Who Invented The Carpet Knee Kicker

How One Man’s Sore Knees Changed the Carpet Industry Forever!

"Alright, imagine this… It’s 1929. The Great Depression is starting, but there’s a man, sweating, frustrated, and fighting a stubborn piece of carpet like it owes him money. His knees hurt. His back is screaming. And then… he has an idea. BOOM. The knee kicker is born.

Today, I’m telling you the true and slightly dramatic story of Roy Roberts, the guy who saved carpet installers everywhere from a life of back pain and suffering. Let’s go!"


The Problem: Carpet Installers Were Struggling 

Before Roy came along, installing carpet was a total nightmare. No fancy stretchers, no easy tools—just a dude on his hands and knees, yanking and pulling like he’s in a wrestling match with the floor.

These guys were out here manually stretching carpet across rooms, getting sore backs, bruised knees, and probably cursing under their breath well, we still do that

Imagine being a carpet installer in the 1920s

  • No knee kickers.
  • No power stretchers.
  • Just pure pain and suffering.

"Something had to change."


Roy Roberts: The Genius Behind the Knee Kicker 

"This is where our hero, Roy Roberts, steps in. Roy was a carpet installer in California, and let’s just say—he had had enough.

Legend has it, one day, Roy was installing carpet and thought,
‘Man, I need a way to stretch this thing without feeling like I just lost a boxing match.

And then it hit him…What if I could use my legs instead of just my arms?

So Roy took some wood, metal, and pure innovation, and built the first-ever knee kicker—a tool that lets you use your leg power to stretch carpet instead of breaking your back.

"And just like that… carpet installation was changed forever."


The Impact: How the Knee Kicker Changed the Game 

Before Roy’s invention, carpet installers took forever to finish a job. After? Boom! Faster installs, less pain, and better results.

More speed equals More money.
Less back pain equals Longer careers.
And let’s be real… installers everywhere owe this man a thank-you card."


Roy Roberts, we salute you.


The Legacy Lives On 

So next time you grab your knee kicker and effortlessly stretch a carpet into place, remember—you’re holding a piece of history.

Roy Roberts didn’t just make a tool. He saved knees, backs, and countless careers.

Now, tell me in the comments—what’s one tool you couldn’t live without as a carpet installer?Let’s chat!

Like, Subscribe, and I’ll see you in the next one!

 

Back to blog