Overheard a builder say stretch-ins ruin better carpets - got me thinking

I was at a supply shop near Cleveland last Tuesday and heard two guys arguing about whether power stretchers actually damage high end carpets like wool or triexta. One said the tension pulls the backing apart over time, the other said improper installation ruins it way faster. What do you all think - is there a real difference in how you stretch a $6 per yard carpet versus a $15 per yard one, or is it all about the skill of the installer?

2 comments

2 Comments

paige_west17d ago

Wait they said a knee kicker on wool and called it good? That's insane. I'd be sick watching someone do that to a nice carpet.

quinnj2420d ago

You ever seen what happens when a guy uses a knee kicker on a high-end wool carpet and calls it good? The real issue isn't the power stretcher itself, it's that a lot of installers skip the power stretcher on cheaper carpets because they're in a rush. A $15 yard carpet like wool needs the same tension as a cheap one, but the backing is more delicate, so you gotta be careful not to over-stretch it. If the installer knows what they're doing, the tool isn't the problem.