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Changed my mind about using a knee kicker on stairs after a job in Springfield
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jamie_white1mo ago
Yeah, a power stretcher is the only way to go on stairs... knee kicker just won't get it tight enough.
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oliver_morgan1mo ago
Gotta disagree with you there, @jamie_white. A good knee kicker with the right technique can get stairs plenty tight. Power stretcher is overkill for most stair jobs.
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kimr1026d agoTop Commenter
You said "a good knee kicker with the right technique can get stairs plenty tight" but I think you're forgetting about the actual layout of the stairs. A knee kicker works fine on straight runs, but what about when you hit a bullnose step or a weird angle on a landing? That's where the power stretcher shines because it gives you consistent tension across the whole width without fighting the curve or the nosing. Plus, on stairs with an open side or a waterfall pattern, a power stretcher lets you lock the carpet in place way better without messing up the pattern alignment. Have you ever tried using a knee kicker on a set of stairs that has like three different directions to it?
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