What is a Knee Kicker?
A knee kicker is a tool helpful for installing carpet on stairs and small areas, including closets, and also used to position carpet in larger areas. A knee kicker is a handled tool that consists of a pin plate attached to a short segment of metal tubing. On the opposite end of the pin plate is a padded cushion where the installer applies pressure with his or her knee to position the carpet, hence the tool’s name. Although it may be used as such, the knee kicker is not sufficient for general stretching; a power stretcher is required for that task. In a normal four corner room, a knee kicker takes up the excess sag from the carpet in the center of the room. An installer will use a knee kicker to pull the carpet toward the edge of the room and then hook it onto a tackless strip. The tackless strip, or tack strip, consists of wood with tack points that hook onto the backing of the carpet. The edge, after being trimmed of excess, is tucked between the strip and the baseboard, usually with
A knee kicker is a tool helpful for installing carpet on stairs and small areas, including closets, and also used to position carpet in larger areas. A knee kicker is a handled tool that consists of a pin plate attached to a short segment of metal tubing. On the opposite end of the pin plate is a padded cushion where the installer applies pressure with his or her knee to position the carpet, hence the tool’s name. Although it may be used as such, the knee kicker is not sufficient for general stretching; a power stretcher is required for that task. In a normal four corner room, a knee kicker takes up the excess sag from the carpet in the center of the room. An installer will use a knee kicker to pull the carpet toward the edge of the room and then hook it onto a tackless strip. The tackless strip, or tack strip, consists of wood with tack points that hook onto the backing of the carpet. The edge, after being trimmed of excess, is tucked between the strip and the baseboard, usually wit
