DIY guideCountertops
Check the seam at the laminate sink cutout
Water at the sink's cut edge swells the board under the laminate. Look and press for lifting or softness, dry it out, and reseal the joint with silicone.
- 20 to 40 min
- 8 steps
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8 steps
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Look along the edge where the sink meets the counter, and at any seam near it, for lifting, bubbling or a raised edge.
Press along it with your thumb. Firm is fine. Soft or spongy means water has got into the board.
Open the cabinet and shine a flashlight up under the cutout for dark, swollen board or drips.
Slice the old, cracked caulk away with a plastic scraper or a utility knife, then wipe the joint clean.
Cut away from your hand.Leave the sink unused and let the joint dry overnight. A fan pointed at it helps.
Run a thin bead of kitchen and bath silicone round the sink's edge, then smooth it with a wet finger.
Keep water off it for as long as the tube says, usually a day.
Board that's soft or swollen, laminate lifting away, or a sink that moves when you press it: ask Handyman for a countertop pro.
What you need
- A flashlight
- A plastic scraper or utility knife
- Kitchen and bath silicone and a caulk gun
Call a pro if
- The board under the laminate is soft or swollen
- The laminate is lifting away
- The sink moves when you press it
Handyman says: Swollen? I'll find a countertop pro.
Free for every home. Handyman asks a few questions, then books a pro it trusts.
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