How to Caulk around a Kitchen Sink (6 Easy Steps)

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A proper seal around your kitchen sink prevents water from seeping down below and destroying your kitchen cabinets. Therefore, you need to ensure a proper caulk around the kitchen sink.

Although you might have the rim already present around the sink, this tends to crack up with time. So, you need to timely caulk the sink to prevent any damage due to moisture. And you do not have to call a plumber for the task, we will guide you on how to do it yourself!

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6 Easy Ways to Caulk around a Kitchen Sink

Scrub and clean

Begin by scrubbing and cleaning the area around the sink. Hygiene is important, so make sure you clean off the stains before you remove the caulk. Once you are done cleaning, follow the steps mentioned below to change/caulk your kitchen sink.

Removing the old caulk

Removing the old caulk might seem a bit tough, but if you use a knife or a cutter for the purpose you will be done with the task in no time. Make sure you rip off all the old caulk. And at the same time ensure you dry the area. We say this because the new caulk will not stick to your old caulk neither will it stay on wet surfaces. You may clean up any residue with alcohol to ensure that the surface is completely clean.

Applying the caulk

Now its time to apply the new caulk, but you need to prepare your sink for that. Begin by applying painter’s tape to the sink edges. When applying you must make sure that you leave some space to apply the caulk. Although this is an additional step, the tape will ensure that a neat caulk is applied and that too in a straight line.

Now grab your caulk tube and cut off the tip of the tube. Make sure the width of this cut is almost like the space between your sink and the painter’s tape. This will ensure minimum mess and a clean caulking experience.

The caulk Gun

Now its time for some real action! Insert the caulk tube into the caulk gun after cutting off its tip. Make sure the plunger does not get stuck during the process. Once inserted you can test the caulk on some rough paper and see if you are okay using the gun.

You may pull the plunger too much or too little depending on your hand movement. Try adjusting your hand to the gun and then begin with the caulking process. Starting from the edge of the rim, put the tip of the gun and press lightly to caulk the edge. Continue the motion and move your hands in the direction of the painter’s tape. Make sure the tip is near the space so that a firm caulk is done.

Wind up

After you are done caulking the entire sink edge, move the painter’s tape you applied earlier. To make a firm seal, apply some water to your finger, and firmly press it over the caulk. Smooth all the caulk you applied in this way.

This step will ensure that the caulk is firmly in place with no protruding edges either with the sink or the countertop. You may need to wet your finger frequently to speed up and smoothen the process.

Cleaning up

After the application of the caulk, it is time to check if there is any cleaning required. If you used the painter’s tape, you may not need to follow this tip. However, if you happen to see the caulk spread, or move much away from the rim, you can clean it up with a wet paper towel. This will remove any excess caulk and give you a great clean finish.

Finally, you must leave your sink dry and unused for 24 hours, for the caulk to set in. If you do not follow this, the caulk may scrape off and all your hard work may go down the drain. Kudos!! You are done caulking your sink, without having to call a plumber. You will feel great after completing this task on your own; do let us know if you have any more tips to speed or improve the process.

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Pat Abbaticchio

Pat is the former Luxury Sales Specialist of Groupe Deschenes. He has experience of 15+ years in the home improvement industry. He is now the Senior Sales Officer at The Rubinet Faucet Company.