Countertops and cabinets for kitchens are a costly investment. The design and style of your kitchen's cabinets are a major investment. You'd like to protect your investment and prolong their useful life. If the sink was properly installed, its edges were sealed to prevent water from getting into the gap between the countertop and cabinetry. But caulking will deteriorate over time and cause cracks which could lead to cracks in the sealwater leaks between the counter, the sink and the cabinet beneath the sink. Mold develops, wood rots, and if left unchecked the result will be enough damage to require to be repaired or replaced. Another major investment, sadly. Do you need to caulk Around a Kitchen Sink?The damage to water is easily prevented and the prevention of it is simple and affordable for even the novice. It's easy to clean away old caulk and prepare the area to apply the correct caulk. Silicone caulk is the best option. It is impervious to moisture and resistant to mold and mildew. It acts as a seal between the sink and countertop as well as helping to keep the sink in place. Silicone caulk and silicone sealant are often used interchangeably, but in this instance you'll need the caulk. It is more elastic than sealant, more elastic, and repels water and moisture. The sealant is better used on windows. First, though, you need to prepare your workspace. How Do You Replace Silicone around a Sink?It is really quite simple. This step by step will walk you through it: A straight edge razor blade, or a utility knife, some denatured alcohol, a towel and some painter's tap are all that you require to prepare your work area correctly. Take the caulk off the counter as well as surrounding the sink. Make sure you get rid of all of it, or else the new caulk won't adhere correctly and fully to the surface of either. Wipe away all of the old caulk you've edged out, using denatured ethanol with a dry cloth. It should dry completely before you do anything else. Use painter's tape along the edge of the sink and the edge of the counter, creating straight lines along either side of the counter intersection. This can be done throughout the entire sink the sides and the front. How do you seal the edges of a kitchen sink?Let's now talk about caulk. For this sealing job you can use silicone caulk. You don't need an caulking gun if don’t have one. Instead, you can use the caulk made of silicone that is packaged in a tube. There are many colors available for silicone caulk, but the most popular is white. You can choose the color that will blend well with your kitchen countertop. Apply caulk to the counter/sink intersection within the area provided by the painter's tape. Make sure that the bead of silicone is even and uniform. Make sure you don't break the beads; if you have to lift the tube while applying start a quarter inch back from the edge of the bead to overlap the application. Squeeze that tube and apply the caulk to the sides of the sink forward, back, and the front. After you've applied the caulk, put on a rubber glove. Move your fingers around the sink. It will get messy, but you'll be grateful you used the glove. Once you've completed this and created an even surface around the sink, remove the tape used to paint. Don't let the caulk dry because the tape will pull the caulk with it and undo all the hard work and effort. Standard silicone caulks are dry to the surface within 30-60 minutes, but will take longer to set, between 12 and 24 hours, depending on humidity and temperature. Always use new caulk too.
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