Is it time to have you’re carpets replaced in your home? Even in the fuzzy world of carpets there is the right tool and the wrong tool for the job.
The 2 main tools used for carpet instillations are not created equal nor are they interchangeable. What are they? The knee kicker and the power stretcher.
The knee kicker is a carpet placement tool. This tool is used to get the carpet into position, to line up patterns and adjust seams (if seaming is required).
The power stretcher is a carpet stretching tool. This tool uses a camming action to stretch the carpet over the pins on tack strip (the little strips of wood around the perimeter of a room with nails, or pins, pointed upwards). Through it’s camming action the power stretcher multiplies the force you put on the lever at a rate of 12:1, a knee kicker cannot achieve this same level of stretch.
Manufacturers require carpets to be stretched at a rate of 1.5-2% of the length and the power stretcher is the only tool designed to meet this requirement. Not using a power stretcher on your carpet installation will void the warranty and lead to wrinkles and bubbles down the road because the carpet isn’t tight.
As a CFI certified installer you can be assured that 21st Century Flooring has the right tools for the job.
CFI#18531
