Installing a new countertop or remodeling your old one can completely transform your kitchen. But this beauty can easily be ruined if there are some problems with the finished project, like a gap between your wall and countertop, even if it is only a small one.
The good news is that you are one of many wondering how to fill the large gap between the countertop and the wall. I’ve also been in the same situation, and back then, I was almost ready to let the gap be.
But thankfully, all hope was recovered because I learned a few ways of solving the issue without ruining or marring the beauty of the original work. If you have the tools, training, and knowledge, you can try fixing the problem yourself.
Table of Contents
- How to fill a large gap between the countertop and wall
- How do you fill a one inch gap between cabinets and walls
- How do you caulk between countertops and walls
- How do you fill a space between a sink and a wall
- Caulk the space
How to fill a large gap between the countertop and wall
You may wonder why you should learn how to fill the large gap between the countertop and the wall. After all, you can just leave it be, so why fix it, anyway?
Well, there are several good reasons why you should fix that large gap between your wall and countertop, and it will help you realize why you should do it soon.
Bugs
Bugs can be a severe nuisance inside your home, and that large gap between your wall and counter is the perfect hiding spot for them to hang out. Worse, these gaps can make it more difficult for you to get rid of the bugs.
Aesthetics
This is the most apparent reason why you should be filling that gap. It would only look great if your countertop was kept from your wall.
Moisture
There will likely be lots of water on your counter if you regularly use it for cooking and food preparation. It can become a severe problem since the water might run down the gap between your counter and the wall. This will then lead to rot and mold, both of which are never a good thing.
How do you fill a one inch gap between cabinets and walls
Unattractive gaps between your cabinets and walls, even if these are only an inch, can ruin your kitchen’s overall appearance.
To save you from the frustration, you can follow these tips that I tried to fix the same issue:
| Clean dirt and dust from your cabinet and wall. Put painter’s tape on a straight light to the cabinet and the wall on both sides of the gap to ensure the caulk doesn’t get on the wall texture and into the woodwork |
| Cut the tip off the tube of waterproof latex caulk to your preferred bead size. See that the cut is straight instead of angled to ensure you can move more freely when caulking. The cut tip must also be slightly smaller than the gap’s size to avoid overflow. Use the tool attached to your caulking gun or a long nail or wire to pierce the tube’s inner seal. |
| Fit the caulk tube in your caulking gun, pushing in the plunger until it touches the tube’s end. Squeeze the caulking gun’s triggers for the caulk to move to the tube’s tip. |
| Put the caulking gun’s tip at the start of the gap. Make sure you hold the gun to the joint at an angle and let the caulk flow by squeezing the trigger. Move down the tip slowly along the joint as you press the trigger to fill the gap with a steady bead of caulk. |
| Stop after caulking around two feet of the tension. Release the caulking gun’s tension to stop the caulk from flowing, and use the tip of your finger to smooth the caulk bead. Use a damp sponge or cloth to remove excess caulk from the joint immediately. Glide it softly down the caulk line and ensure you don’t remove any caulk as you do. |
| Repeat the fourth step until you fill all the gaps with caulk. Ensure that the caulk gun always moves toward you instead of away from you. Let the caulk dry. |
| Check for any shrinkage on the caulked spots. Put more caulk on the areas where it retracted. Two or three applications are often required when filling significant gaps between the countertop and wall. After the caulk dries out, you can remove the tape from the cabinet and wall and use a scraper to remove any dried caulk in areas that aren’t required. |
How do you caulk between countertops and walls
Caulk works the same way as glue, and no additional treatment is required for wood. Consider adding a backer rod if necessary when caulking between countertops and walls. It will shorten the required caulk and help achieve stability by pushing it evenly against the sides.
See that you choose a caulk that can be painted to match your counter and wall. Caulk should also be applied evenly, a single bead or steady line, and only be used in a gap measuring a quarter of one inch or less.
You can get caulk in squeeze tubes that will secure your caulk gun. Caulk guns are moderately sized hand tools that let you fasten the caulk squeeze tube to them, open up the tube’s nozzle, and use a trigger to distribute the caulk.
The trigger will push the plunger downward, forcing out more caulk from the tube to save you from effort and lots of work.
How do you fill a space between a sink and a wall
Let me share the different methods you can try to fill the space between my sink and the wall behind it.
Caulk the space
If the gap between your sink and wall is small, you can quickly fix it with the help of transparent caulk. Smaller holes don’t require a backer rod for filling things in. You can use tape on the walls to avoid smearing and achieve an extra crisp line.
Invest in thicker backsplash
A backsplash is another easy way to fill the gap between your walls and sink. A thicker backsplash can make gaps look almost nonexistent while helping you achieve the look of your sink flushed against your wall.
Apply a bathroom sealant tap
For small to medium gaps, bathroom sealant tape can remove small but visible spaces between a sink and a wall.
Apply a backer rod and caulk
Placing a backer rod in the gap between your sink and wall is an easy way to fill medium-sized gaps. After placing the backer rod, you can seal it with caulk and blend it with its surroundings.
- About the Author
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John Thompson, Writer and Commentator, EvolutDesign.com
Soldier, writer, researcher, consultant, and bon vivant, John Thompson is the author of numerous columns, op-eds, reports, briefs, short stories and books as the “Felicity Files” and “Spirit Over Steel: A Chronology of the Second World War” (version III). Often found hunched over his computer, or in his garden, and now often found doing both. His diverse talent has led him to work in industries and projects such as energy, security and home construction and renovation. To see the entire team at Evolutdesign.com, visit Our Team page.
