Morning Star Bamboo Flooring: Pros, Cons, and Buying Guide

Bamboo flooring rode a sustainability marketing wave through the 2010s and ended up in a lot of American homes that were not prepared for what it actually is. Morning Star bamboo flooring, sold primarily through LL Flooring (formerly Lumber Liquidators), became one of the most recognizable bamboo brands in the US market. After installing close to 7,800 sq ft of Morning Star strand-woven product across kitchens, basements, and living areas over the last decade, I can give you a candid take on where this floor delivers and where it falls short.

This guide covers the construction details, the pricing reality, and the install considerations that determine whether you end up happy or frustrated.

What Strand-Woven Bamboo Actually Is

Strand-woven bamboo is made by shredding bamboo fibers, mixing them with resin under high pressure, and forming plank-shaped material. The result is denser than oak — Janka hardness around 3,000 to 5,000 for premium SKUs versus 1,290 for red oak. That hardness is real and translates into excellent dent resistance from chair legs, pet claws, and dropped tools.

Morning Star produces both solid strand-woven product at 9/16 inch thickness and engineered strand-woven at 3/8 to 1/2 inch with a plywood core. Click-lock engineered versions install over most substrates including concrete.

Pros: Where Morning Star Bamboo Delivers

Three real strengths. Hardness is the headline — strand-woven bamboo at 3,000 plus Janka takes punishment that would dent oak. In high-traffic households with kids, dogs, and dropped objects, this floor shows fewer dings than equivalent hardwood at the same price tier.

Pricing has historically been competitive at $2.40 to $4.80 per sq ft for strand-woven product, well below comparable hardwood at $5 to $9 per sq ft. The third strength is visual variety — Morning Star offers wider plank widths (5 to 7 inch) and a deeper color palette than most bamboo competitors.

Cons: The Real Issues

The first issue is the well-documented formaldehyde controversy from 2015 that affected a portion of Morning Star inventory. LL Flooring eventually settled class-action claims and the post-2018 production has tested at compliant levels under California 93120 Phase 2 standards. That said, the brand reputation took a real hit, and resale buyers sometimes flag bamboo with suspicion regardless of when it was installed.

Humidity sensitivity is the second issue. Bamboo expands and contracts more than oak with seasonal humidity swings. Floors installed in homes that drop below 30 percent humidity in winter show visible gapping at seams. A whole-house humidifier on the HVAC system is effectively required for any bamboo install in heating climates.

Solid vs Engineered: Which to Choose

Solid 9/16 inch strand-woven bamboo nails or glues down to a wood subfloor. It cannot install over concrete without an elevated wood-frame underlayment system, which adds $1.20 to $2.40 per sq ft to the install cost. For ground-level slab installs, solid bamboo is the wrong choice.

Engineered strand-woven bamboo with click-lock construction installs over concrete with an approved underlayment and a 6-mil vapor barrier. This is the right choice for basements, ground-floor slabs, and any installation where the subfloor moisture varies seasonally.

Comparing Morning Star to Other Bamboo Brands

Against Cali Bamboo, USFloors Natural Bamboo, and EcoTimber, Morning Star runs 15 to 30 percent cheaper on equivalent strand-woven product. Cali Bamboo has the strongest current reputation for quality control and warranty service. EcoTimber and USFloors carry premium pricing but cleaner finish consistency.

For budget-conscious buyers who want the durability advantages of strand-woven without the premium pricing, Morning Star is competitive. For homeowners who want the best possible bamboo at premium pricing, Cali Bamboo Eco-Engineered or USFloors are better choices despite costing 20 to 35 percent more.

Installation Considerations

Acclimation is critical for bamboo. Stack the cartons flat in the install room for 7 to 10 days at the home’s normal living temperature and 35 to 55 percent relative humidity. Skipping acclimation is the most common cause of post-install gapping, cupping, and seam separation on bamboo floors.

Use a moisture meter to confirm the bamboo and subfloor are within 4 percent of each other in moisture content before installation. The standard practice on oak — checking at 2 percent variance — is too lenient for bamboo. Tighter tolerances pay off in fewer callback issues.

Real-World Durability

Seven-year inspections across 14 installs show mixed results that correlate strongly with install quality and home humidity control. Floors in homes with consistent humidity (35 to 55 percent year-round) look excellent at year seven with no visible gapping and minimal wear.

Floors in homes that drop below 25 percent humidity in winter show visible seasonal gapping at every seam and may show seam separation that does not recover when humidity returns to normal. That outcome is on the home’s HVAC setup more than the product, but the result is the same regardless of who is responsible.

Maintenance Requirements

Daily care is straightforward. Sweep or dust-mop, damp-mop weekly with bamboo-specific cleaner from Bona, Method, or the manufacturer’s branded product. Avoid steam mops, oil soap products, and anything wax-based.

Felt pads on every chair and table leg are non-negotiable. Replace them every 8 to 12 months. Keep humidity between 35 and 55 percent year-round — that single discipline determines whether a bamboo floor lasts 20 years or starts failing at year five.

Who Should Buy Morning Star Bamboo Flooring

The right buyer wants the dent resistance of strand-woven bamboo at a sub-$5 per sq ft price point, has consistent year-round humidity control in the home, and is comfortable buying a product with a complicated brand history. Morning Star bamboo flooring delivers real value in that scenario. If you live in a heating climate without HVAC humidification, expect seasonal gapping issues regardless of brand. If you prioritize premium brand reputation or want maximum resale appeal, Cali Bamboo or a quality engineered hardwood is the better fit despite the higher cost. Order 12 percent overage on the first round, store the spares in conditioned space for future repairs, and confirm the installer has handled strand-woven bamboo specifically. That combination of habits produces a floor that performs to spec and lasts 15 to 20 years rather than falling into the bad-review category that haunts this product line.