Heard a guy at the supply house say you can skip the power stretcher on small rooms

I was picking up a roll of 12 foot pad in Cincinnati last week and overheard another installer telling the counter guy he never uses a power stretcher for rooms under 100 square feet. Said he just kicks it in with a knee kicker. That's a fast track to wrinkles in six months, maybe less. I did a 90 sq ft bedroom three years ago with a proper stretch and it's still flat as a board. The extra 20 minutes with the right tool saves you a callback and a ruined reputation. Has anyone else had to fix a job where someone tried to cut that corner?

3 comments

3 Comments

sean_robinson23d ago

So what's his plan when he hits a 95 square foot room with a big closet cutout? That's not a simple rectangle anymore, and a knee kicker won't get tension into those back corners. Does he just leave it loose and hope the baseboard holds it?

the_shane2d ago

Saw a video where a guy tried that shortcut. Ended up with a bubble in the corner that never went away.

black.richard23d ago

Tell you what, I had to tear out a hallway job last year for that exact reason. Homeowner said the previous guy "saved time" by knee kicking a simple rectangle. Looked okay for a few months, then waves showed up you could trip on. Ended up costing me a full day to rip and re-stretch it right. Honestly, some guys just don't want to carry the tool in the house.