Installing Carpet: Power Stretcher?

Unregistered

Is a power stretcher always required to install carpet? Or is something called a "kicker" sufficient?

Mike Finley

I do not install carpet but it is my understanding that installing carpet without a power stretcher is asking for trouble down the road. I am under the understanding that an installer trying to do a house without one is not someone you want installing your carpet.

If it is a little tiny area it may not be as critical as a normal size room.

Floorwizard

A power stretcher is the best choice for larger areas, even rooms.
closets on the other hand........

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"in 20 years you will regret more what you did not do than what you did"

Don Benham

A power stretcher is the only way to install stretched in carpet. A "kicker" is a positioning tool, not a stretcher. Anyone trying to use a kicker to stretch carpet is

1. untrained
2. a hack
3. or, underpaid and trying to get too much work done in one day

A person not using the proper stretching tools will generally cut other corners as well. Such as, not using seam sealer, not allowing carpet to warm up to room temperature, etc.

My stretcher is used in every situation that it will fit. Even if I only use the power unit and a 2x4 in a hallway.

click here and follow the link to read the standards in PDF form. Don't let any installer or salesman tell you it's not neccassary.

Don

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Benham Flooring
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Look, I know the voices in my head aren't real, it's just that lately they've had some really good points.

Teetorbilt

I remember when a kicker was all that we had and it worked fine unfortunately after a while your knee didn't.