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Had to choose between a power stretcher and a knee kicker for a tricky hallway job
Last month I was working on a 40-foot hallway in an old house in Portland, and the subfloor was uneven as anything. I usually reach for my knee kicker for quick stretches, but this job had me second-guessing that. I decided to go with the power stretcher even though it meant hauling it up three flights of stairs. It took me an extra 20 minutes to set up but the final stretch was way tighter and smoother than I could have done by hand. Customer even noticed the difference and asked what I did different. Has anyone else made that switch on a narrow setup and regret it or was it worth the extra hassle?
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nathan2891mo agoTop Commenter
I remember reading a blog post from some old-timer installer who swore by the power stretcher for any hallway over 15 feet. He said the knee kicker just can't get that last bit of tension out. Sounds like you found out for yourself it's worth the stairs.
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nathan2891mo agoTop Commenter
Yeah, that really changed my mind. I used to think a good knee kicker was all you needed for anything under 20 feet. But after fighting with a 16 foot hallway and having to redo a section three times, I finally broke down and hauled the power stretcher up a flight of stairs. It was a pain to get it up there, but the finished result was night and day. The carpet laid flat and tight all the way to the walls with no ripples or soft spots. Now I don't mess around anymore, I use the power stretcher on any run that's longer than maybe 12 feet.
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