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Hot take: I used to think a knee kicker was fine for every stretch-in job.
For years, I'd just use my knee kicker on everything, even big rooms. I figured a power stretcher was overkill unless it was a huge space. Then I did a 15 by 20 foot living room in a split-level house last month, with a dense berber. I kicked it in and it looked great that day. The homeowner called me back two weeks later saying they had ripples by the main walkway. I went back, and sure enough, it had relaxed. I had to re-stretch the whole area with my power stretcher. That was the moment it clicked for me. The knee kicker just doesn't get the same permanent tension on anything over a certain size or with certain piles. Now I break out the power stretcher for any room bigger than maybe 12 by 15 feet, no questions asked. Has anyone else had a job that made them switch up their stretching tools for good?
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willowc606mo ago
Oh man, THIS is the lesson you only learn the hard way! I had the EXACT same thing happen on a long hallway with a plush pile, thought my knee kicker was enough and got the callback shame. It's crazy how it can feel tight when you're done, but that tension just vanishes. Now my power stretcher comes out for anything bigger than a closet, no joke. That tool is a lifesaver for keeping things flat for good.
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emery_lane6mo ago
Respectfully, a power stretcher is overkill for most jobs if you know how to use a knee kicker right. That extra gear is bulky and a pain to set up in small spaces. A good installer can get lasting tension on a hallway with proper technique and a solid kick. The tool doesn't make the install, the skill does. Callbacks happen when the prep work is rushed, not just because of the tool choice.
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emmareed5mo ago
But @emery_lane, a knee kicker just can't pull the same tension across a whole room.
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