti white)..you will need a jigsaw to cut it ,a razor knife wont get it.
Looks great super simple to install,but is SLIPPERY WHEN WET!
installed this in my kitchen cause I could do it for cheap. It went in fairly well for me not being big at doing stuff like this. easy to make up mistakes if you are creative. there was a smell yes for a little while but most anything has a smell these days. my only problem is now is that the picture or print or the design is just coming off with the slightest wear on it. I scooted a stool across my floor and it took a big scrape out. Under my chairs at the table that are used the most are rubbing the print off, just from scooting in an out. there are other spots that i don't know how they happened. Talked to Halstead and they never heard of such a thing. So am in the process of emailing them pictures. But highly easy to install and lays right over old floor and no glue needed that's why I got it.
I have only had the floor down for 6 months.
We purchased this flooring for our kitchen dining area, its been done for over a year, and the print is coming off with white underneath, Im worried because I cant find my receipt, ughhh!!
We have it in two rooms and have had no issues what so ever. Our daughter recently installed it in her home in three rooms again, no problems.
In late December we had a washing machine flood four rooms. The damage control was immediate and very effective in terms of dehumidifying the affected areas. We had to have the flooring removed in the laundry room and bathroom in order to effect proper drying.
When it came to replacing the flooring we were initially going to use under-laying with linoleum flooring on top. At Home Depot we were told about this "new" flooring material which was a peel and stick product. It was thick, didn't require under-laying of any sort and was supposed to be easy to install. The brand was Allure and the style was Corfu.
It was installed in the first week of January 2010. Immediately a strong nauseating odor was noticeable. I thought "out-gassing in spades". I opened the windows, closed the doors to other parts of the house and put towels under the doors.
Three months later it still stinks. There may have been a slight reduction in the intensity but that could be olfactory fatigue. Every time I enter those rooms anew I smell the stench.
It is a very nasty, chemical smell which reminds me of formaldehyde. I don't think it is safe.
I called Home Depot who passed me on to Halstead. I have been in contact with Halstead 6 times. On the fifth time after getting no follow up emails to my concerns I got a customer service rep. who basically said we will refund your money for the tile but that is it. Our warranty says we are not responsible...... etc.etc. etc.
I said that was not acceptable and suggested that they were vulnerable to class action as I had a sneaking suspicion I wasn't the only person affected by this nauseating stench.
It is my intention to send off samples to a lab to get an analysis of what is in the product. Reprocessed vinyl from China. Could be interesting.
I just wanted the flooring replaced with non-sickening materials. I don't think I should have to pay for replacing a conspicuously defective product. That one customer service rep. trying to stonewall me... i.e "any one you talk to will tell you the same thing" really got up my nose. I now feel quite energized on the subject in a more publicly spirited way than I did previously.
I have the name of a Rick Taylor and his phone number who is their customer "director" which is not his official title. I was going to post the number but having not yet called it to confirm its accuracy I will wait.
Any business which is more interested in making sales than getting customers has the seeds of its own downfall.
So for Allure. I say ease of installation yes. I say appearance, so far so good. I say health and safety ummmm...... really good question.
In late December we had a washing machine flood four rooms. The damage control was immediate and very effective in terms of dehumidifying the affected areas. We had to have the flooring removed in the laundry room and bathroom in order to effect proper drying.
When it came to replacing the flooring we were initially going to use under-laying with linoleum flooring on top. At Home Depot we were told about this "new" flooring material which was a peel and stick product. It was thick, didn't require under-laying of any sort and was supposed to be easy to install. The brand was Allure and the style was Corfu.
It was installed in the first week of January 2010. Immediately a strong nauseating odor was noticeable. I thought "out-gassing in spades". I opened the windows, closed the doors to other parts of the house and put towels under the doors.
Three months later it still stinks. There may have been a slight reduction in the intensity but that could be olfactory fatigue. Every time I enter those rooms anew I smell the stench.
It is a very nasty, chemical smell which reminds me of formaldehyde. I don't think it is safe.
I called Home Depot who passed me on to Halstead. I have been in contact with Halstead 6 times. On the fifth time after getting no follow up emails to my concerns I got a customer service rep. who basically said we will refund your money for the tile but that is it. Our warranty says we are not responsible...... etc.etc. etc.
I said that was not acceptable and suggested that they were vulnerable to class action as I had a sneaking suspicion I wasn't the only person affected by this nauseating stench.
It is my intention to send off samples to a lab to get an analysis of what is in the product. Reprocessed vinyl from China. Could be interesting.
I just wanted the flooring replaced with non-sickening materials. I don't think I should have to pay for replacing a conspicuously defective product. That one customer service rep. trying to stonewall me... i.e "any one you talk to will tell you the same thing" really got up my nose. I now feel quite energized on the subject in a more publicly spirited way than I did previously.
I have the name of a Rick Taylor and his phone number who is their customer "director" which is not his official title. I was going to post the number but having not yet called it to confirm its accuracy I will wait.
Any business which is more interested in making sales than keeping customers has the seeds of its own downfall.
So for Allure. I say ease of installation yes. I say appearance, so far so good. I say health and safety ummmm...... really good question.
Bless you for spreading the word about the smell..I was going to redo my kitchen this week and I was impressed with the look of Allure. You saved me another 60 mile drive for the purchase and a trip to the allergist. Thank you so much for warning everyone about the smell.I am so grateful for doing this product information search before purchasing allure.
BT Gadsden,Al
An update on my situation. Halstead is taking full responsibility which is greatly appreciated. Once I got past the lower echelon customer service I found a much more receptive environment. I won't specify what precisely they have offered but it is a fair and reasonable response saving both parties a lot of paying for grad school for the children of lawyers. I will be stink free very shortly.
Thanks for the postings. Our Strata is allowing this flooring but not laminate flooring. We put laminate flooring anyway but I'm going to warn others in the building about this.
I installed Pergo over concrete with sheet plastic a year ago with no problems.I live 15 ft. from a river- it's damp all summer.
Further Halstead update.
I think it important to share that this company paid for the installation of a new floor and the removal of the old floor. In addition they refunded the purchase price of the original toxic smelling materials.
I now have porcelain tiles which smell not at all. I was out of pocket a little for the additional cost of porcelain tile... probably about $200.
I appreciated the way that Halstead took responsibility. I also think that they accurately assessed that I would without a doubt get labs, environmental law clinics and the power of the internet involved if they did not take responsibility.
Maybe they are a company with an appreciation of the long view... I don't know. The final test of their bottom line sincerity will be if they request the sample of the old flooring that I volunteered to send to them but have not. If they do I will have more belief in their sincerity. If not I think they bought me off as a sensible business decision which is better than having to fight them for two years to get justice.
If I were them I would be very interested in what made my product stink regardless of whether most people complained about it.
The longer term potential for liability is huge. I hope they ask me for that sample. I am however cynical and would be surprised if they follow up on it.
Last entry from Joel99 who has lost his pass word.
I appreciate this post. I am a pregnant mom-to-be and we were just about to use ALLURE to avoid any problems with ripping up our old tile and prevent 'extra hassle' with installation. This post potentially saved us a lot of heartache.
Hmmmm, thanks for the informative blog on Allure flooring. We were just about ready to install this product on our 43' boat. The product was appealing because it is water resistant and light-weight (unlike wood flooring, which would be much heavier). The boat already has amazingly real-looking vinyl floors that look like teak... we may have to either use Allure or find an alternative product. Any ideas??
You know, I wouldn't use this flooring anywhere, and a boat is no exception. If your boat is being used in a very warm climate, the potential smell could kill you. Literally.
Big thanks to everyone for posting pos & neg experiences. We all know there is a degree of risk with flooring - no matter what it is made of.
Recycled materials from China is about as low on the list as you can get for me. I will not be installing this product no matter how easy to install or cheap to buy it is.
We just installed our floor this past Saturday and it looks great, but now one of my boys and I hate to come home. The rest of our family complain about the odor but are o.k. My 20 year old and I, 48 year old woman, have developed a serious allergic reaction. Whenever we are at home we break out from head to toe with big, red itchy blotches, which look like hives. We both woke up at 3:00 a.m. almost in tears, the blotches and the itching was so bad. We went to the doctor who suspects toxic poisoning. I have a meeting with the Home Depot manager today at 4. I am very upset!
I am so sorry this has happened to you! I have learned to be very suspicious because of my bad experience with Allure flooring. I would suggest you have someone else get it out of your home ASAP. Remember, no amount of money is worth ruining your health, and you absolutely can't risk the health of your son. I hope you will have a good result with the people at Home Dept. If not, don't hesitate to complain to Halstead.
Save a piece of the flooring that you are removing. I agree that you should remove the materials quickly. It seems to walk like a duck, quack like a duck and in this instance smells like a duck. It is a duck. An evil malodorous possibly toxic duck. Check out the movie "The Corporation". - Halstead actually seemed like a "nice" company but they are still responsible for selling a product whose quality is questionable. They never asked me for a sample of the flooring I removed even though they paid for the removal and the re installation of a product of my choosing. It may get harder if the complaints keep piling up. Again save a piece you may yet need to send it to a lab. I too am sorry this has happened to you. Good luck in fighting the corporate tyranny that seems to actually run the country. Oh my I may have gotten off topic..... and then again maybe not.
Now this is going to sound weird, but I put my flooring in 2 years ago. I did the whole house. I have loved it. Here is the mystery: a short while after I installed the floor, one of my dogs started having seizures. I rescued another dog a year ago. In a month, she developed a horrible rash which I've been dealing with for a year now. I have tried all the things one does to locate the allergen with no success. Recently a friend made the connection with the floor as the cause. Has anyone had a similar incident?
teachum - that is really frightening! I would be so concerned for my animals since they have such close contact with the flooring. If it really does do that to your dogs, imagine the possible effects on a pregnant woman and child?!
My husband & I just installed the same Allure flooring and had a horrible experience. The odor was unbearable & we were getting quite sick. Headaches, runny nose, sinus pressure, burning eyes, scratchy throat, chest pressure, sharp needle-like pain in shoulders and my skin was very red, etc. Our dog was also coughing & never wanted to be in that room. We ripped it up yesterday, 4 days after installing it. There really should be a class action against this extremely toxic and dangerous product! Our time was wasted and our health was certainly jeopardized. I still cough when I take a deep breath...and I'm not a smoker, and my skin is still red to the touch, along with a sore my dermatologist couldn't identify.
My husband & I just installed the same Allure flooring and had a horrible experience. The odor was unbearable & we were getting quite sick. Headaches, runny nose, sinus pressure, burning eyes, scratchy throat, chest pressure, sharp needle-like pain in shoulders and my skin was very red, etc. Our dog was also coughing & never wanted to be in that room. We ripped it up yesterday, 4 days after installing it. There really should be a class action against this extremely toxic and dangerous product! Our time was wasted and our health was certainly jeopardized. I still cough when I take a deep breath...and I'm not a smoker, and my skin is still red to the touch, along with a sore my dermatologist couldn't identify.
Remember Halstead paid for the cost of reinstalling different flooring in my case. I think they could tell that I was absolutely dead serious and they probably are in fact afraid of class action. So in the meantime they will probably pay for the cost of putting non-poisonous (I went with ceramic tile extra expense be damned)replacement flooring in place until so many people get wind of it at which time they will be forced to take their chances on somebody putting all the ducks in a row and suing them out of business.
The utter irresponsiblity of using materials from a country famous for its total lack of regulation, environmental awareness and disregard for anything but profit... is shocking. But the American people seem to increasingly live in a country which displays the same values... Maybe our complacency as corporations have taken over our government completely is being rewarded.
I agree completely about the irresponsibility by these companies! How did you get to the upper echelan at Halstead? Do you still have the name (Rick Taylor?) and number....or department to ask for? I spoke with cust. serv. and they quickly agreed to have Home Depot refund our money and really were anxious to finish the call as quickly as possible. I haven't been to get our refund because I agree that they should pay for a new floor as well as a refund on the toxic flooring. Any help you can give is greatly appreciated! I would love to have these tiles tested in a lab. The thought of innocent consumers who don't know better is frightening! I have to wonder how many people are sick from this stuff and don't even realize it's the flooring. I've never had anything affect me the way that product has. They're selling poison.
This is going to require a two part response:
@JKNC I am reluctant to post all of the details of how I went about talking to Rick Taylor and the names I dropped in conversation with him. I know that I had the fact of my complete conviction that it was not reasonable to be sold a product that was unusable for its advertised purpose and that I should not have to pay for the cost of removal, the cost of the work that I paid for when the product was installed and if I had had medical costs I would have expected them to have paid for that too.
I would be happy to provide JKNC more details of my particular strategy for dealing with this particular company privately. I don't know if this is sufficient "permission" to allow the moderator to forward my email address to you but that is my request. . Maybe I will cover all of the bases in my response.
My reluctance to have all of this conversation publicly has more to do with my increasingly cynical attitude towards corporations generally and a reluctance to give material publically that might provide them ammunition if they decided to come after me. Corporations are increasingly using lawsuits to intimidate consumers who complain.
I am pretty well convinced that at least some of this flooring product is in fact every bit as toxic as it seems. Getting it tested is certainly an important step. The fact that the company did not say to me after refunding my money for the product, paying for the removal of the old product and paying for reinstallation costs of a new product (which was not even from their company) that they urgently needed a sample of the material that I was having removed is actually pretty damning in my eyes.
A genuinely concerned and meticulous company would have insisted on having some of the product returned before they would even consent to sending out a refund. They would really want to know if there was a serious problem with their product. They would give me a refund even if they found that there was nothing “wrong” with the product because you can’t argue with someone if they believe that the product was the source of their discomfort. You would want to know if your product was actually poisoning people. I guess the fact that a roomful of people did not fall down dead when the package was opened is good enough.
Their failure to want to know is disturbing. It suggests to me that they already know. I strongly suggest watching the movie "The Corporation" and checking out the Community Environmental Legal Defense Fund for a greater understanding of what it is all about.
Part two follows.
This is going to require a four part response:
@JKNC I am reluctant to post all of the details of how I went about talking to Rick Taylor and the names I dropped in conversation with him. I know that I had the fact of my complete conviction that it was not reasonable to be sold a product that was unusable for its advertised purpose and that I should not have to pay for the cost of removal, the cost of the work that I paid for when the product was installed and if I had had medical costs I would have expected them to have paid for that too.
I would be happy to provide JKNC more details of my particular strategy for dealing with this particular company privately. I don't know if this is sufficient "permission" to allow the moderator to forward my email address to you but that is my request. Maybe I will cover all of the bases in my response.
My reluctance to have all of this conversation publicly has more to do with my increasingly cynical attitude towards corporations generally and a reluctance to give material publically that might provide them ammunition if they decided to come after me. Corporations are increasingly using lawsuits to intimidate consumers who complain.
I am pretty well convinced that at least some of this flooring product is in fact every bit as toxic as it seems. Getting it tested is certainly an important step. The fact that the company did not say to me after refunding my money for the product, paying for the removal of the old product and paying for reinstallation costs of a new product (which was not even from their company) that they urgently needed a sample of the material that I was having removed is actually pretty damning in my eyes. End of part 1
A genuinely concerned and meticulous company would have insisted on having some of the product returned before they would even consent to sending out a refund. They would really want to know if there was a serious problem with their product. They would give me a refund even if they found that there was nothing “wrong” with the product because you can’t argue with someone if they believe that the product was the source of their discomfort. You would want to know if your product was actually poisoning people. I guess the fact that a roomful of people did not fall down dead when the package was opened is good enough.
Their failure to want to know is disturbing. It suggests to me that they already know. I strongly suggest watching the movie "The Corporation" and checking out the Community Environmental Legal Defense Fund for a greater understanding of what it is all about.
Another troubling piece of this entire flooring problem is that even if you successfully found out what the toxic agent in the flooring was you would be hard pressed to "prove" that your symptoms were caused by that agent. Which brings me to a politically toxic aspect of this entire matter and that is the systemic "Manufacture of Doubt" which industry has done across a broad spectrum of products.
This is the process of taking scientific information which shows that a material has potential dangers and hiring a group of "scientists” to cast doubt on that research. They use a common Fox news technique of simply raising "questions" about an issue. E.g. there are serious questions about this research (policy, appointee, decision, action) by some people (i.e. the paid hack who is saying that there are serious questions about the particular item which they are trying to cast doubt upon).
end of part two
There are now many "Think tanks", "Foundations" "Research Institutes" and such like which no longer have any serious scientific credibility but provide substantial salaries for people whose entire job is to protect corporate interests from losing profits because consumers wouldn't buy their products anymore if the questions being posed by real scientists about their product were taken seriously by the public.
This is not to say that sometimes there are not issues about which there is serious scientific disagreement but when profit is the driving motivation rather than doing no harm there are huge conflicts of interest. While there are “vested interests” in the environmental movement, I am much more inclined to believe people who generally do not make tons of money from a particular stance they take on an issue.
The global warming issue is a fine example of this entire process. There is really little doubt about the broad picture of global warming. The globe is warming and people have a lot to do with it. Corporate interests have spent 100’s of millions of dollars to manufacture doubt and to attempt to make it sound like global warming is the fevered delusion of a handful of zany environmental nuts. And this is done to protect the corporate interests of a very small number of people.
Cancer is another example. The statement “Everything causes cancer” is something that has been parroted repeatedly all of my life. The fact of the matter is: Very few things actually cause cancer. We ought not to have them in our food, water, air, building material and things we put on our bodies. I would like us to err on the side of caution.
end of part 3
My goodness once I start it is hard to stop. There is so much interconnection between these issues it is hard to just talk about flooring. However I think that because I have an understanding of these issues, communicate the fact that I have an understanding of these issues, and have the time to pursue them are all reasons I was taken seriously by an intelligent person at Halstead.
I also have a best friend who is an outstanding attorney who works for an environmental law clinic (which are everywhere increasingly coming under attack by corporations because they have become so effective at thwarting the rapacious appetites of those corporations) at a university which shall remain nameless.
I wish that I could say that my virtue is why I got a fair settlement from Halstead but I think it was my potential for serious shit disturbing that did it. My price tag in this instance was cheap. If I were truly virtuous I would care more about all of the people who are probably being poisoned (even if they don’t “feel” it) by this potentially toxic material.
But I did take the time to confess my shortcoming.
If any two parties would like to share information, they can contact me identifying themselves by the signature under which they post, and giving me in writing their email addresses. I will run a check, and then when I am satisfied the two parties are indeed willing to share their information, I will email them privately with each others' contact information. Please use the contact address under my profile.
I thank you all so much for your continued input into this discussion.
My wife and I are so glad we read everyone's comments. We almost bought the flooring.
We got our money back from Home Depot, but I'm still sick after removing the floor! I would really like to find where to get samples tested. This could be long term damage. I don't want anybody to go through what I've been through! jckan.nc@gmail.com
So glad you posted this info. We are doing a mini kitchen makeover and had chose the Allure Trafficmaster Cermaica vinyl tile. The display at Hope Depot showed a sample installed with grout and damn did it look good. Just like real tile. I thought "I can do that!" We bought 5 cases, I tore up the old Armstrong vinyl tile and began to lay the new Trafficmaster tiles.
The first thing I noticed was the odor. It smelled like a combination of maple syrup and curry but also very artificial. I told the wife that it would go away but after a couple days it didn't. She started googling and found this site. The next day I ripped it all out and I'm going to return it to Home Depot. Hopefully, they will give me my money back.
The smell might go away and it might not, but it's not worth the worry over possible long term health issues.
Not sure what product I'll use now, but it sure won't be Allure Trafficmaster. Why does Home Depot continue to sell this stuff if they know there have been customer complaints?
Greed? Avarice? Cupidity? Psychopathy?
Very interesting to hear your experience. I installed allure three days ago and have noticed an increasingly noxious odor. I found your blog while searching for anyone with similar experiences. I wish I had found your post sooner.The floor looks great was a breeze to install but the fumes are very bad and I believe they are causeing me throat and eye irritation. I am going to give it a few more days but I do not think I can stand it much longer.This post show my installation exprience http://noshoes.blogspot.com/2010/10/room-refresh-complete.html
The next post on the project just might be of the removal.
Spare yourself. Remove it now. Ask for a full refund including your removal costs. If enough people ask they might actually do something about their toxic smelling (and most likely toxic) product. This is so clearly a class action lawsuit waiting to happen. Good luck and don't risk your health for what in the long run is small change. It may be that it is a batch by batch crap shoot.
The time will come when many things we accept as normal will seem insane to future folks. e.g. They installed vinyl products everywhere .... what were they thinking? Didn't they pay any attention to their epidemiology?
Thank you so much for blogging this. Now I know it's not just me being "sensitive". My landlord installed the Allure floor in my kitchen and said it was not off-gassing, but it clearly is. It's giving me sore throats, and toxic exposure is about the last thing I need right now (then again, does anyone?) Since it wasn't my choice of flooring, and I don't own the place, and now it's winter and time to close up the windows, my solution is this: cover it up completely so the fumes cannot escape. I'm putting down sheet plastic like painters use, then rugs on top of that. Not ideal, but a solution for now, for me. Maybe my story can help someone else too?
Thanks again.
DD in WA
I thought I was crazy until I found this blog about Allure. I paid a contractor to lay it and started having tightness in my chest, tingling in my throat and nose. I went to the dr. who tried to diagnose it. It kept happening whenever I would spend time in the basement. I thought the smell was from underneath until I read this blog. After 3 1/2 months in I had to pay someone to rip it up and haul it away. I called the company and they didn't bat an eye at refunding me for the product. I am horrified that Home Depot would continue selling it. I am going there today with a copy of this blog and to get my refund. I do think there should be a class action suit.
I would hope that you would have also been refunded the cost of your installation and removal which is what they did for me with no argument (after I went up the chain of command when I was first turned down.) I am still struck by their apparent lack of curiosity as to what was in the flooring. It appears to be one of those "its cheaper to keep selling the product and refund the hand full of people who complain than stop selling or fix the product". What does it remind me of ..... can you say Pinto? If that doesn't mean anything to you just check out Pinto Gas Tank. If it is not dramatic enough I guess there is no motivation to change.
Thank you for this blog and comments. I am 72 and a girl with allergies and fibromialgia. I have wanted to tear out my carpet for a long time and when I saw this floor at a friends house over a year ago, I picked up 4 samples of the Hickory pattern Home Depot. I noticed a "petroleum" odor, and was concerned. Over time it has diminished but not gone away. I never asked my friend about it nor the store about complaints. I often wonder why we just trust products that we "know" has a problem. Today was the day I wanted to chose a color and didn't trust the colors on the brochure so got on the internet and there you were. I have decided to find another product. I wonder if there is anything that would be safe. You have saved me a lot of angst.
I am sorry for what you went through, but thank you for sharing it.
i just bought 27 boxes commercial, its going on concrete, in a commercial unit. The use of this place is going to be used for more then likely a bakery of some form of food sales
There going to start installing at 8:30 am
AM I MAKING A MISTAKE??
MIKEY - If I were you, I'd reconsider. What will you do if people start experiencing health problems? Can they sue YOU for using a toxic product? I'd think the fumes would also contaminate the food, and there are known problems with using the product over concrete with seams coming up. Really, it's probably worth the hassle to look for a different product.
Mikey, I wouldn't use it! I got chemical pneumonia and other problems from that stuff! It is extremely toxic.
Mikey, I wouldn't use it! I got chemical pneumonia and other problems from that flooring! It was extremely toxic for me.
I had this product installed by a contractor who bought it from Home Depot, last August. It was installed on a CLEAN, DRY,
SEALED basement floor. The smell didn't last too long, but the edges did NOT seal. The edges all curled up and no matter what we do, still will not. I stub toes, cannot move furniture, etc. To date, the contractor has gotten nowhere with the company. They sent new glue, we tried a heat gun, I put weight on it and left it for a while. Nothing works.
My wife and I did just buy 19 case of the new Allure traffic master (cinn oak) from Home Depot on-line and had it shipped.
Now I'm wondering if these posts are from pre 2010 and if they include this commercial "water-proof" flooring with a lifetime warranty?
Hi from Australia, I'd be really interested if anyone from Australia has encountered any problems with this product. I was just about to purchase it myself, and stumbled onto this blog. Seems the smell is quite an issue.
I had this product installed early October 2010. It is now February 7, 2011. The Trafficmaster Allure Ultra is still off-gasing and has caused my tenant to suffer toxic poisoning. She moved out of the apartment in mid-January and continues to have extreme toxic reactions even though before this incident she has always been extremely healthy. I continue to have reactions to the floor as well although not as severe as hers.
Now Halstead seems to have hushed up for they won't give me the contents of the product or the adhesive. They said they did not have that information after I told them I needed the contents-not a statement saying it did not contain asbestos! After further investigation I found that Halstead has the flooring made for them by another company based in Malaysia with other possible locations. Response time is now very slow as the actual manufacturer 1st had to be uncovered while, meanwhile the off-gassing continues. It takes a lot of research to even try to get an answer.
Yes, there are many positive comments on ease of installation, but beware you may also be putting contaminated materials in your living space. Apparently there is a lot of inconsistency in the lot numbers-but you won't know until you are sick.
Please help us find a solution to this as a unified group as this product is often used for children and pets-those who are most vulnerable-so sad.
Anonymous in the Chesapeake
There is a class action lawsuit waiting to happen. This company appears to be interested in quick fixes. I never really had much faith in them after they did not request a sample of the flooring they paid to have removed from my house.
To me that indicated either that they already know the nature of the problem or that they are indifferent to the problem. I actually was also somewhat surprised that they agreed to do the right thing in the first place i.e pay me for the cost of installation (having already paid for it once myself) of new flooring and paying for the removal of their toxic smelling flooring.
I am assuming it was because I mentioned an Environmental Law Clinic where I knew a law professor. It was very sensible for them to buy me off because I would definitely have caused them a great deal of trouble AND would have had the material tested. I saved one piece of the offending material... just in case. Anybody who takes the next step and gets a lawyer I would be on board with my story.
I think if people go for a refund with a clear intent to take it to the next level they will probably get the refund. Who knows if there are enough people making noise maybe they will find another supplier to manufacture the product. It does seem to be the usual corporate mind set: bottom line is all that matters. Though they said a number of pretty words about it being a family owned operation and the regard they felt for their customers. If they had followed up on my offer to send them a sample of the offending product I would feel very differently. I would in fact be a cheerleader for the company because they settled so reasonably in my case.
I didn't try to screw them for extra money, didn't inflate the costs to compensate myself for a great deal of inconvenience. Nor did I consider the exposure that I was forced to endure. In any case I hope somebody tries to wake them up. I pity the workers making the product as they are no doubt exposed to the most toxic materials. But then they are considered an expendable commodity in China and I guess so long as we buy the products ... in the United States too.
To the last post: So is that what they did bought you off? Why didn't follow through then? "cause them trouble" for the sake of doing it. It's not right that they can continue to sell this product and consumers know about it yet DO nothing about it! If you have amo use it! Instead of waiting for "someone to wake them up" or a child or elder adult suffers long term affects.
If you are the poster with the poisoned tenant I would suggest that you have a much stronger case than I do. I was not so much bought off as they corrected the problem as per my request. Their corporate incompetence or malfeasance if that is what it is, is a much bigger issue than I am willing to take on in a litigious fashion. For a more comprehensive and realistic approach I suggest:
http://www.coffeepartyusa.com/Summit-keynote
It is a long video but I suggest watching the whole thing. And for a further more comprehensive approach have a look at:
http://www.alternet.org/story/149725/vision%3A_how_small%2C_mostly_conservative_towns_have_found_the_trick_to_defeating_corporations
And if someone who has not been compensated for harm done to them and thinks my story useful in pursuing justice I would be happy to lend a hand.
This is Annonymous with the apartment tenant/issue and I do appreciate being able to communicate about Trafficmaster Allure Ultra as I'm would be quite certain they have "paid people off" to simply go away.
It must be getting a bit more attention because my situation has become much more convoluted and cumbersome. Home Depot sends me to their claims company for one issue while this claims company is trying to hear back from the manufacturer-now in Malaysia. As to floor replacement THAT is back in Home Depot's court but they SAY they need the vendor to solve this one!! What a run-around-eh???
Meanwhile tenant has moved out and never entered apartment again. I do have such empathy when this hits children, older folks and pets.
Both of my daughters have installed allure flooring and they love it . There is no odor. One installation is in a basement over concrete in a new bathroom with shower etc. The other is in a condo on the ocean in south carolina. Absolutely no problems. Possibly symptoms are from something else.
I think that is great that your daughters were happy with their Allure flooring. To suggest that somebody's symptoms were caused by something else, when their flooring smelled really awful does not quite make sense. Of course their symptoms might have been caused by something else. Their floor stank and made them feel ill. Your daughter's floor didn't and they didn't feel ill. I guess I don't really get the point. Some people got Allure flooring and it didn't stink. Maybe they have fixed the problem over there at Allure. Good news if that is the case.
This is the customer with big problems from Allure Ultra flooring and yes, I had no problem with the look or installation of the flooring. In fact I couldn't believe these off-gassing health issues came about. What I have found from research is that the lots of Trafficmaster Allure Ultra flooring vary. This appears to be the constant with products from China (and Malaysia?). We are still waiting to find out who actually manufactures the product.
Good luck to you!
smells are chemicals, and no substance can emit chemicals forever, or the substance would simply vanish into vapor. and rubbing vinegar on something to erase a smell within a product has got to be one of the dumbest things i ever heard.
i don't know what to think. i have purchased Allure flooring and i would agree it scratches like all plastics, even more than my traditional glued-on vinyl flooring (which appears to have a clear surface finish).
but i would say this: most of the problems i have read about it are due to IDIOTS doing a sloppy job. there is TOO MANY STUPID DIY installers blaming products when their own stupidity is at fault. everyone is trying to save a buck without the experience of professionals.
you can't expect to install this flooring on floors that are not perfectly flat. and there is NO WAY the flooring can "peel" or "come apart" if the flooring is perfectly flat, because vinyl doesn't warp.
on the other hand, i don't trust China either, but you all have only yourselves to blame, because most/all of you want to live it up by buying slave-labor cheap, thinking you deserve your high incomes for producing essentially nothing, while voting for idiot mainstream representatives, populating endlessly without caring to provide for the future of your children, expecting govt to be your mommy and daddy, while having IQs to fall for things like 9-11.
Check out this news on other products from China:
http://www.marketwire.com/press-release/Ashland-University-Chemistry-Professor-Study-Confirms-Inexpensive-Jewelry-Can-Release-1406336.htm
Perhaps the students at Ashland University would like to study Allure flooring for toxicity, as well? Worth contacting them as the students need research under their belt before graduation. Worth a try????
We've been looking at the newer clik-lok vinyl flooring that's just come out to HD by Allure. It's exactly what we thought we needed, but who needs health damage? So glad I did another search and found you. I'm wondering if it's the adhesive that's the problem or the material itself. Either way, I'm not taking any chances. So many ways to have toxicity problems without actually doing it on purpose!
We have already install this flooring in our bathroom and have had no problems, no smells but it was a very small area. We are about to install this in our kitchen which is bigger but still a small kitchen by anyones standards. I noticed that this blog was first posted in 2009 but I can't tell when the last comment was posted. It's only giving me a time - not a date. I'm wondering if the smell and issues are still issues in 2011 now or if the company has fixed these issues? Thank you!
Yes, these posts span the whole time from the original post to very recently. People are still having problems. Give your decision a good deal of thought.
We have had this flooring down for over 3 weeks and I have had to keep the door to the bedroom that we installed it in closed or the fumes and odor take over the whole house. I have had headaches,runny burning eyes and nose and a bad taste in my mouth from the day we installed it. We put it in the room that our grand kids sleep in when they visit. One has asthma and another epilepsy. I'm afraid to have either sleep in that room. Actually I would not let them sleep in there.
The floor is nice to look at but I can't live with it like this so I guess I will have to make some waves. Hope I still have the proof of purchase.
I am now starting to think of the people at Halstead as "those clowns". They are clearly marketing a dangerous product or at least a product that is aesthetically repulsive to those whose noses work.
Get your money back for the product and the cost of removal and the cost of having to do the job again.
I am tired of having to cope with massive systemic incompetence and greed. I am concluding that capitalism corrupts and the absolute capitalism we have corrupts absolutely.
This flooring story is replicated in a whole variety of situations. It is not an isolated incident.
I feel like the rube, the mark, the fall guy for a system of medicine shows, snake oil salesmen and carnies who prey on the public. It takes a boundless cynicism to avoid being shorn like the sheep we are seen to be.
Oil spills .... no problem that's all over nothing to be seen there move along...... just dead dolphins throughout the gulf and sick poisoned people on shore. And nuclear power... no danger... think of the lessons we have learned from Japan that will make it so much safer now.
"Smiling bastards lying to you everywhere you go."
I am ready for any truly corporate free third party. I think ottoblotto's blog has contributed to my regaining consciousness.
My husband and I installed Allure flooring in our house in October 2009. We have had no problems with smell of lifting of any kind. He laid subflooring throughout the living room, kitchen and hall way then sealed with Kilz. It is currently April 2011 and still have not had any issues. After reading the blog, we feel blessed we have not had the horrible problems others have had.
When purchasing the flooring, we had numerous people tell us how wonderful and amazing it is. We are now talking about replacing the carpet in our basement and redoing our living room with a different color. I guess we will research a little further before making the purchase. It's unfortunate consumers have to learn of these issues throught the misfortune of others.
I noticed that someone wanted to know if there were still problems in 2011. Yes there are. I posted a comment on 4/17/11. The one from anonymous a few up from bottom. I am the grandma with grand kids with one with asthma and allergies and one with epilepsy. This flooring is unhealthy. DON'T USE IT.
We are still dealing with illness and financial issues with
Allure Ultra planking. Finding the truth is a huge convoluted search. The case lots are inconsistent-so hopefully you are a lucky one.
Be Forewarned:
Trafficmaster/Halstead will not talk about problem issues. Nor will they divulge the contents.
THE ASIAN MANUFACTURER DOES NOT HAVE INSURANCE FOR THE UNITED STATES!
Thanks for all the comments. My husband installed this flooring on the main floor of our house (the African dark wood), and from the moment he started, his eyes burned, and nose ran constantly. It didnt affect me that much, except for a slight burning of my eyes. Its been a few months, and we still notice the smell. Called the phone number and was likewise told to wash it with vinegar. No help. My husband has been wanting to try and get the money back on the flooring, but I told him "good luck with that!". I'm so glad i found this blog, and know he's not the only one affected by this problem, and there's a good chance of getting our money back! Thank you all! I was going to do our 2 bedrooms with the same, but thank goodness we've waited.
5/13/11
We installed Allure floor planks in our basement over dri-core. It looked beautiful. However, like many of you, I got sick from the off-gassing. It was a disaster. Halstead reimbursed me 100%. They obviously know that many people have a problem with this floor. I think we should organize a class action suit. The sales person in Home Depot told me that her friend has been sick for months and now realizes that it is probably the Allure. Halstead told me that there can't be a problem with the floor since not everyone complains - but that is probably because most people don't realize why they are sick! If you are interested in forming a class action, post a comment.
To those who have gotten sick from the Allure Ultra toxic off-gassing:
You would do better by creating a LARGE MEDIA CAMPAIGN to help alert to these dangers; especially those with older folks, children and pets.
GET THIS OUT TO:
Apartment Therapy Blog + others
News media
Research has shown that Warren Buffett Berkshire Hathaway has holdings in Traffimaster-
NOW THAT IS NEWS!
This has been a very significant blog indeed. I’ve acquired a lot of helpful information from your article. Thank you for sharing such relevant topic with us. I really love all the great stuff you provide. Thanks again and keep it coming
Has anyone tried the Allure Ultra which is a click-lock together style plank instead of the adhesive strip planks? I wonder if the problem was in the adhesive strips.
6/11/11
There is a comment here about carpet being a big polluter; this is a fallacy.
Carpet that is maintained properly reduces the amount of airborne particles in both residential and commercial settings.
The amount of formaldehyde is minimal, below federal standards and certainly many times lower than the level of formaldehyde coming from chinese toys and furniture products in the home.
A flooring inspector
My business office just installed the same Allure flooring youre discussing. After the first day I was sick to my stomach nauseated with sinus problems and sore throat. The smell is so strong! I feel I am getting sicker and sicker with every passing day. Everyone in the office thinks Im crazy bc they say the smell doesnt make them sick. I tell them it doesnt matter if they get sick or not, they are still inhaling the same dangerous toxins. Now I may have to quit my job which I love bc I cannot live like this every day. Shame on Allure for putting out such a hazardous product. It was also installed in my childrens school. What now, pull them out of the school they have been to for years? Where is the government regulations? Its all about money!
I just bought the click-lock planks and then found this blog -- has anyone with issues had the allure ultra? Why hadn't I found this before I bought them...
just read this blog thoroughly there have been some huge issues and sickness. It appears there are inconsistent lots of product. Made from recycled products in Malaysia--who knows what kind of deadly stuff is in there? Some of us have gotten very sick!
I got two small square samples from Home Depot--one of Allure bamboo and one of Allure cork. They both stank and scratched quite easily. I've had them for several weeks and they still stink. There is definitely a formaldehyde odor, outgassing very strongly. The sample squares are only about 3" on a side.
After reading the comments here, I have to believe there is a product liability suit waiting in the wings. Maybe the new federal consumer protection agency might be interested. In any case, I sure will not be installing this product, as I had hoped, in my bathrooms.
7/29/11 I ordered one box of this stuff to see if I liked it. Lucky for me they sent the wrong color. I kept one piece to show my friends this cool product I WAS considering using....and yes it has a TERRIBLE smell. I didn't know what it was until I found this site today. I just put it on the porch for now, maybe it will repel insects :) I'm SO glad I found this blog before I ordered again, and I'm SO glad I received the wrong box. Thanks everyone
I installed Allure Cherry plank in out master bedroom and Allure tiles in our master bath directly over bae concrete. Never have had a problem - no odors, no lifting or curling. It has been ovet three years now. Absolutely fantastic product. I will never use anything else if I can avoid it.
I, too, got a batch of really stinky flooring. Luckily I had a small spot in which I installed it - my entry. The smell went away but it took months. Wish I'd known about the credit. I was looking at using it in a bathroom, but not after reading what you discovered about it. Funny that the samples in the stores don't stink.
I just found out after having this stuff in my below grade basement,concrete floor that I too now have mould growing in my house. This is crap. Complaint to Home Depot but not expecting much in the way of satisfaction here.
N
UGH!!! I have to share our story so others don’t go through what we have and continue to deal with. We did a 'while you were out' on my boys rooms this summer. They were both gone for 2 weeks and we wanted to surprise them with new flooring in their rooms when they returned. We loved the Allure flooring as it was easy to cut and inexpensive and it would be perfect for our needs.
Much to all of our surprise...the odor was horrendous! It was definitely a STRONG chemical smell that made my eyes water and gave me headaches. I hated walking back into my own home! My boys returned and we would not even let them sleep in their rooms…and it was time to go back to school and they are sleeping on the couch!
We have been working with a Home Depot employee that came out to smell my flooring. He too smelled it the moment he stepped into my house and the bedrooms are upstairs! We have since ripped out the floors as we felt they were a health hazard. Of course we had to rip out our new baseboards too...double ugh! Here we are a month later and many hours wasted and back to ‘square one” and living with yucky plywood floors.
A Home Depot employee offered to contact Allure for us, and he came back and told us that Allure will absolutely not do anything for us other than refund our purchase price. By the way, of course they don't want the product back...duh, who would! I am sorry, we don’t think that is enough!
I called the Allure Customer Service number today and was telling my story to a ‘claims’ person who hung up on me. I called back was on hold forever and then finally left my name and phone number …twice and very clearly and no return call. This is unacceptable!
We think a class action suit is in order!
I would be happy to contribute my information though I am not a candidate for the suit because they fully refunded me the cost of removing and replacing the tile. They are sleazes as far as I am concerned because they have done nothing to replace this obviously defective and dangerous product. They should be sued. I still have one piece of the old tile should you want it as a sample.
looks great simple floating floor but after 6 to 7 months white streaks began to appear no odor but white line streaks an they are still appearing here an there ! I had intention of using this product to cover some of my apartments to perserve the old fashion parka flooring since it is a floating floor ,no glue. BUT I will have to stay with rugs.
This is the worst product ever. DO NOT BUY allure flooring. I just had some installed a few months ago and the planks are lifting and the smell is not getting any better. I'm planning to remove this floor and replace it with something else.
Thank you SOOOO much for sharing this important info. We experienced the exact same promblem. We installed the flooring in a children's playroom about a month ago. The odor is just as strong as when we installed it. The last draw was when my 6 yr old son came and sat down right next to me and I could smell the flooing odor on his arm b'c he'd been playing cars laying down on the floor. I read this blog and was completely convinced after reading what you'd posted that I needed to get it replaced. Im happy to say that I've contacted Home Depot and the manufacturer and they are going to grant me a full refund and the flooring is getting ripped out and replaced with something safe for my kiddos! Thanks for the blog!!!!
I just got back from Home Depot with a sample piece of the Allure Sedona SKU #145126. Then I decided to check on the internet to see if it would install OK on sealed concrete, and came across this blog entry. I picked up the sample piece to check the odor and it's quite horrible, like a tire factory. I can't imagine what it would be like to have 800 square feet of this awful stuff on my floor. It got on my hands and now I have a rash. I'm leaving this sample piece out in the garage for hazardous waste pickup day. Thank you so much for posting this blog entry!
We layed our Allure flooring about 3 months ago. My husband and I have had a hacking irritating cough every since we put it down. Approx. 900sq. ft. I have been emotionally sick about this. Our "DREAM remodel" has turned into a nightmare because we were faithfully buying a product that we trusted and now to find out that they are fully aware there is a problem with this product is NOT RIGHT!!!! I want something done about it. Is there anyone willing to help me out? Please let me know as this is not fair to any of us. My question is...even if we tear up the flooring, is it in our furnace/air ducts and how long does it take to get the smell completely gone after the flooring is removed? What about the labor costs? This is so upsetting!
Of course it is unfair. I have become convinced that even though I got a full refund for the product, the cost of removal of the old stuff and the cost of reinstallation from Halstead... that they are aware of their toxic product and just choose to play the odds with most people.
I suggest you ask Halstead for a full refund of all your costs... if they decline I would seriously consider trying to get a lawyer on contingency to explore a class action suit. I would especially concentrate on the physical symptoms you have experienced and the certainly mention the emotional distress you have suffered.
They (Halstead) must be aware of the flawed product. I think I was successful because I had every intention of dragging these people into court and I think they understood that.
I have a good friend who is a law professor in a Canadian Environmental Law clinic and talked to him about it though he doesn't personally do class actions he was supportive. I mentioned that to them also. It would take years but it is what is needed.
Another possible do it yourself, solution would be to launch a boycott movement or start a petition on one of the many do it yourself petition sites. Describe your experience and other people's accounts. I am quite happy to sign an affidavit verifying my experiences with the sickening smell.
Though you may not see the connection I certainly do. This all relates to Occupy Wall Street. Corporations have become arrogant beyond all measure. They own the government and wrote the regulations that are supposed to protect us. In addition I am moving my American money from Chase to a Northern California credit union on or before Bank Transfer Day November 5.
Best wishes and I am sorry you have had such a horrible experience.
I just installed a total of about one thousand square feet of Allure in two apartments being used as business offices. I was alerted by a tenant of a noxious sickening odor within a few days after installation. I examined the apartment to look for dead rodents or possible methane gas leaks. I could find no source of the odor, but it did smell exactly like the Allure flooring. It still stinks about three weeks after the installation. I am convinced that the flooring is the cause and the smell is sickening. After searching for reviews on this product and seeing that others are dealing with the same issue, I'll be removing it immediately for the safety of my tenants. I purchased this product in October of 2011, and I can't believe that this company and Home Depot have continued to sell this product without providing information about this known problem. I would definitely participate in a class action against the manufacturer and/or HD.
Within twenty minutes, my throat was burning, my face was throbbing and, from head to foot, I was one huge hive. It was a massive and dangerous attack! Luckily for me, since the intensity of the hurricane would have made getting medical help impossible, my allergist had made sure I had an emergency supply of pred on hand. I immediately started a course of those and showered while the kids moved their bedding to another room. Even the bedding on my own bed, which had been in contact with theirs, had to be changed.
Everything I've been through all these months has been caused by the Allure flooring! We had no idea it was that. All the installation instructions and precautions were followed. There were no warnings, no information at all, about possible reactions to the installed floor.
My allergist requested to see a sample of the floor. Luckily, we'd kept the extra pieces. He inspected it. He says my illness has been caused by chemical out gassing by the Allure flooring. Basically, anything that's been contaminated by this out gassing is toxic to me. That anything includes everything in my living room and my younger daughter's adjacent bedroom. Touching the furniture, clothing, floors, walls, door knobs, toys, even my children if they haven't just showered, will bring on an outbreak. Even the simplest things in life, making dinner for my family, doing laundry, risking using a towel someone else may have used, or hugging my children, can bring on another hive outbreak. Why? Because all it takes is coming in contact with the invisible transfer of the out gassed chemical.
Wish we could afford to just rip the floor out, replace the brand new couch we just bought and pay someone to come in to clean everything. We can't. That living room redo was a major investment for us and, to make matters worse, my husband needed to lose time at work to run me to doctors, clinics, and hospitals. I can't do it myself. The kids can't do it. My husband, who is both working long hours and dealing with his own health problems, can't do it.
At present, we've moved our youngest out of her bedroom and into her sister's upstairs room to minimize how much additional time she's breathing this stuff. Except for getting necessary items and passing through to go upstairs, half of our downstairs is currently off limits to our family and pets. We're five people splitting our non-sleeping time between living in the kitchen and (if everyone has showered) in my bedroom. Except for me, of course, since my bedroom is the least likely place in which I could receive transfer. I need to stay in there unless being elsewhere is absolutely necessary.
I really need advice and direction in how to get this taken care of.
I'd hoped I could get that from a personal injury lawyer. I've contacted two so far. Neither sees enough profit in assisting me to make it worthwhile for them. Not that I'm looking for a huge settlement. But my home has been made unlivable, I have been through an entire Spring and Summer of illness and misery, my family and pets having been breathing these chemicals for months, money that was needed elsewhere was spent on co-pays and meds. This year was our eldest child's high school graduation. He graduated with high honors. We should have been able to have a celebration for that. He deserved it. Instead, we were grateful just to have his school make special accommodations so I could be there to see him graduate. With the condition I was in, we couldn't even take him out to dinner. Our entire life has been disrupted. That Epi Pen I carry is likely to be my permanent companion. Even when this stuff is out of my house, my sensitivity will remain. There will always be the risk now that encountering this elsewhere will trigger an out break.
This could have been nipped in the bud if there'd been any warnings about out gassing reactions after installation. Then it would have been simple. Just get this floor out of my house and give me a new one.
But there weren't any warnings about the out gassing so now it's not simple. That omission had avoidable consequences for me and my family. We have to live with how this floor affected our lives since install. I have to live with how it may affect me for the rest of my life.
And if we have to live with all of that, we shouldn't have to live with the damage it did to our home and belongings. The people who failed to provide those warnings should make that right.
But how to make that happen...that's what I need help with. I'm already exhausted, in misery from the never ending hives, and at my wits end trying to find some help. Just thinking about what happened because we just wanted a nice floor is enough to reduce me to tears.
Some of you have been able to get this company to do more than just say "floor purchase refunded. Go away.". Please, if anyone ever needed your advice in what to do and how to make that happen, it's me.
Joel99, and anyone else reading this who can advise/help, please do. I would appreciate the moderator of this board passing my email info on to any of you who are willing to try.
The Beginning part of my post was missing.
I am so glad I found this blog.
We installed the Allure cherry plank vinyl flooring in our living room in May. Within weeks of bringing it in our house, my life became an endless cycle of doctor visits, medical tests, and emergency room and walk in center visits trying to discover what was causing my acute, potentially life threatening, hives and the intense abdominal pain that started to accompany them.
None of the medicines tried, with the exception of using an unhealthy amount of Pred, helped. Even that only works until I start tapering off the dosage. All of the testings found no cause.
I've spent most of these month confined to bed with an air conditioner running full blast to ease the pain and itching. I've had one close call with anaphylactic shock that resulted in having an Epi Pen become my constant companion. There has been no "life as normal" since this started. I can't function normally as wife or mother. Every day has had to revolve around dealing with hives that, within minutes, can become so extreme that I will become so covered in them that my body has a red, rippled, appearance that looks like I'm melting and/or my face becomes so swollen my eyes are slits.
I finally found the cause of my hives on the night the hurricane came though. We'd decided to have our children sleep in the living room because that area seemed best protected if a tree came down. When the storm intensified, we decided they would be safer in an area with less windows and had them bring the bedding they'd set up on the living room floor into our bedroom.
Within twenty minutes, my throat was burning, my face was throbbing and, from head to foot, I was one huge hive. It was a massive and dangerous attack! Luckily for me, since the intensity of the hurricane would have made getting medical help impossible, my allergist had made sure I had an emergency supply of pred on hand. I immediately started a course of those and showered while the kids moved their bedding to another room. Even the bedding on my own bed, which had been in contact with theirs, had to be changed.
Everything I've been through all these months has been caused by the Allure flooring! We had no idea it was that. All the installation instructions and precautions were followed. There were no warnings, no information at all, about possible reactions to the installed floor.
My allergist requested to see a sample of the floor. Luckily, we'd kept the extra pieces. He inspected it. He says my illness has been caused by chemical out gassing by the Allure flooring. Basically, anything that's been contaminated by this out gassing is toxic to me. That anything includes everything in my living room and my younger daughter's adjacent bedroom. Touching the furniture, clothing, floors, walls, door knobs, toys, even my children if they haven't just showered, will bring on an outbreak. Even the simplest things in life, making dinner for my family, doing laundry, risking using a towel someone else may have used, or hugging my children, can bring on another hive outbreak. Why? Because all it takes is coming in contact with the invisible transfer of the out gassed chemical.
Wish we could afford to just rip the floor out, replace the brand new couch we just bought and pay someone to come in to clean everything. We can't. That living room redo was a major investment for us and, to make matters worse, my husband needed to lose time at work to run me to doctors, clinics, and hospitals. I can't do it myself. The kids can't do it. My husband, who is both working long hours and dealing with his own health problems, can't do it.
At present, we've moved our youngest out of her bedroom and into her sister's upstairs room to minimize how much additional time she's breathing this stuff. Except for getting necessary items and passing through to go upstairs, half of our downstairs is currently off limits to our family and pets. We're five people splitting our non-sleeping time between living in the kitchen and (if everyone has showered) in my bedroom. Except for me, of course, since my bedroom is the least likely place in which I could receive transfer. I need to stay in there unless being elsewhere is absolutely necessary.
I really need advice and direction in how to get this taken care of.
I'd hoped I could get that from a personal injury lawyer. I've contacted two so far. Neither sees enough profit in assisting me to make it worthwhile for them. Not that I'm looking for a huge settlement. But my home has been made unlivable, I have been through an entire Spring and Summer of illness and misery, my family and pets having been breathing these chemicals for months, money that was needed elsewhere was spent on co-pays and meds. This year was our eldest child's high school graduation. He graduated with high honors. We should have been able to have a celebration for that. He deserved it. Instead, we were grateful just to have his school make special accommodations so I could be there to see him graduate. With the condition I was in, we couldn't even take him out to dinner. Our entire life has been disrupted. That Epi Pen I carry is likely to be my permanent companion. Even when this stuff is out of my house, my sensitivity will remain. There will always be the risk now that encountering this elsewhere will trigger an out break.
This could have been nipped in the bud if there'd been any warnings about out gassing reactions after installation. Then it would have been simple. Just get this floor out of my house and give me a new one.
But there weren't any warnings about the out gassing so now it's not simple. That omission had avoidable consequences for me and my family. We have to live with how this floor affected our lives since install. I have to live with how it may affect me for the rest of my life.
And if we have to live with all of that, we shouldn't have to live with the damage it did to our home and belongings. The people who failed to provide those warnings should make that right.
But how to make that happen...that's what I need help with. I'm already exhausted, in misery from the never ending hives, and at my wits end trying to find some help. Just thinking about what happened because we just wanted a nice floor is enough to reduce me to tears.
Some of you have been able to get this company to do more than just say "floor purchase refunded. Go away.". Please, if anyone ever needed your advice in what to do and how to make that happen, it's me.
Joel99, and anyone else reading this who can advise/help, please do. I would appreciate the moderator of this board passing my email info on to any of you who are willing to try.
I think that you could send pretty much a copy of your comments to Halstead (leave out the lousy lawyers bit )and suggest they pay up the cost of installation, the cost of removal, some for your inconvenience, some for your pain and suffering, cost of new installation of tile or wood and that you will call it a deal. I think that you should make it clear in your letter that you have every intention of suing them if they don't only for a whole lot more. You can mention that you have been in contact with other Halstead customers and clearly something is really wrong.
If you don't get satisfaction sue for the millions that your health is worth. I just think they would be happy to get off easy with the much smaller amount. It might take years to win but I think you probably would.
In any case get the flooring out of your house even if you have to live with uncovered floors for a time.
Searching for an environmental activist group might be another possibility.
You actually need to file the claim with HOME DEPOT CLAIMS DEPARTMENT! When it comes to personal injury, you have rights. Save, documents, receipts and do a timeline-professionally- for all medical costs.
The company which makes this recycled vinyl flooring is in Malaysia and DOES NOT HAVE INSURANCE in the US. Above all-be professional-no long stories-just the sad facts.
Also, get your story out to the media and consumer groups!!
Hi
I was today at Home Depot. Was also pushed into the ALLURE Product. even the name is spooky!!
interesting that almost all of these complaints are for an "Alluring" product sold by (one of?) the largest retailer for home products in canada and the US.
And they continue to sell it??????
Makes me rethink where I will go for my next Home repair/reno!!!
Some one is making big GAINS, here, and its not the Consumer .
Thanks for the posts,.... and thanks for the wake -up all you polite Canadians!!!
Trusted ""Intuitive Knowing""
We are a young family living in Quebec, Canada. We bought a house in 2007 with many renovation projects in mind. We bought Trafficmaster Allure Resilient Vinyl Tile Flooring for the kitchen at Home Depot.
Before we bought it (at the beginning of 2008), we searched for comments and reviews on the Internet and what we found was good. We decided to install it later, we did other renovations and a few weeks ago (November 2011), we finally took the boxes out from under our bed.
For three years, it was in our bedroom and it didn't smell bad in the room. When we opened the first box, it stank really bad and really strong. My husband thought it was the glue and that it would go away. We opened the windows and installed the product. The smell gave me a headache instantly and I felt dizzy. We went out for lunch and when we went back, the smell was horrible, very annoying. We finished the installation. The result was nice. There were small gaps between the tiles, and we didn't mind, but the smell was suffocating. We left the windows open the whole night even it was chilly.
The next day I called the Customer Service at our local Home Depot and asked how long the smell was going to last. There was no warning on the box. They told me that they never had any complaint about the product. I wanted to know what to use to make the smell go away. They told me that since we bought it three years ago, we would have to contact the company directly. I said I couldn’t find the product on the Web, only Home Depot sells it. She gave me the name of Vertex Services (Allure Floating Resilient Flooring). They told me a manager would call me during the week and till then, to keep the windows open.
Then I searched on the web to see if I would find comments about the smell. I found your blog and comments on many do-it-yourselfers sites. I was worried, I still had headaches and we have a 2 year old with allergies and asthma. He was coughing in the morning and I didn’t know if the floor was a factor. The smell was really annoying. I still had no news from my local Home Depot. I found a 1-866 line on the Home Depot website to call Halstead, the product company in the US. I called and they told me to wash the floor with 1 cup of white vinegar and a gallon of water. They said it was not toxic, that there was no off-gassing. The vinegar didn’t work at all. The smell stayed the same. I called again Halstead the following day and I asked directly for a credit. I talked to a superior, she asked me questions, I answered and I said I didn’t want the product in my house anymore. I told her about the vinegar tip, that it didn’t work, and she said no, it doesn’t work. So I said you should tell your people not to say it if it doesn’t work. She said "I don’t know which line you called". I had called the same number! Ridiculous. She accepted to give me the credit anyway. She said she would fax it at my Home Depot. I ripped the floor and took it out of the house. The smell was gone. I called Home Depot later to know if they had the fax. Nobody knew what I was talking about. I called Halstead again and they said they did fax it. So I insisted at the Home Depot and I did receive the credit in gift card.
The whole thing was a really bad experience. Now, we don’t want to put another Allure product. No way we will give them another chance.
I tried to make a comment on the Home Depot Website, but they didn’t want to publish it. I tried twice.
So many people complaining about things made in China. It's what we asked for people! Cheap products. We've sent our jobs overseas and our economy down the drain so we can buy cheap things made on the backs of slave labor. Gee sounds familiar doesnt it. Wasnt the USA built on slave labor? Time to pay up and many future generations will pay the price of our greed and stupidity. Start getting used to a lower standard of living and being a 3rd world country. The piper is playing.
We installed this flooring in our main bathroom 5 or 6 months ago. The smell is still horrendous. I thought I was crazy. My husband says he can smell it but it doesn't bother him but I, on the other hand, can't even walk by the door (closed with vent on) without getting very sick. Every day I open the window, turn on the vent and close the door and can still smell it. It has made me hate my house. We will be going back to Home Depot today and it will be out of here as soon as possible. We kept thinking the smell would eventually go away or at least hoping because we love the way it looks and the way it feels under your feet. But it's gotta go!!!! Anytime I go in there, I cover my nose and try to hold my breath. My breathing has become very bad lately and my husband has just gotten over a bad case of pleurisy. Dec. 11,2011
We have laid about 800 sq feet of allure faux stone in our basement over sealed and dry concrete. It looks beautiful and never smelled at all. My problem is that the seams are opening. It was professionally installed and rolled. I don't want to takew it all out. Does anyone know how I can remedy the open seams. How about heating and rerolling. I am going to try this and will reort. Bob in Maine
Allure is on the surface just that alluring- it's pretty, affordable, and easy to install. We bought it for three reasons: affordability, looks, and durability. Ours was professionally installed and in less than three months has worn away under our kitchen table exposing the white substance found under the pretty surface. When we called customer service, they blamed everything on us and were unwilling to uphold their 25 year warranty. As a matter of fact, they made everything so difficult, after two conversations, we gave up trying to reach a resolution.
I hope this helps another family. I noticed honest review containing unfavorable feedback is unwelcome and unpublished (thus is unfound) on the most visible and visited sites. We have had this flooring for 3yrs and have covered over the inferior area. If you have any questions, please call me- D Graves 317-877-8252.
Simply do not accept their no. I had to repeatedly call, email letters to them and suggest the likelihood of a class action lawsuit and they wisely settled with me. I had the stinking floor problem not the wearing out problem which if I had kept the stinking floor I am sure I would have eventually had.
Persist. You have nothing to lose by repeatedly writing them and insisting on a refund. Good luck.
I installed the allure flooring. After installing the seams started separating.I called customer service and a lady told me that gaps up to 1/16th of an inch was acceptable. I used colroed silicone to fill the gaps. Does seem like a very good product
Proof positive that appearances can be deceiving.
Avoid this stuff like the plague. The smell is horrific. We installed it in our kitchen, and it looked great, but we ripped it all out the same day because of the odor. There is definitely a problem with it.
I picked up a small sample of this at home depot. The rest of the day I kept itching, and my throat, mouth and ears itched severely. My eye lids swelled badly. I finally realized I was itching worse right after handling the sample. I put it away for a while so my symptoms could calm and then took it out and rubbed it directly on my face. I broke out in a red rash and my eyes swelled. I threw it in the trash! I tried to leave a review on Home Depot's website saying that it gave me a severe allergic reaction. Apparently they sensor their reviews and only allow positive ones. My review was rejected. !! Use REAL wood on your floors!
Oh, just to clarify, this was the allure resilient plank flooring the kind suitable for commercial use and is supposed to be 'water proof' or something like that. This was on Feb 25, 2012.
2-27-12
We bought Traffic Master Allure Corfu about 2 1/2 years ago and it's been sitting behind the couch waiting for me to scrape off the linoleum from the kitchen floor (not my favorite job and I only have 3/4 of it done). I just ran across your blogs and figured out why it's taken me so long to get the job done, someone is looking out for my husband and I. He has bad allergies and this toxic gas could have done some serious damage to him. We will not be putting this floor in our kitchen. Of course, I'm sure I've thrown out the receipt a long time ago. Amazing, we were in Home Depot about a week ago looking for some quarry tile for another project and the sales lady showed us the Allure Corfu and said that it was beautiful and would be perfect. We both said we already had some but hadn't used it yet. Now we never will. Thank you so much for all your information, it's so worth your trouble.
HI Kelly here::I posted earlier on the blog...I've removed the flooring and returned it and received my money back. But this flooring has cost me a lot more then just the flooring. I don't care what lies that company tells you that floor out gasses and everything that can absorb does. If I touch anything EX: my daughters basketballs were left on the floor can't touch them have to buy 2 new balls..stuffed animals, clothing,bedding
(laundry detergents,oil) in my daughter's room that was off the room I put the floor on can't touch without repeated washing..I still break out with mild hives now if I come into contact with something we may have not washed like those basketballs that now live outside Maybe the rain could wash them for me. But now that I've washed my walls, floors, furniture and everything else I could think of...The hives are all but gone (amazing huh)..But please listen to me when I warn you. BUY SOMETHING ELSE!!!
Do these problems only apply to Allure flooring? Am considering ordering Vesdura vinyl flooring, does anyone know anything about that product?
Ive installed thousands of sq ft of the allure product for the home depot. One thing to say. Garbage!!! Dont buy it. It is the worst product I have ever worked with.
The seams need to have heat to stick well. When you lay the new flooring crank your heat up to at least 70 or wait until summer when its already warm. Also don't use your AC for a couple days after laying it down. I've had a couple corners try to lift- but so far cleaning whatever dirt has built up under there out, and then applying a small dab of super glue between the adhesive strips has solved the problem. Hope this helps.
these stories are amazing!!! I have this floor for 1 1/2 years installed with no odor no issues certainly no drama!!!
I had allure flooring installed in my home. After 10 months of use I noticed the top layer of the floor was wearing off, revealing the white base underneath. I am a 64 yr old woman with 3 small dogs. I spoke to Home Depot who sold me the floor. Someone came out to the house to look at the floor. I got a report in the mail stating that there are abrasions on the floor and I was obviously rubbing something across the floor causing the wearing. Because of that it is not a mfg condition. I wrote to Halstead telling them I am just walking on the floor, I am not rubbing anything across it & I expect them to honor the warranty. After over 63 days, I have not received a reply from them. This week I sent them another letter certified mail, return receipt requested, to prove that they actually received the letter. In addition to the floor failing, their customer service stinks.
Thanks for the warning! After reading this blog I went to smell the sample Allure in the Home Depot store and indeed they had a chemically plastic smell; not good. I hadn't even realized smell should be something to watch out for until now.
I still settled for Allure because of the waterproof claim, to refloor my half-basement studio, but chose the click-lock planks instead. They have no smell at all (I think it's slightly different material) and really hard to scratch.
I documented the experience here. Hopefully people put off by the Allure adhesive strip planks will still consider the newer click locks, since so far they live up to the promises. I've seen a few people concerned about the smell of the click lock planks after coming here, and just wanted to share that the Allure Ultra click locks don't have a smell problem, as far as I can tell: http://blind-hysteresis.blogspot.com/2012/03/reflooring-partay-uncarpeting-pizza-and.html
March 24/12 - Allure is Scary Stuff
Bought 2 boxes of Allure flooring (Ashlar colour) last week to put in our powder room. The staff at my local Home Depot told me about all its great features, so I went for it.
Placed the boxes in our living room to acclimatize the product to our home temperature, as per instructions. The boxes sat there for a week.
I was going to install it today, so I decided to search the Internet for installation info. So thankful I came across this blog in my search.
After reading the posts and learning of other people's bad experiences re: off-gassing, allergic reactions and fears of toxicity, I decided to return the Allure vinyl flooring to Home Depot for a refund (which I did get - no problem). I decided that natural products (i.e. tile or wood) are the only flooring options for our family. Petrochemical products, like vinyl, are out!
Before loading the boxes in my car for the return trip, I decided to open one of the boxes to take a sniff. I leaned down (box was on floor) and took a sniff with the left side of my nose nearly coming into contact with the plank. Smelled "chemically", which just re-affirmed that I did not want to install vinyl flooring with a chemical adhesive in my home.
My husband schlepped the boxes out to my car, while I sat down to read the paper. Not 15 minutes after taking a sniff of the Allure flooring, as I'm sitting on my couch reading, I start bleeding from my left nostril. I never get nosebleeds. I was "floored" by this. This is too much of a coincidence. I believe the Allure flooring caused by nosebleed. Plus, now that I reflect on the past week, and all the headaches and eye strain I had, which are very uncommon for me, I also blame on the Allure flooring that was sitting in our living room.
I'm so grateful I found this forum and decided to return the product due to the very real health risks that it poses. Thanks to you, I didn't have go thru all the effort of installing the Allure flooring, handling it and breathing in the fumes, which surely would have had a really bad effect on me. One week with it in boxes in our house = chronic headaches. One sniff of it up close = nose bleed. Scary stuff indeed.
Do these comments refer to Allure Ultra floor or the plain Allure floors?
In response to Tammi's Q: I bought (then returned) Allure Trafficmaster vinyl flooring with "Easy Grip strip" adhesive. From my local Home Depot. I live in Canada.
Tammi Q, from what I understand, they're all referring to the Allure adhesives, not Allure Ultra (the click lock type). I installed the Allure Ultra click lock type myself (with friends) and there is no smell. The material is actually quite different from the Allure; it's much tougher and less easily damaged (I dragged a key down both at the store and the Ultra didn't scratch at all.) You can see my thoughts on the Allure Ultra here: http://bit.ly/Ha3gS0
My problem with this product is maybe a result of a lot of the comments posted here!
I bought this stuff to put in a closet rather than use the expensive hard wood flooring we used in the rest of the house. Nobody sees this one closet. I didn't have a problem with instalation, slight separation but nothing horrible. I did have a smell when I first put it down but it went away.
BUT! I ran out and have a couple square feet to go and I CAN'T GET THIS STUFF. It has been months that HomeDepot has been out of stock on line, which is the only place I can get it. Now I'm thinking about ripping it up and finishing my closet with hardwood flooring.
IT is very informative and interesting blog.Thanks for sharing.
We just bought & installed 300 sf of this product on Sunday (5-13-12) with no issues or unusual odors in our kitchen/breakfast room. I will keep my nose attuned for any odd odors/reactions/etc. Thanks for the blog on this. Hopefully, I won't have any issues. We tried laminate flooring first but, it wasn't working out for us and the room is too large for roll vinyl. Hardwood is way out of our price range and the floor isn't strong enough for ceramic tile. Not sure what other alternative I could have but, if I need to, I'll come back here and let y'all know.
That's funny. Most of the shop and stores in the shopping mall uses them in Singapore.
Why it didn't end up like what few of you had experienced?
You have expertise in the brand, style and lot number of this product in Singapore? Maybe it was a different batch? Or maybe people in Singapore are less likely to trust their noses or less likely to complain. Or perhaps exposed to more olfactory assaults of a chemical nature and have olfactory fatigue more quickly. And also we have no evidence whatsoever that they don't have the same problem.
There are many potential explanations for that difference if in fact it is actually a real difference.
This site is not a scientific study... it is a collection of anecdotal stories of a cautionary nature. People should use their judgement when looking at either scientific studies (often contaminated by conflicts of interest on the part of those sponsoring the study) or anecdotal accounts which are often a very narrow sample. I would hope that Halstead had enough blow back to try and solve the problem at the source... and maybe they have.
This is the worst flooring I have ever had. It shows every little mark. I have tried to remove these marks but to no avail. I didn't realize that you had to walk on it with only bare feet. I cannot afford to rip it up and get something else. I am sick over this floor. I hate it and do not recommend it to anyone. I wish I could stand at the display at home depot and tell everyone what garbage it is.
I just moved into a rental home and the lazy, cheap owners put this crap floor down and keep insisting it's good flooring. After owning a 100 year old home with REAL wood floors that were in great condition after 100 years of use, I know this is NOT good flooring. It scuffs easily and STINKS, STINKS, STINKS. I don't even want to invite anyone over. I mopped it with vinegar and it made it a little better but it still stinks. But it's not just a stinky smell, it's a chemical stinky smell that "feels" like something when you smell it. Like how vinegar or ammonia "feels" like something when you smell it. One of the owners is so worried about the floor she keeps stressing for me to read the manual. I did and I'll tell you this, any flooring that sounds that fragile is bad flooring. Flooring should be durable and if it's so fragile I have to almost tip toe on it, it's crap flooring. Needless to say, I won't be renewing my lease.
Also, they installed the Allure click lock type without the glue and it STILL STINKS.
We used this product 4 years ago: the white stone look in 2 upstairs bathrooms over the existing old cushioned floor vinyl. It went on nicely and has been very durable. Also, there has never been a smell! And I have a very sensitive nose. We were lucky I guess. We also installed the wood look version of Allure in the basement over concrete, and have had no trouble with smell or wear and tear. I wonder if the version from 4 years ago was made differently, and the quality declined soon after that and the chemicals they used changed as well. Thank you for the warning. We will not be using this product again. It sounds like it has changed drastically. Quite a shame. It was so easy to install and looked so lovely. Maybe the new click lock will be a good alternative. I've never seen it but I'll look for it.
we just installed the 6" x 3' wood like slabs in our kitchen. it went down very easy and looks good after 3 days (7/9/12). No smells and my family is pretty sensitive. (I have no sense of smell myself) However after the installation I found your blog and began to do some research. I obtained an MSDS (these are issued for all chemicals telling their hazards and how to handle them, etc) from links on a Home Depot blog and they seem to be an outright sham giving no information at all. This raised my suspicions. I contacted an environmental testing lab, RTP Laboratories (on the web) and they would do a test of samples for toxic emissions but the price was $1500. This is not supportable for a normal home owner who is installing his won flooring. Does anybody have any suggestion of how we could organize a group who could each ante up a reasonable amount so we could get some samples tested. It would be best to have some samples from people with the worst experiences. We wold need 30 people at $50 each or 50 people at $30 each.
Any ideas?
I had the Allure (country pine) resilient plank flooring installed (by Home Depot-certified installers) in my house a few weeks ago on a new subfloor. It looked really good, but I noticed the odor right away. At first, I attempted to ignore it, but frequent headaches, chest tightness, and just an overall unhealthy feeling is making ignoring it impossible. I talked to the flooring specialist at Home Depot today, and he was unaware of any previous complaints regarding odor or anything else. His only advice was to "give it time" and whatever smell it had would "go away." So I left the store feeling defeated and a little crazy since no one else in my house seems to be bothered by it. But then I stumbled across this website, and now I know there's definitely a problem. I going to pay another visit to Home Depot tomorrow and see what happens. Either way, this floor is getting removed.
I am so glad you wrote about your experience. I put down the floor about a week ago in two bedrooms. I immediately smelled the chemical odor but the kids said they didn't. I went back to Home Depot and they all swore they had never heard of such a problem. So I thought it was me being overly paranoid.
Tonight, my daughter admitted that she smelled something and it worried her. So I went online and found this site.
I am going to immediately contact Allure and get my money back...and then get it out of the house. I hope that my added voice on here helps. As the numbers of complaints grow, perhaps the problem will be resolved before people begin geting seriously ill.
We installed Allure Trafficmaster (Golden Maple) from Home Depot in 2008 in the basement on concrete floor (no underlay)and also in the cottage on existing wood subfloor.
It's now 2012. We didn't notice any significant smell initially or lingering. I do have sensitive/irritative eyes, but can't attribute that to the vinyl flooring.
The attraction was the good look, easy installation, thick vinyl and resistance to water damage in bsmt. So far no issues/problems with the basement installation but the cottage installation has parted at some of the seams.
We installed it in August (hot) and because the cottage is closed for the winter, I assume the cold temperatures have caused shrinkage and parting of some seams.
After reading the blogs, I'm concerned now & hesitate to recommend this Allure Trafficmaster to friends. I first saw the flooring at a Walmart store---they have it installed in parts of the store.
Installed my Allure ciuntry pine lloring from Home Depot in Nov 2011. In June I noticed seam failure in one tile. Now in Agust it is 60% of the floor. If I would of seen this blog fist I would of saved $1K and a lot of headaches. When will Hoeme Depot stop sellng this crap.Moreover,whenis a claas action suit going to happen so we can get out money back!
Sorry to hear about all of the issues with the Allure product all of you have had. 3 months ago I installed Allure Ultra over cement (not a basement) it looks fantastic and has no smell whatsoever. Perhaps the product is made of different materials or it is actually in the adhesive they use in the Allure non-ultra version. The ultra uses no adhesive....it simply locks together and is very easy to install. It is a two person job though. The ultra was twice the cost as well. Hope this helps someone make a more informed decision.
10/2012 I installed this in my master bedroom in 2010. I was going to do the whole house but didn't like the sound my dogs toenails make on it. It is in Florida over a dry level concrete floor. It had a strong chemical oder when my neighbor and I installed it. I washed it with vinegar several times, used odorban, used bleach. Nothing seemed to take it away. It did get fainter over time. However, I still smell if after entering the room when it has been closed off from the rest of the house.
My health issues didn't start immediately, but I began having sinus probelms when previously I have never had them. At first I thought I just had a severe cold that I couldn't shake. After a visit to the doctor I was told I had a severe sinus infection caused by seasonal allergic rhinitus. It took multiple visits to the doctors and four rounds of antibiotics to clear up the infection. I continued to have sinus problems that are not resolved with the usual medicines given for allergies. The medicines caused side effects that were as bad as or worse than the sinus problems. Additionally, they only worked on the symptoms, not the problem.
These issues have continued for the past two and a half years. I began to suspect the flooring, but failed to look for such blogs or information as these. I talked to the doctors about the flooring, they didn't seem to think it was an issue. When I went to my parents house in another state I began to feel better. When I came home I began to feel worse. So I experimented by moving out of the master bedroom, closing it off, and staying two months in the second bedroom. I began to feel better. When I moved back into the master bedroom I began to get sick again. Still the doctors wanted to treat me for seasonal allergic rhinitis. I have been in and out of the doctors office and to a ear nose and throat specialist for this sinus problem.
I finally spoke to Home Depot where I bought it and they had never heard of anyone with such health issues. That was when I got online to find the number to call to ask the company about this and found this blog.
The $750 that I spent on this floor is not worth my long term health. I will contact the company and Home Depot to see if they will make this right, but even if they don't I am removing the floor as soon as I can.
Additionally, not sure this is related, but my long haired golden retriever is having some sort of allergic symptoms causing him to constantly lick his fur and feet. Also he seems to be developing hip problems even though he is only 4.
Thank you for the information provided by this blog.
These stories are unbelievable. I had a professional flooring contractor install 2 boxes of TrafficMaster Allure Vinyl Tile Flooring (Ashlar pattern) in my laundry room 5 months ago (May 2012) and I haven't had any of these problems. The floor did emit a slight odor for a few days and then it disappeared. But it certainly wasn't overpowering or sickening. All vinyl products emit an odor to some degree for a little while. That's just the nature of vinyl. Maybe some of the Allure patterns/varieties smell worse than others.
I would imagine that given the lack of standards other than "what the market will bear" there is a wide range of variation among different "batches" of flooring. In addition there is a wide variation in human sensitivity to a wide variety of chemical compounds. Congratulations on your good luck in this matter.
November 20, 2012
Wanted to provide another set of data points.
I installed the "Ashlar" stone-look style of this flooring in two half-baths, three years apart (two different batches of tiles, no-doubt produced years apart). It is beautiful and has held up exceptionally well in both locations.
The first was put down in 2009. I do recall at the time of install there being a strong-ish odor in the confined space that lingered for weeks after. Today I sniffed the floor and didn't notice anything untoward.
The other half-bath was done March 2012. Did the sniff test on this floor just now and detect a noticeable chemical odor--8 months later!
I also have many Trafficmaster Allure sample squares of planks in various wood-like styles (as opposed to the stone-like I have installed). Did a quick blind sniff test, putting the stronger smelling in one pile and lesser in another. All the stronger smelling ones were newer samples (I know this because the sticker on back was redesigned).
Note: the samples (with no adhesive strips) stank. The center of the tiles in the second half-bath stank (no-where near the adhesive edges). From my experience, it would seem the smell is not attributable to the adhesive edges.
I also did the sniff test on two new Armstrong samples (Sample Chip Item # 201139) from Lowes. This flooring is thicker than the standard Allure, but also uses edge-adhesive. One sample has an odor similar to but not as strong as the Allures; the other also has a scent, but not as strong.
Darn. Was seriously considering this stuff!
In just had the Allure installed in my house on Saturday and it's being taken out tonight. My nose burns in the room we installed this in and the smell is horrible even with ventilating and washing with the vinegar like they suggested. Actually had to cover the door to this room with plastic and tape it closed. Takled to the company today and so far the they have been nice and claim they will refund my purchase price and installation fee for my contractor and I'm hoping they do what they say. But they did not ask for a sample of the flooring and also said I can recycle it instead of throwing it in the garbage!! I do have the floor in my bathroom and it's been almost a year - no smell, no problems. I don't know if this is a bad batch of floor, but I want nothing to do with this flooring anymore. I bought more of it for my kitchen and it's going back to Home Depot asap.
I bought the click lock planks that are water resistant in July 2012 and had a very strong unbearable smell. I spoke to home depot staff and was told that it will go away..which it did after two months. I had to open my windows everyday because the smell have me headachs, sinus, shortness of breath and fatigue....my symptoms got worst after the two months. I don't lay down on the floor because it's really hard to breath near it...my symptoms got worst by early November to the point that I was bed bounded...I feel numbness in my legs and arms and chess pain into of the previous symptoms I described above.
I am 32 yrs old, was healthy before these flooring were installed. I saw my doctor and is now under her care. Since I m now experiencing memory lost, I started jotting down when and where I experience these symptoms and I discoffered that its the flooring. Why and how I know its the flooring: I get these symptoms worst when I spend the most time in the family room which is the room I installed these floorings and they are worst when I lay down. Now I am having memory issues and watery eyes.....it's hard to recall names and retrieve words. I have a four college degree but had to ask my 7th grader how to spell some of these words do to my memory loss and symptoms. I apologizes for my grammar since it has been difficult for me to recall and speak since the last two months. I paused alot now. After my intensive docummentation I concludes that it was the floor and decides to do research online to see if anyone sles is experiencing symptoms after installing these floors....after I read all these comments I am upset that I've suffered so much. I am frustrated and will call the company asap. PLEASE do more research before u use this product. My 12 has been very tired since the floorinfo were installed. She been sleeping for over 12-15 hrs a day..this is not normal and most of the time she naps throughout the day ontop of these hours..she complained that she is very tired and don't know why..I thought it was maybe due to growth but it's abnormal to be this fatigue at 12 yrs old.
I m very concern now and I don't know how much this will affect me long term?
we have a 900 sguare foot addition and had the allure flooring installed throughout.. no smell what so ever.But i am having an issue with what is the best cleaner for it?? any ideas anyone??
Otto: Wish I'd read your blog first, Allure Corsica Dark doesn't stick. Halstead is a bad company, won't return customer calls. HD did refund about 1/2 of the material costs, but I'm still out installation costs and the fact I have to redo the floor. Bad product, worse company. Stay away.
Great blog indeed! I really understand your story.
We purchased $2,611.00 with of Special Order Allure Vinyl Plank Flooring in Catskill Pine from Home Depot on 3/9/11. 1400 sq ft that was installed by us, according to their warranty's specifications. At first it had a strange stinking funky odor, which wasn't a real big deal and has aired out a bit but still is there, you can still smell it. The worse problem is it's only been a little over a year and the floor is showing very bad scratch marks and is Dull in spots all the way through that can only be toned down when you purchase their products to polish them out, but even then, they're still severely visible in the sunlight which is Very noticeable in the afternoon throughout our house and they are getting worse Everyday. Now, if that's Not bad enough, there are tiny flat white spots like pigment spots that are appearing throughout the planks and peeling corners are starting to appear. We complained and Halstead sent out a "floor inspector" who blamed it on the installation process and our our concrete sub floor!...Why would the subfloor make the scratches and white spots appear??? They never sent us any of the reports we requested. We sent in planks of the flooring in and I have spent many hours on the phone with B_verly M_nter and others that I was passed off to at Halstead International because I was upset and was trying to have them come to a compromise with us about this flooring with no success. We are So embarrassed that this scratched up, spotty floor is in our home and Very upset with the fact that in 3 or 4 years this floor will have to be replaced without a doubt and there's nothing the company will do! I know for a fact from a Home Depot Employee that they installed this product in their Break Room and removed it soon after because it looked so bad! After I showed them my pictures, they were more than willing to print us out a receipt and give us the numbers needed to contact Halstead. They are Not Honoring their 25 year Limited Warranty and we have done everything to comply with their warranty! We would really like to have a refund or some other type of flooring besides Allure Vinyl Planks so we can replace this scratched up white flecked flooring...it really looks Horrible after only a little over a year!!!....we're embarrassed to have people see it
The only reason anyone considers this stuff is because of its' low price. Its durability is marginal..suitable for low traffic areas. I don't think there is anything alluring about throwaway products. And, what happens to that smelly stuff as it piles up in landfills down the line?
If you are the least bit chemically sensitive, or environmentally conscious, stay away from plastics and adhesives as much as possible in everything you live with. There is no cheap and easy alternative flooring product. If you have a wood floor get it sanded, look into non toxic floor finishes, which, by their nature are not super durable finishes. The use of doormats and slippers can help keep wood floors looking better longer.
I have bought cheap knotty pine, stickered and acclimated it a for a few weeks during the heating season, then face nailed it to an existing subfloor with flooring screw nails. I oiled it with non toxic danish oil and it has held up great in a finished attic. If I had to do that in a heavy traffic area I might milk paint it or plan an alternative rustic finish.
I installed Allure in my bathroom, and I love, love, love it! I did NOT use the self adhesive type, I used the click lock. I had NO odor at all, installed in a couple of hours. I would never use the self adhesive, it just didn't make sense to me. At some point, moisture will cause the adhesive to break down, become gummy, and slip. The click lock is a little more expensive, but worth it! In a bathroom or kitchen it is 100% water proof. I would definitely feel confident to install the click lock version anywhere in my home.
I am so glad .I Read these reviews. I am looking for a floor for my hair salon. I sure do not need any extra odors or problems which would cause me to close the doors and correct. I think I will keep looking. Any suggestions, I want a wood look vinyl, water and hair color resistant. so far I have found one called Linkwerks, but do not know very much about this product.
I just installed the Allure Ultra (Aspen Oak Black) and I can say there is no gassing from the planks whatsoever. I've had it laid out in my dining room for a few days now and I cannot smell any chemicals or toxin from the planks, I have bad allergies too and haven't had any issues in that dept. I will update if anything changes but so far so good.
I love this flooring. It is easy to put down, and seems to stay down once you are done. i have put in about 250 square feet in the last month or so. I DO notice a smell. My wife can't smell it. It kind of smells like cat poop with some chemicals mixed in. At first, we installed Allure in the room where the cats do indeed poop, so my wife said I was smelling cat sh*t. I completely emptied the cat litter boxes, cleaned them with bleach, etc, etc. The smell didn't go away. I am really hoping that the smell goes away soon. I am going to "mop" the floor with a swiffer wet jet and see if that helps.
I applaud this woman for doing a great job of researching the product. she asked all the right questions and received all the proper and improper docs.
I have to laugh at the experts, someone who sells the product is the least expert and should never be relied on for information. Why!
vinyl or pvc is a solid polymer and to make it flexibile it has to be blended with fluids called plasticisers.
Think of the old shower curtains, remember how terrible they smelled. Well many of these plasticisers actually are heavy metal based. Since they are not tied to the polymer backbone they migrate to the surface and eventually enter the atmosphere above the surface or the room in this case. The warmer the room the faster it migrates to the surface.
Now think about this : if its put there to make the product flexible and it comes out over a period of time. what happens to the PVC? It becomes hard and brittle, and since the floor still flexes ,it still has the odor.
Now, why are some with a stronger odor than other batches. This is where quality control comes in or the improper plasticiser was used.
Track record is important, and I think China doesn't have a great track record , esp. in areas where health is concerned. Ie: Baby food supplaments..
Well thank you for this Blog...
Hi, I'm with Halstead's customer outreach team, they are the ones who manufacture Allure. I wanted to let you all know that we are taking all of these comments to heart.
Some of the comments were made here several years ago. While we have had many satisfied customers over the years, we've also been constantly making improvements to the quality of our products.
We want you to love our flooring products. It means a lot to us when our customers love the product so much they decide to share their experience with others, as many have already done on this post. Thank you for that.
And for those who have had less than a satisfying experience, we are listening and apologize for your disappointment.
Please know that Allure flooring is a safe product and does not "off gas" in its solid state. That being said, some are naturally more sensitive to smells than others. If you want to see what the flooring smells like, and if you can detect an odor, please stop by the store and give it a whiff.
Also know that we are really here to help. If you need assistance please give us a call at: 866-843-8453
You can also find more information about Allure at: www.mydiygenius.com or on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/pages/Allure-Resilient-Flooring/139124616117162)
Best regards,
~Aaron
Allure Customer Outreach Team
http://www.mydiygenius.com
Hi,
I read your blog AFTER I installed about 350 feet of Allure Trafficmaster in my basement. After the floor was finished for about 3 days (and we had exceptionally warm weather) I started smelling this horrible chemical smell. That was yesterday. So I open the basement door and run a fan to air it out. Still smells. I go to Home Depot, and to make a long story short, they wouldn't give me a refund. The flooring associates and store manager were talking to me about getting a store credit for my purchase price toward a new floor. They then got their rep, who deals with Halstead, to come over and talk to me. The first thing out of his mouth was that it was the glue and that he has heard complaints about this product when installed in basements due to less ventilation in that part of the house.
He wouldn't give me a refund but said that they would take care of me and that I have to go through the proper channels. Without getting into all the details of the conversation (we went around for about a half hour) he is going to call the company on Thursday - they are closed until after Christmas and have someone come out to inspect the floor.
I got the feeling that his hands are tied and that it is known to the reps, but not necessarily the floor staff, that the product emits a smell. Based on his comments, it is the glue that is emitting the chemical smell.
He did give me a box of contractor bags for free and told me that if I wanted to rip out the floor, I could put it in the bags and wait for the inspector to check it out before they can do anything.
Luckily the weather has been nice and I had the house opened up with fans blasting air out the (opened) basement door.
We'll see what tomorrow holds.
Thanks for reading the long post. Any suggestions anyone? Will the stuff air out? Obviously, I can't have anything toxic in my house, but plastics do smell at first and then dissipate. Thanks again..
I hate the look of this flooring. Mine doesn't smell or emit any fumes, but it is so dull and never seems to look clean.
I am having the same kind of problems with the Allure Plank flooring my husband & I laid in the last several months.. I kept complaining about a toxic smell in the house and kept searching thinking that it might be coming from the air ducts. I just kept describing the smell as toxic and it was making me feel very sick, sore throat, runny eyes, and feeling like I just could not breath.. I then realized that it was the smell of the flooring that was so toxic.. I have ordered some odoreze from No Odor and it is suppose to remove the chemical smells from vinyl.. If this does not work I will be moving or removing this toxic flooring also.. Thank you for your post as it has confirmed what I know to be true..
As the person at the top of this thread said: Trust your nose. I don't think deodorizing will work. Even if you could mask the smell the same chemicals are being released. Best of luck. The epic saga continues.
Class action lawsuits? Really? Thanks for the laughs. I find it entertaining to read people complaining about the cheapest product available, installed by DIYers. Then going crazy about seizures and the like. Good times. :)
Thank you,thank you, thank you. All who told about this product. I already have multiple chemical sensitivity and putting this in would probably have been the end of me. I was considering it because it has the scs floor score certification - that is the Allure - Ultra product, and the little sample doesn't seem to smell. I wish all of you who have suffered ill health from this product the best. People have won lawsuits against carpeting manufacturers for creating a "sick building". Look up that phrase to see what you can do. Love, Cheryl
PS I saw on a contractor discussion site that they love this product for "cheap homes".
2014.06.23
Has anything come of this?
Fast Forward to 2014 and the product is still on the market. Have they changed it at all or are people still having the same frustrations?
Unfortunately not many comments are actually date stamped.
I was considering putting this product in my travel trailer and then came across this...I am curious if anything has been done to remedy the concerns or whether people are still experiencing medical issues as a result of the material.
Yes, many of these comments are recent. I believe the issue with the smell continues, but as it was in the beginning, it has been very much a hit-or-miss thing. Some batches are good, others, not so much. You can take the comments of the people here and form your own opinion. Many people have had positive things to say. I personally would never go near it again.
Installed Allure interlocking, vinyl wood floating floor system in 2010 in main bedroom and their laminated wood floors in other bedrooms by international contractors Inovar. All Inovar's floors came with 25 year guarantee for the both product and workmanship (Have it on the quote, in writing) provided I use their approved contractor. In Bloemfontein, South Africa, the only approved contractor is a guy called Eugene. Although the product is amazing, the workmanship was extremely shoddy. He lifted the floor after laying it before it was leveled , just because he had a dispute with the builder about when it should have been done. Then he left the lifted planks in big loops outside in the dust and sun for two days before laying it down again. Of course, after 3 years, the floor started to lift everywhere. I contacted Eugene. He kept saying he will come and take photos to submit to Inovar. I finally decided to report him to Inovar's head office in SA. To date I haven't had any response. They just changed the wording of their guarantee on their website to now read: "In the event of a claim, the defect must be reported in writing within 14 days of the discovery of the defect. After this time is elapsed, no further complaints will be accepted. A duly dated and stamped invoice & a copy of warranty card must be submitted at that time" and they changed the workmanship guarantee to 2 years.It does not match the original wording, as on my quote, or are still on some design companies sites: "Inovar is responsible and accountable for both the product and installation.") I have now decided to post it all over the Internet that Inovar does not honor their guarantee, so stay away from them!
What a nightmare! No one wants a stinky floor!
We installed Allure Vinyl Plank flooring from Home Depot in the basement of our new home construction in late Oct-2014. We chose to use Superior, Home Depot's installation contractor, so to make sure the warranty had no glitches. When we moved into our house in early November, we smelled this horrible smell (chemical). For the first couple of weeks we couldn't figure out what it was and thought/hoped it would go away but it hasn't. For a few days we thought maybe it was coming from the drain in the shower in the basement bath since we had not ran water into it due to having now shower doors up yet. At that same time we had opened the registers in our basement to allow air to flow throughout the house, which seemed to dissipate the smell somewhat but NOT get rid of. As a test, we sealed off our 4th and empty bedroom (registers, doors, etc.) and kept it sealed up for 24 hours and discovered upon opening that the smell indeed is the flooring. We had researched this floor but only on the Home Depot website. Of course when we called Home Depot they said they had never heard of a complaint on the smell of this flooring but when I discovered this website it makes me realize it's not an isolated incident. *** Can the author of this blog please put me into contact with the person who labeled him/herself as anomynous that was able to get his money back for the flooring, installation, new flooring??? I am worried about the health of my son who has a bedroom down there and also my unborn (twin) grandbabies that will be here soon. Thank you.
I am afraid I do not know or have any way to find out the name of anyone who posted anonymously to the blog. I would start by contacting Hastead, being careful to document when you called and to whom you spoke. Ask for an incident number when you call. Even if all you do is get your money back for the flooring, it will be something. What price can you put on the health of your family, right?
@Concerned2015 I have posted multiple times on this site as Joel99 and anonymous. I was successful in 2010 in getting a refund for the cost of the flooring and the installation cost from Halstead mostly I think because the product was new at the time and I drip litigiousness when confronted with what I now think of as criminal negligence. It is clear to me that these products have little quality control and a wide variation from lot to lot. I can still remember the awful smell after the flooring was installed... viscerally sickening. To get a refund I believe you must genuinely be ready to take these people to court which I certainly was. Good luck. Send me an email address and if I have any of the old letters that I wrote them hiding on my computer I will send them to you.
We are considering this flooring for our Church Nursery/PreSchool in Florida. I had concerns about the temperature requirements as these room are behind our main church (With Central AC) but only have AC Wall Units. And the Manual says the temps can't go above *95 without possible issues. These Wall units are only turned on 1x Weekly.
However, not this blog raises additional concerns about the material for other reasons. We've also looked at Commercial Vinyl Squares. Any suggestions for alternative flooring for this setting?
I don't know the substrate to which you would be applying the flooring [slab, subfloor, etc] but I would suggest ceramic tile as a good option. You can get a very generic tile at a big box home store very inexpensively. There is a little more labor involved in its installation, but when you are done you will have something that is non-toxic, won't wear out, and is easy to clean and sanitize.
Concerned2015 - Give Halstead a call. 1-866-843-8453. Or use the online chat at mydiygenius.com. They have a great support team. Gena, especially is very helpful. No harm will come to you or your family. Vinyl smells like vinyl...some people are more sensitive to that particular smell than others.
I presume that you mean "no harm will come to you or your family" from contacting Halstead lol. I think if you are referring to the effects of unknown vinyl compounds and possible contaminants ... you are being exceedingly presumptuous. There are certainly established health concerns with a number of compounds and chemicals that used to be regarded as safe. Without long term studies... all is speculation. Reassurance from people with a vested interest rings a little hollow to me.
I came down with erythema multiforme after laying down this product. This is an autoimmune disease that is devastating to the body. The culprit is not formaldehyde but diisonyl phthalate which makes up about 7% of the laminate. If anyone experienced similar disorders I think a class action lawsuit is in order. JW
It is now 2015 I installed this floor in my home, 2600sf ...two years ago, it is now starting to separate at the seams, this was a big and costly job, now all the floors look like crap, the flooring was put down by the instructions, no bad smells. Even looked nice for two years, I could go on an on, but it is what it is for now.
DO NOT EXPECT HALSTEAD TO STAND BEHIND THEIR PRODUCT. We installed approx 1450 sq ft of Allure Cherry Plank flooring in Nov & Dec 2015. The first pallet of flooring we put down is beautiful & we love it; HOWEVER, the last 2 pallets obviously has problems with the adhesive grip strip. Installation was all the same...acclimating product to each room for at least 48 hrs prior to installation, using the hand roller as it was put down & the 100 lb roller on each room from each direction. Halstead denied our claim due to "installation errors." DO NOT BUY THIS PRODUCT BECAUSE NO MATTER WHAT, THEY WILL CLAIM THEIR PRODUCT IS NOT TO BLAME.
Thank you so much for this critical information. I installed this flooring (bamboo design) two years ago. My wonderful totally healthy dog developed horrible, hour long seizures. I never attributed it to the flooring as there has never been any smell at all and it adheres well. I have developed cancer and severe lung issues as well as cognitive problems. Now I know it is from the floors. Thank you all so much for educating the rest of us. Now I can know how to address and hopefully correct these previously unexplained health issues.
Home Depot installed Allure Trafficmaster vinyl flooring (Ashlar slate pattern) in my laundry room 4 years ago and looked beautiful and held up great. I even had a leak from the washing machine about a year ago and there was no damage to the floor and no scratches from the repairman moving the washer in and out. There was a strong odor for about a week after the installation. A slight odor lingered from there on out. After reading the comments here and on other websites about the potential toxicity from the off-gassing of chemicals in the vinyl, I decided to have it ripped out and replaced. Had I done my research before hand and discovered it was made in China, I would never have purchased it. So that was my fault. 6 weeks ago I had the floor ripped out and replaced with Congoleum sheet vinyl in a slate pattern. Admittedly, the new Congoleum flooring isn't as pretty as the Allure was but there has been no odor emitting and I haven't read any negative reviews regarding toxicity/health hazards.
I looked this product up last night and found it was made in China and various places outside the USA I'm very upset because we rent and as I'm typing this comment a contractor for my Landlord is installing this in our kitchen, after I sent him a message telling him forget installing a toxic floor in our home yes he owns it but we pay for it! Well I can already smell the adhesive toxic gasses and I have enough health issues and don't need anymore! So now since I do not own the condo and I asked him to please not use a toxic floor because we will be sick what are my options do I take him to court I definitely want to rip this junk up the minute the contractor leaves I have a 2 year old cat and kids with asthma also! I searched Mannington flooring and it's made in the USA
Unfortunately for you, your landlord can install any flooring he chooses since he owns the property. Your only choices are to live with it and hope for the best or move out. I'm not a legal expert but I don't think you can take him to court. What he's doing might be unethical but it's not illegal.
Sorry to hear you had this negative experience, I have to say I've never heard of anyone else reporting this problem with flooring. If only there was a way of trying before you buy!
Just wondered if anyone has been successful getting a refund or thought about a law suit. My husband has been diagnosed with asthma that has been traced back to this flooring. We put it in our basement just before our daughter's wedding 4 years ago, and my husband has had nothing but one health problem after another- sinus infection, sinus surgery, pneumonia, bronchitis, itchy hands and feet with blisters and rash, allergy testing,etc This has cost him many missed days of work, as well as $$$ in prescriptions. It wasn't until I googled ALLURE VINYL PLANK and ALLERGIES that I found this BLOG. We instantly tore up all the flooring and he felt relief within a day. However his lungs seem to be susceptible to every little irritant. He is a farmer and as a result is exposed to many triggers daily. I can't understand how or why they are still able to sell this product???
They continue to sell this product because we live in a capitalist economy and until it COSTS more than the profit it generates it is completely logical. Capitalism is devoid (inherently) of any ethics except "return for the shareholder". Some capitalist enterprises have a long view but most have very short views. Probably it is a "batch" related problem with it being irrelevant a good deal of the time. The people affected are few and relatively powerless. Six years ago I was able to get a refund and the cost of the labor to replace the product (with ceramic tile). I had to buy the new tiles which were more expensive than the Allure but they paid for the labor. This was early on in this saga and i don't think so many people were affected. They bought me off basically. Of course I told them I was litigious (and I really am) and my demand was not unreasonable. They didn't admit anything but just met my fair demand.
Capitalism is not healthy for humans and other living things... but it is the rule of the day. But then again so was the Divine Rule of Kings... times change.
I installed Allure Plank flooring around December 1, 2016. Install was easy, but several plank joints started coming apart first week. Used a hair dryer to heat up joint and press joint, which seemed to work ok. Noticed strong odor upon installation. I have gotten sick 4 times (Flu and 3 sinus infections) in two months and odor has not gone away. Can feel irritation in my throat and sinuses every time I enter master bathroom. Gave the product two full months to stop off gassing, and it didn't stop. Saw this blog last night and ripped out flooring today. Hopefully I stop getting sick. My wife can faintly smell odor, but it doesn't bother her. Yes I do get a lot of sinus infections (about 1 per year) but this product obviously affected my health. Buyer beware!!
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