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How do I fix this?

last year

We had to take off our granite countertop (and get new cabinets due to a dishwasher leak) and have it reinstalled. Now I have this messy situation going on in the corner. Everywhere else is fine but this annoying corner.


This is a very large insurance claim (had to have new hardwood installed, new cabinets, etc.).


I thought I could do this myself because I am sick of contractors being here all the time, but when I tried it looks awful.


How do I fix this? Hire a painter to patch it up better? Paint that entire wall? Will it match the rest of the kitchen?


Thanks for advice. We had to move out of our home for almost 3 months and I am so over this!









Comments (18)

  • last year

    It seems pretty small. You could use spackle to fill it. If it's deeper than 1/4", do multiple coats. I probably wouldn't even worry about texture and just paint it, but it looks like there is wall above the switch plate that needs to be textured. You can buy the stuff in a can, but if you're not really comfortable doing it, just have a painter come do it. Prime and paint after the texture.

    Dyan Weis thanked Susie .
  • last year

    It looks like someone did a bad caulk job there. I would scrape it all out, sand a bit, and recaulk it properly. Once dry, prime that area, and use your brush on the ends to pounce to get that slight texture back again. Once thats all dry, paint it and do the same pouncing with the end of a stiff bristle brush again, to get the texture right. If it looks like it needs a bit of spackle, before you recaulk, then do that before caulking, let it dry, sand it down, and then caulk.

    Dyan Weis thanked cat_ky
  • last year

    Oh so it needs caulked too? That's outside of my purview - lol. I probably need to have someone come over and do this (not me).


  • last year

    Yes it should be caulked. Actually, I notice grout between your backsplash and countertop. That should have been a matching type caulk, not grout.

    Dyan Weis thanked cat_ky
  • last year

    Yes, caulk, paintable caulk on the blue tape corner. And caulk between the counter & backsplash instead of grout.

    That's outside of my purview - lol.

    FWIW, I'm much better with a caulk gun than I am with a mascara wand. Easier to clean off caulk goofs, too.


    Dyan Weis thanked ci_lantro
  • last year

    If they used grout instead of caulk between the granite and tile, is it too late to caulk and can I do it over the grout? Thanks so much everyone.

  • last year

    " is it too late to caulk and can I do it over the grout? "


    Grout needs to be removed.

  • last year

    No caulking, ever over grout. Yes, it needs to be removed, or you can leave it until it cracks, and then pick it all out, and get it recaulked. By the way, did you get the spot on your floor repaired?

  • last year

    I don't know why tile installers like to put grout where caulk should go. Maybe laziness and they aren't around to see it crack. Wherever there is a change in plane or type of material, it should be caulk so that it can move. You should be able to buy caulk in the same color as your grout. Call your tile guy and have them do it.

  • last year

    Thank you all. Yes we got it all fixed. Lived in an Airbnb for 2 months because the hardwood on the entire 1st floor had to be sanded and stained. It’s been loads of fun. New cabinet too! Almost done. This is it!

  • last year

    Hope you are back in your house for Christmas.

  • last year

    Thanks. We are back home. Just working on this final issue. Then waiting for my reimbursement from our insurance. Hoping we don't get dropped after this - it was a big claim. :(

  • last year
    last modified: last year

    “I don't know why tile installers like to put grout where caulk should go.”

    Because it is a highly contentious recommendation by the TCNA and is not quite so firm as people here believe. Go over to the John Bridge forums and half of the pro’s there use grout instead of caulk whenever possible.

    The rule that many there use is caulk between floor and wall, but grout between counter and wall. The reason being, walls and floors are going to move separately. However, cabinets set on the floor but are attached to the wall and are likely to move with the wall. You get minimal, if any, cracking between counter and backsplash, especially if using a polymer modified grout.

    Grout is considered a permanent solution, where caulk is not. Grout should never need removal and reapplication, while caulk will. The TCNA seems to recognize that their recommendation is contentious because they also explain why installers may use grout.


    From the TCNA:

    Technically, anywhere there is a change in substrate or backing surface such as the joint between walks and floor and wall joint, caulk should be used in place of grout since these surfaces move independently of each other. However, it is important to recognize and make the end user aware of some important points.

    Often, installers use grout in place of caulk for these reasons:

    1. The caulk may not exactly match the grout color.
    2. Even when the caulk exactly matches the grout color when installed, it may not match six months later (caulk will “age” differently from the grout).
    3. Caulk will need to be maintained more often than grout.
    4. Mold may grow more easily on caulk (except caulk treated with mildewcide) than on grout.
    5. Acrylic caulks break down in horizontal wet applications. Silicone, urethane, or multi-polymer caulks are better choices but can be harder to apply.
  • last year

    How did the leak in the DW develop? going to do a new house and want to ensure all water connections are done correctly…

  • last year

    @Joseph Corlett, LLC

    but it was neatly done…

  • last year

    But the drywall work up above the switch is a mess. I guess the detour keeps the eye riveted there instead of on the drywall.

  • last year

    "The poor caulk job is invisible compared to the tile making a detour around your switch plate cover" - that made me LOL! So true! I don't know why he did that! Guess he didn't want to move the switch plate or whatever else needed done. This is how things go at my house! I just called my paint guy to come fix this mess tomorrow so that I can be DONE with this nightmare!