Caulking a kitchen counter is a simple but crucial step to protecting your counter and making it look great. Get the details here.
Caulking your kitchen counter? Here’s how to choose the right product and get clean, professional-looking results.
Countertop caulk is vital for protecting and beautifying your counter space and cabinetry. Without a good sealant, water can seep into cracks and corners, getting down into the cabinets below or behind them. Over time, this can cause mould and eventually rot the wood.
Fortunately, this is easily prevented by sealing corners, edges, and other places where two surfaces are joined. Caulking your kitchen counter can also be a quick and inexpensive way to make the entire area look fresh and clean.
There are many types of sealant to choose from, so how do you know what to buy?
Thankfully, it is not as complicated as it might seem. When selecting a sealant for a kitchen counter (or bathroom counter), choose one labeled for that purpose. Sealants are generally labeled for windows and doors (exterior grade), kitchen and bath, or painter’s caulk for sealing interior trim before painting.
Kitchen countertop caulk also falls into two general categories: silicone, which is not paintable, or acrylic latex, which will hold paint. Let’s look at a few details about each.
Pure silicone has many excellent qualities as a countertop caulk. It is extremely waterproof, and it stays flexible and adheres well without cracking or drying out. However, paint will not stick to pure silicone. Silicone sealant is available in a wide variety of colours and you will probably find one that closely matches your counter. So, if painting is not an issue, silicone may be your best choice.
We recommend LePage 2in1 Seal & Bond Kitchen & Bath Silicone which is the best caulk for a kitchen counter without the need to be painted. Seal & Bond is a premium sealant that also serves as an adhesive. That means a durable, long-lasting bond. The special formula is effective at preventing mould growth and cleans up easily with just water. It also dries fast, withstanding water contact in just two hours.
In some cases, your counter or fixtures may meet up with a painted surface, so a paintable caulk may be needed. This calls for an acrylic latex sealant. These are also quite good at sealing out moisture and will hold up well.
Latex sealant is also generally easier to work with since clean up is easier. There are now many silicone-fortified latex caulks on the market that provide many of the benefits of pure silicone in a paintable sealant.
LePage 2in1 Seal & Bond Interior Adhesive is the paintable version of the silicone product mentioned above. It shares many of the same characteristics as Seal & Bond Silicone, but it is paintable in less than an hour after application. It creates a flexible, durable bond that can match whatever colour surrounds it.
Now, let’s cover how to apply countertop caulk step by step.
Soap and water is fine for cleaning up some types of silicone, but if you need something stronger, try a citrus-based hand cleaner or isopropyl alcohol and a towel.
Granite countertops are quite popular and make for a beautiful upgrade to your kitchen. Silicone is the most common type of sealant for granite countertops and backsplashes. Make sure that the variety you choose is compatible with stone surfaces and choose the colour that most closely matches your granite or use a clear silicone.
LePage 2in1 Seal & Bond Silicone, mentioned above, would be an excellent choice.
