Am I the only one who thinks power stretchers are overrated for residential rooms?

I tried using just a knee kicker on a 12x15 bedroom in Denver last week and honestly the carpet lays flat as can be. Everyone in my crew told me I was crazy and that it would wrinkle up in a week but it's been 7 days now and nothing. I think if you know how to work the material right and the room isn't massive you can skip the big stretcher. Most of these 10x12 bedrooms with a closet don't need all that extra hardware. What's your take on this have you ever skipped the power stretcher and it worked out fine?

2 comments

2 Comments

grace_white29d ago

Preach. Same experience here. I've been installing carpet for about 6 years and I only break out the power stretcher for rooms over 200 square feet or if there's a weird L-shape or hallway involved. Did a 10x12 last month with nothing but a knee kicker and a good stair tool and it's still tight. People forget that the stretch and release method matters way more than the tool. If you take your time and don't rush the kicker strokes the carpet will lock in fine. Your crew is just stuck on old school rules that don't apply to every job. Unless you're working with super thick padding or a heavy commercial carpet that little bedroom isn't going anywhere.

linda50029d ago

@grace_white nailed it honestly. A knee kicker does the job just fine for most small bedrooms if you know what you're doing. Your crew's probably just used to playing it safe every time.