Countertop Gap: How to Repair without Removing Top or Tile

Ron asks,

I have a problem with gaps between the exterior walls of my kitchen and bathroom, and countertops. The wall seems to be expanding and contracting leaving a gap between the wall and countertop. Is there any way to correct this countertop gap? The counters seems to be anchored properly what can I do to fix this problem?

Our Answer

This is a common problem which can be worse if the countertop is out of square. It happens because the walls expand and contract and cause the gap to get wide or shrink dependent on the weather. There are two ways to address this. If the gap is less than about 1/4 inch or so, you can simply caulk the crack. I’d use acrylic latex caulk for that. It is flexible and will stretch as the walls move with the weather.

Your second option is to add a small piece of molding across the top of the countertop splash edge to cover the gap. If you do this, be sure to only attach the molding to the top so that it will “ride” back and forth as the top moves and keep the crack covered.