Discovered a simple trick for stretching carpet in tight hallway corners

I had a job last week in a 1960s house with a narrow hallway leading to three bedrooms. The corners were so tight my knee kicker couldn't get a good grip near the baseboards. I tried using a scrap piece of tack strip as a lever point against the wall, and it worked perfectly to get that final stretch without damaging the drywall. Has anyone else used a similar trick for awkward spots like that?

2 comments

2 Comments

terryh2028d ago

Man that's a clever trick. I've been in similar spots and used a flat pry bar wrapped in duct tape to get that same leverage without scratching up the wall. You gotta be careful not to push too hard though, I had a buddy try something like that and he ended up putting a dent in the drywall right where the baseboard meets the corner. Maybe try a piece of thick cardboard between the tool and the wall to spread out the pressure. I've also had luck using a 2x4 block wedged against the opposite wall to brace the kicker when the corner is too tight for a normal approach.

phoenix2928d ago

Terry I've done that cardboard trick myself and it works wonders. I use a piece of 1/4 inch plywood cut to about 4x6 inches with a little notch filed out for the pry bar tip. That way the pressure spreads out nice and even and you don't have to worry about denting the drywall. One thing I'd add is to put a thin strip of carpet tape on the back of the cardboard piece so it stays put while you're working. Saves you from having to hold it with your other hand. I've also found that if you go slow and keep the pry bar almost flat against the wall you can get that baseboard loose without any damage at all. Just takes a little patience.