I always thought those knee kickers were just for old school guys

Had a job last week in a tight hallway, maybe 30 inches wide, trying to stretch in a 12 foot runner. My power stretcher wouldn't fit without taking the door off. Out of ideas, I grabbed my old knee kicker from the truck, the one I never use. Did a light tack strip on the far wall and used the kicker to get a solid stretch across the width before finishing with the power stretcher down the length. It saved me at least an hour of messing with the door frame. Who still uses a knee kicker for tricky spots like that?

4 comments

4 Comments

kellys781mo ago

Nah, I gotta disagree. Knee kickers are a crutch. That tight spot? I would have just notched the stretcher head or used a side kick. A knee kicker can leave dimples in the carpet, especially on a direct glue down like that runner. I've fixed too many jobs where someone "just gave it a kick" and messed up the pile. The right power stretcher attachment gets it done clean every time.

the_linda1mo ago

Wait, you're notching stretcher heads on a glue down? On a runner? Honestly that sounds way more risky to me than a careful knee kick. One wrong move with that notch and you've cut into the carpet backing right where it's glued. At least a dimple from a kicker you can usually steam out. A slice in the backing is a permanent repair.

drewgonzalez1mo ago

That tight corner last week, I just used a side kick like @the_linda said.

kellyjones1mo ago

Ever steam out a cut in the backing?