Countertop is separating from vanity in bathroom. How do I fix this?

Gkelly134
by Gkelly134
It looks like the glue is coming off. I attached a picture.
  7 answers
  • William William on Mar 12, 2017

    Either the coutertop or cabinet warped causing the caulking seal to break. If you can press down on the countertop and it moves it can be reattached. You can try to clean out the old caulk, squeeze new caulk in, then weigh the countertop down to the cabinet or use clamps to hold it down. Let the caulk dry overnight. If it pops back up the its warped beyond repair.

  • Big Mike69 Big Mike69 on Mar 14, 2017

    Every one is correct. The first thing to do is stretch a string from one end of counter to the other end and see if the counter is straight. it needs to be your first step. Then use shims as mentioned by others to bring the cabinets up till the counter top is straight or clamp the counter top to pull it down to the strait point. You may need to add a couple small blocks under the counter to the top of the cabinet and then screw threw the blocks into the counter top to pull them tight together but make sure you do not use screws to long to prevent going though the top. you can use small L brackets to screw to along the inside of the top rail of the base cabinet to the counter top and good to clamp down while adding the brackets. It sounds like a lot but fairly easy to do.

  • Gkelly134 Gkelly134 on Mar 14, 2017

    Thanks all! Very helpful.

    • The counter is straight.
    • Not sure about the shims...doesn't look like there are any problems on the bottom of the cabinet.
    • It looks like the cabinet is collapsing towards the middle. Maybe the cabinet is warped.


    It is a fairy new house (3 years) and this cabinet is barely used as it is for the guest bedroom. Maybe it was just poorly installed?

  • Paulette Paulette on Mar 14, 2017

    It could be. Then do shim at bottom to prevent further sagging damage. Maybe the installer missed a shim. If it is just caulk, just recaulk it in place, not worrying about weighing or clamping. If there is a gap between the cabinet and top, jam a piece of something in the space to prevent tinted wood putty from sinking too deep. Then recaulk. It's not worth a new top and the expense of replacing, especially if you have to hire someone, because of the sink and faucet removal needed.

  • Johnavallance82 Johnavallance82 on Jan 19, 2024

    Maybe the cabinet needs a support in the middle or 2 supports along the length. Fix from underneath. If too daunting a task for you - call in a carpenter or handyman.

  • Betsy Betsy on Jan 19, 2024

    Hi GKelly: If the house is only 3 years old, then maybe the builders should be responsible for the repairs. If not, maybe they can offer you a cabinet for a fair price. If the division between the counter and cabinet is fairly consistent, perhaps you can add a piece of molding between the two to hide the gap. And, if the cabinet is moving, you may be able to support it with a 1" x1" piece of wood horizontally and/or vertically.

  • Dee Dee on Jan 20, 2024

    See if you can add a support bar in the middle of the cabinet. I would also see if you can contact the builder if they are still in the area they may be able to fix it for you.