Old timer at the supply house told me to stop using a knee kicker for everything. Changed my whole approach after he showed me his method on a tricky stair job.

2 comments

2 Comments

torres.leo8d agoTop Commenter

Changed my whole approach" is a strong claim but knee kickers have their place. I stick with mine for about 80% of residential work and just adjust my technique on stairs instead of ditching it completely.

palmer.jana7d ago

Wait, are you saying you use a knee kicker on stairs? Like the same one you'd use for a straight hallway? I've been doing installs for a while now and I've seen way too many ripped seams from people trying to finesse a knee kicker on a step. The angle is just wrong for getting good engagement with the subfloor or tackless. I get that you don't want to carry extra tools, but a hand stretcher is cheap and way safer for stairs. It takes a little practice but the control is totally different once you get the hang of it. Seems like a big risk to save a couple minutes.