Used to stretch carpet the old way with a knee kicker... not anymore

I spent like 8 years just using a knee kicker on every job. Thought it was fine, got the job done. Then I bought a power stretcher about 6 months ago after I did a 15x20 room in a house out in Salem and the customer complained about ripples within a week. Had to go back and re-do the whole thing for free. Now I use the power stretcher on anything over 10 feet and it cuts my time in half and the carpet lays completely flat. Anyone else make the switch and wonder how you survived without one?

2 comments

2 Comments

hunt.nora12d ago

Oh man, I gotta disagree with you on this one. I've been using a knee kicker for 15 years on every job and rarely get callbacks about ripples. It's more about your technique and how tight you stretch each section than the tool itself. I tried a power stretcher once and it felt like overkill for most residential rooms in my area.

lee.drew12d ago

Yeah, but saying "it's more about your technique" kinda skips over the fact that not everyone has 15 years of practice. I've been at this for 7 years and I'd bet your first few jobs with a knee kicker probably had some wrinkles too, right? I think power stretchers are a safety net for the rest of us who don't have that muscle memory dialed in yet. Plus, for bigger rooms or tricky patterns, a knee kicker just can't get the same tension without risking damage. Not saying you're wrong for your setup, just that it ain't one-size-fits-all for every installer out there.