Caulk by room
Where the magic happens (in the sink)
The kitchen takes a beating: heat, grease, moisture, and the occasional catastrophic pasta boil-over. The caulk around your sink, countertops, and backsplash needs to be waterproof, grease-resistant, and ideally not something you have to redo every year. Here's what to reach for.
Your guideRosie, head caulker
Every joint in the room, what goes in it, and why. The color bar matches the formulation.
Constant water, soap, and temperature swings. You need a bead that stays flexible and bonds to stainless, porcelain, and stone.
On undermount sinks the clips and epoxy hold the sink up. The silicone only seals the reveal.
Our pick: GE Silicone 2 Kitchen & Bath
Counters flex and water pools in that corner. Silicone in a matching color, or clear, keeps it out of the cabinet below.
Our pick: GE Silicone 2 Kitchen & Bath, Gorilla 100% Silicone
Grout cracks where two planes meet. Tile guidelines call for a flexible sealant at inside corners and where tile meets the counter. Sanded caulk matches sanded grout.
Our pick: Polyblend Sanded Tile Caulk
Dry, painted, and mostly still. A paintable caulk closes the shadow lines so the paint looks built in.
Our pick: DAP Alex Plus
It gets splashed. Siliconized acrylic if you'll paint the trim; silicone if you won't.
Our pick: DAP Alex Plus, GE Silicone 2 Kitchen & Bath
Most faucets come with a gasket. Follow the faucet's instructions: many call for plumber's putty or silicone, and some putties stain natural stone.
Our pick: GE Silicone 2 Kitchen & Bath
Leave the gap beside a slide-in range open so it can slide out. Drop-in cooktops seal with the manufacturer's own gasket.
Don't run ordinary caulk against a hot appliance.
Slice along both edges with a utility knife or plastic razor, then peel. Take your time on stone and stainless.
Silicone remover softens what's left. Finish with isopropyl alcohol on a clean rag until the rag comes away clean.
If water got under the old bead, give it overnight. Caulk over damp gaps traps moisture and mildew.
Painter's tape on both sides of the joint gives you razor-straight edges and a very forgiving cleanup.
Cut the nozzle small at about 45°. Keep the gun moving at a steady pace and don't stop mid-run if you can help it.
Smooth with a tooling tool or a fingertip dipped in soapy water, pull the tape at once, then let it cure as long as the tube says before you run the tap.
Yes. Clear silicone is great on stone and busy backsplashes. It shows dirt and residue underneath, so clean the joint thoroughly first.
Caulk around a sink or backsplash isn't a food-contact surface. If you're sealing something food touches directly, look for a sealant certified for food contact (NSF/ANSI 51).
Many kitchen and bath silicones are water-ready in 30 minutes to a few hours and fully cured in about a day. The tube is the boss; follow it.
More answers in the full FAQ, or let the Caulk Finder pick for you.
