Cali Bamboo Class Action Says Flooring Cracks, Warps

A Cali Bamboo class action claims that flooring manufactured by the company fails to live up to its expected lifespan due to warping and other issues.

Cali Bamboo reportedly sells strand bamboo flooring, meaning that the whole boards are bamboo as opposed to a layer of bamboo on top of a different material.

The Cali Bamboo class action states that bamboo makes high quality flooring due to its structural properties which gives the flooring “a higher tensile strength than any traditional hardwood and even many alloys of steel.”

In their advertising and representations, Cali Bamboo reportedly assures the public and contractors that their products are durable and of high quality.

Statements on the product as well as representations on the Cali Bamboo website and social media allegedly affirm that the products are so strong, hard, and durable that they will last a lifetime. The company even claims to provide a 50 year guarantee for their products.

However, despite these representations, the recent Cali Bamboo class action alleges that the products are defective and prone to damage, cracking, warping, and other problems.

“Contrary to Defendant’s advertising and representations, the Product is subject to premature cracking, splitting, warping, and shrinking, all well before the warranted useful life, because of an inability to withstand foreseeable ambient moisture,” the Cali Bamboo flooring class action lawsuit argues.

Plaintiff William Klaehn and his wife say they purchased Cali Bamboo flooring at Lowe’s after seeing a display advertising the flooring as “’World’s Hardest Floors,’ ‘Pet-Friendly,’ scratch resistant, ‘High Heel Resistant,’ long-lasting, durable, and guaranteed to last 50 years.”

Due to these advertising statements, Klaehn reportedly purchased $2,000 of the Cali Bamboo Bordeaux Fossilized Flooring and $700 of the recommended Pergo Gold underlayment in April 2018.

However, in December 2018, Klaehn allegedly noticed that his floors were cracked and scratched. When Klaehn contacted Lowe’s, the retailer reportedly said that the glue used on the floor voided the warranty, despite Cali Bamboo recommending the glue.

“Cali Bamboo did offer to provide some t-moldings to assist with repairing some of the gaps, and to have an inspection at a cost of approximately $300 ($500 less a $200 credit towards the inspection) and, if the inspector determined the problem was due to a manufacturing defect, Defendant would provide a refund,” the Cali Bamboo class action lawsuit claims. Klaehn reportedly did not proceed with the inspection and continues to have defective floors.

Numerous other consumers have complained of similar issues online, and Klaehn argues that the problem is widespread. He also claims that he and other consumers would not have purchased the Cali Bamboo products or paid as much if they had known that they were not as durable and long-lasting as advertised.

Klaehn seeks to represent a Class of consumers who purchased Cali Bamboo solid bamboo flooring sold by Lowe’s since Jan. 1, 2012 or sold directly by Cali Bamboo between Jan. 1, 2012 and Dec. 31, 2016.

The Cali Bamboo class action seeks injunctive relief, disgorgement, restitution, court costs, and attorneys’ fees.

Klaehn and the proposed Class are represented by Michael F. Ram and Marie N. Appel of Robins Kaplan LLP; Jeffery B. Cereghino of Cereghino Law Group; Charles J. LaDuca and Brendan Thompson of Cuneo Gilbert & LaDuca LLP; and Samuel J. Strauss of Turke Strauss LLP.

The Cali Bamboo Flooring Class Action Lawsuit is Klaehn v. Cali Bamboo LLC, et al., Case No. 3:19-cv-01498-LAB-KSC, in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California.

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