Rant: I still use a knee kicker instead of power stretching and I think it gives better results

Everybody in this sub swears by power stretchers now. I started installing 22 years ago in Cleveland and we only used knee kickers. I know the new tools are faster but I had to redo a job last week where the new guy used a power stretcher and left wrinkles near the wall. My old method takes longer but I can feel when the carpet is actually tight. Has anyone else gone back to the old tools after trying the new ones?

2 comments

2 Comments

susanh4628d ago

Hold on there. You mentioned knee kickers work better and power stretchers leave wrinkles, but in my experience the issue is usually technique not the tool. I've been installing since 1985 and a power stretcher won't cause wrinkles if you use it right and stretch in the proper sequence, especially along the wall where the gripper is. The real problem is that it sounds like that new guy didn't kick or stretch the carpet close enough to the wall before trimming it. A knee kicker is fine for small rooms or tight spots, but for a big open area a power stretcher does a more even job if you know how to work it right.

nathan_foster6028d ago

You're probably right, experience counts more than the tool in most cases.