ellis.susan•1mo agoProlific Poster

Warning: The new foam backed carpet is a nightmare to stretch compared to the old jute stuff

I just finished a job in a 20 year old house in Bakersfield where we pulled up the original jute-backed carpet. The new foam-backed stuff we put down was a fight from the start. Over the last five years, I've seen the switch from jute to foam become the standard, and my knee kicker time has gone up by at least 30% per room. The foam just doesn't grip the tack strips the same way, and it feels like you're stretching against a rubber band. Has anyone found a power stretter head that really bites into this new backing without tearing it?

3 comments

3 Comments

shanelee1mo ago

Tell me about it. I spent half an hour on a small bedroom last week, and my knee feels like it's seventy years old. I swear the foam just laughs at a standard kicker. Have you tried one of those heads with the wider, flatter teeth?

patricia5581mo agoTop Commenter

Switched to a wider head and it actually works.

nancy8171mo ago

Funny you mention that, my buddy who does floors for a living swears by the wider head for tricky corners. He says the extra width lets you get a better angle on baseboard trim without having to reposition the whole machine every two seconds. Makes a huge difference on old houses where nothing is square.