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I used to think a cheap knee kicker was fine for small jobs
For years I had this old, basic knee kicker I bought used for maybe forty bucks. It worked okay on standard cut pile stuff in small rooms, so I never saw the point in spending more. Then I got a job installing a dense, plush wool carpet in a big master bedroom. That cheap tool just would not grab the backing right. I spent over two hours fighting with it, re-stretching the same corner three times, and my knees were killing me. I finally had to stop, drive to the supplier, and drop $220 on a good, heavy-duty kicker with a sharp head. Finished the room in thirty minutes with a perfect stretch. I lost half a day's pay and a lot of frustration. Has anyone else had a tool let them down on a specific type of carpet?
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wendyking6mo ago
My old Ford pickup was the same way, fine for local runs but a total liability on a real haul. Cameron538 is right about the hidden damage, a cheap tool just pushes problems down the road. You don't know what you're missing until the job demands more.
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cameron5387mo ago
It's not just about the carpet type. A cheap kicker can actually damage the backing on delicate stuff, leaving you with a weak stretch that fails later.
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