If you’ve lived in Spokane for a while, you probably remember the big yellow and black signs. For years, the name "Lumber Liquidators" was synonymous with budget-friendly hardwood. But if you try to find lumber liquidators spokane wa today, you’ll notice something different. The name is gone. It’s now LL Flooring. This wasn't just a random marketing whim or a font change; it was a massive corporate pivot following years of legal headaches and a desperate need to distance the brand from its past.
Walking into the showroom on North Division Street or the one over in the Valley, you get a specific vibe. It’s high-volume. It’s practical. It’s very Eastern Washington. People here care about durability because, let’s be honest, our boots track in a lot of grit, snow, and pine needles. Whether you’re flipping a rental in Hillyard or trying to make a South Hill craftsman look "period correct" on a budget, this is usually the first stop. But honestly, buying flooring here requires a bit of an insider’s perspective to make sure you actually get a deal that lasts.
The Rebrand Reality: Why the Name Changed
The shift from Lumber Liquidators to LL Flooring was about survival. Around 2015, the company got hit with a devastating "60 Minutes" report regarding formaldehyde levels in their Chinese-made laminate. It was a mess. Sales tanked. Lawsuits piled up. The company eventually paid out millions in settlements.
By the time the Spokane locations swapped their signs, the goal was clear: convince the public that the "liquidator" days of questionable sourcing were over. Today, LL Flooring leans heavily into transparency. They’ve overhauled their compliance protocols. If you ask a rep at the Spokane store about Greenguard Gold certification, they won’t look at you like you’re crazy. They actually have the documentation now. It’s a complete 180 from the era that nearly bankrupt them.
The Spokane market is unique. We have extreme temperature swings. We go from 100-degree summers to sub-zero winters. That expansion and contraction ruins cheap floors. Because of that, the local staff tends to push engineered products or EVP (Enhanced Vinyl Plank) more than the old-school solid hardwoods that made them famous.
What Actually Sells at LL Flooring in Spokane
Most locals aren't looking for exotic Tigerwood anymore. They want stuff that can survive a muddy Labrador and a pair of snowy Sorels.
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The Rise of Waterproof Vinyl (EVP)
This is the bread and butter of the North Division location. CoreLuxe is their house brand. It’s basically a rock-and-plastic composite. It doesn’t swell when your dishwasher leaks or when the kids come in from the pool. In a city like Spokane, where basements are prone to that specific kind of Inland Northwest dampness, EVP is a savior.
Engineered Hardwood vs. Solid
Spokane’s dry air is a killer. In the winter, our indoor humidity drops to nothing. Solid wood shrinks. It gaps. You’ll see cracks big enough to swallow a credit card. LL Flooring sells a ton of engineered wood here because the cross-grain construction handles the Spokane climate better than solid planks ever could.
The Budget Laminates
They still carry the ultra-cheap stuff. You know, the stuff that’s $0.99 a square foot. Honestly? Be careful. While it looks okay in the box, the "wear layer" on the bottom-tier products is thin. If you’re doing a quick flip, fine. If you’re living there for twenty years, you’ll regret it.
The "Liquidator" Pricing Trap
The word "liquidator" stayed in the name for decades for a reason—it implies a steal. But is it always a deal? Not necessarily.
If you walk into the Spokane store during a "Big Sale," look at the total project cost, not just the price per square foot. LL Flooring makes a lot of its margin on the "jewelry"—the transition strips, the underlayment, and the baseboards. Sometimes the wood is cheap, but the matching stair nose is $60 for a tiny piece. It adds up.
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Also, Spokane has some incredible local competitors. You have Great Floors, and you have various independent shops. Before pulling the trigger at LL Flooring, take a sample and drive down the street. Sometimes the big-box "liquidation" price is actually higher than a local wholesaler’s everyday price once you factor in the high-end padding they try to upsell you.
Installation: The Spokane Subcontractor Gamble
Here is the thing about lumber liquidators spokane wa that most people miss: they don't usually employ the installers. They use a third-party network.
When you sign a contract for installation through the store, you’re paying LL Flooring, who then pays a local Spokane contractor. This can be great because the store stands behind the work (theoretically). However, it can also be a headache. You might get a master craftsman who has been laying floor in the Valley for thirty years, or you might get a crew that’s rushed and cutting corners.
If you’re picky, hire your own installer. Ask around in local Facebook groups or check the bulletin boards at the grocery store. A local independent installer might charge a bit more, but they’ll often take more time with the prep work. In Spokane's older homes, the subfloors are rarely level. If you don't level that floor, your new "click-lock" planks will start popping and squeaking within six months.
A Word on Sourcing and Safety
Post-scandal, the company is much stricter. They use the "Durability Map" and provide detailed VOC (Volatile Organic Compound) reports. If you have kids or pets crawling on the floor, this matters. Most of their current inventory meets or exceeds California’s CARB2 standards. It’s a far cry from the 2010s.
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But keep in mind, a lot of their stuff is still imported. Global shipping delays hit the Spokane warehouse just like everywhere else. If you find a floor you love, buy all of it at once. Don’t buy half now and hope the other half is there in a month. Dye lots change, and shipping containers get stuck. You don't want a "two-tone" living room because the second batch of laminate came from a different factory.
Actionable Steps for Spokane Homeowners
If you're ready to head down to the store, don't go in blind. Do this first.
- Measure and Add 15%: Don't just measure the square footage. Account for the "Spokane Factor"—older homes here have weird nooks and closets. You need more waste than a standard 10% for these layouts.
- The Humidity Test: Buy a $10 hygrometer from a hardware store. See what your home’s humidity is right now. If it’s under 30%, you need to be very careful with solid hardwood.
- Request a "Total Project Quote": Don't let them just give you the price of the planks. Ask for the price including the specific underlayment you need and every single transition strip.
- Check the Clearance Section: The Spokane stores often have "odd lots" at the back. If you’re just doing a small laundry room or a half-bath, you can find high-end $6.00/sq ft wood for a fraction of the cost because they only have 40 square feet left.
- Acclimate the Wood: This is the biggest mistake Spokane DIYers make. Our air is dry. When that wood comes off the truck, let it sit in your house for at least 72 hours—ideally a week. Let it breathe. If you install it immediately, it will move, and it won't be pretty.
The transition from Lumber Liquidators to LL Flooring marks a new era for the brand in Spokane. It's less about the "wild west" of liquidation and more about a standardized, corporate retail experience. It’s reliable, it’s generally safe, and the prices are competitive—as long as you watch the hidden costs and respect the local climate.
Buying floors is a big investment. Take a sample home. Look at it in the Spokane sunlight. Walk on it in your socks. If it feels right and the VOC numbers check out, you're probably good to go. Just remember to level that subfloor; your house in the Perry District or Shadle Park will thank you later.