Update: I used to think power stretchers were overkill for small rooms

Did a 12x14 living room in a 1950s bungalow last month, and the homeowner wanted a specific patterned carpet. I used my old knee kicker method, and within two weeks, they called back with ripples already forming. Went back with my PowerMax 2000, re-stretched it properly, and it's been flawless for over a month now. The extra tension from the power head is non-negotiable for any modern synthetic, right? Anyone else have a 'small job' that proved a tool wasn't optional?

3 comments

3 Comments

caleb_hill2mo ago

Funny how that works. My buddy swore his manual tile cutter was fine for a small bathroom floor. Tried it on some new porcelain planks, and the cuts were so rough he had to redo the whole border. Ended up renting a wet saw for a day, and the difference was night and day. Sometimes the right tool just saves you from a callback, even on a tiny space.

the_wendy2mo ago

Used to think that too, lesson learned!

jennifercooper1mo ago

Wait, did he try a manual cutter or a snap cutter? Because a good snap cutter with a carbide wheel can actually handle porcelain pretty well if you score it deep enough. The cheap ones with the little steel wheel are the real problem, they just skate right over the hard glaze.

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