Why has my silicon caulking around my tile/counter in kitchen shrunk?

KJ
by KJ
Our kitchen was redone 10 months ago and the silicone caulking between the countertop and the tile on the wall has cracked and shrunk. What caused this? How can we redo it so it won’t happen again? It has happened along the whole caulk bead length. Very discouraging since we paid to have this done.
Cracked and shrunk silicon caulking (waterproof) between tile and countertop.
  11 answers
  • Thelma Thelma on Feb 12, 2018

    Contact company that used the wrong caulking compound, or didn't use enough of what was used. Request a refund then buy a tube of Flex-Seal caulking, peel off all the old caulking, then DIY with the Flex-Seal. Works like a charm if you just follow the directions on the can and is so easy to do that this 72 yr-old gal just resealed around the bathtub by myself.

  • DesertRose DesertRose on Feb 12, 2018

    Maybe it was not applied quite thick enough in spots? When that happened in our new home, my husband re-caulked and it has been fine since. It was fairly simple to repair. Have you tried just recaulking it yourself then run a finger along the caulk to keep it in the crack and also wipe up any excess at the same time.

  • Jlnatty Jlnatty on Feb 12, 2018

    If the contractor who installed the caulk won't redo it, you'll have to scrape out the old caulk, clean the surface and apply new caulk made for use in kitchen/bath areas. How to remove caulk: https://www.houselogic.com/organize-maintain/diy-repair/how-remove-caulk/

  • Cheryl Damon Cheryl Damon on Feb 12, 2018

    counters always move Houses shift in different seasons and with weight put on them That is why I always get a back splash

  • William William on Feb 12, 2018

    The tiles have a rounded edge. They should have been with a flat edge. Not enough material for the caulk to grip. Settling can also cause the gap. Also looks like not enough caulk was used. Only solution is to recaulk like Lenora suggests.

  • NC Landlady NC Landlady on Feb 13, 2018

    It's what caulk does. Try new product...http://www.sashco.com/products/big-stretch/

  • Sam Sam on Feb 13, 2018

    This looks like a reapplication of silicone. When reapplying silicone it is absolutely necessary to remove every trace of the old silicone. Silicone caulk

    sticks to everything except itself. An elastomeric product, on the other hand, sticks to everything including itself.

  • KJ KJ on Feb 13, 2018

    No it is not s reapplication. This was a brand new installation of new countertop/ tile backsplas as indicated in the original post.

  • KJ KJ on Feb 13, 2018

    Nope. It was not a reapplicstion. Brand spanking new!

  • Michelle Leslie Michelle Leslie on Jan 03, 2021

    Hi, the wall and countertop are made from different materials so they'll expand and contract at different rates. You can re-caulk. Start with a clean surface, so removing the existing caulk is very important. Scrape it out with a screwdriver or a putty knife. (If you run into stubborn caulk that you can't get loose, use a utility blade to score the top and bottom.) After all the old caulk is removed, re-caulk it with quality caulk. Make sure you use 100% silicone caulk. It’s more flexible and will expand and contract. Let it dry. Then add decorative trim. Take your measurements with you to buy the trim. Home Depot will cut the trim for free if you buy it there. You can also add a backsplash that would cover the gap, but you’ll still need to caulk. Good luck.

  • Theresa Theresa on Nov 28, 2021

    I have also read that when caulking around bath tubs and kitchen sinks, it is wise to fill the tub or sink so that the gap between the tiles is larger, as it would be with normal use.