Tips on Caulking A Kitchen Sink & Tighten a Faucet Handle

How to Caulk A Kitchen Sink Area

Old Caulking Needing Replacement

I’ve finally decided to replace the old white caulking around my laminated kitchen counter top near the sink.

A laminated kitchen counter is made of layers of plastic over particleboard.

I would not use this method for any other type of kitchen counter top such as granite, quartz, or marble due to possible scratching.

The first step in this project is to scrape off all the old white caulking.

You can see in my photographs that soome of the caulking has turned an unsightly black color.

There was, also, some white caulking on the actual sink that looked sloppy that needed to be scraped off.

Scraping off Old Caulking Old Sink Caulking

I had to be careful not to scratch the counter top or the sink with the scrapers.

It is also best to take your time on this project.

I used a small and a medium sized metal scraper to get the old caulking off.

 

Small and Medium Sized Scrapers

This photograph shows the laminated counter top ready for caulking.

I decided to use clear instead of white caulking on this project.

 

Laminate Counter Top Scraped Clean of Old White Caulking Clear Kitchen Sink Caulking

Now I am ready to start doing the caulking.

I have an old wet rag with me to wipe off my hands or any caulking spills on the counter top.  The counter top is clean and dry.  I am also wearing an apron over my clothing to keep my clothing free from caulking.

Only cut a small opening in the tip of the caulking tube.  You will not want a large line of caulking on the counter top.  That will never look like a professional job.

Also, never run the caulking down the entire length of the counter top in one swift move.

You will want to caulk about five or six inches at a time.  Smooth the caulking with your fingers and then wipe or wash your hands. 

Continue this way, until the whole area is caulked.

It takes a little longer to do it this way, but you will get better end results.

Allow the the caulking to dry at lease four hours before replacing items on your counter top.

Enjoy your newly caulked kitchen sink.  It now looks so much cleaner and neater.

Top of Caulking Tube Wet Caulking on the Kitchen Counter Top

How to Tighten A Loose Kitchen Faucet Handle

Using A Flashlight to Check for Screwdriver Size

I noticed that my kitchen’s hot water handle was a little loose and needed to be tightened up a bit.

The first step is to remove the small top part of the faucet which generally tells you if it is hot or cold.  My top had fallen off, but you can easily pop it up with a flat head screwdriver.

Most times it is the faucet you use the most that will need tightening or the hot water faucet.

From my experience, you will need a Phillips Screwdriver at this point.

However, this photograph shows me checking out the inside of the faucet handle with a flashlight to see what size screwdriver I will need to tighten up the screw in this area.

You will not need to turn the water off by the shut-off valve for this simple repair.

Using a Flashlight to Check for Screwdriver Size Tightening up the Loose Screw

When doing any plumbing work, remember, “easy does it”.

Don’t use your full strength when pushing on the faucet as you can easily damage other areas of the plumbing.

The last step is to return the hot water cap to its original place on top of the faucet.

If you are unable to push this metal button back on, you might need to lightly tap the faucet top.

Replacing the Top of the Faucet Cap Working Faucet

This is a photograph of the completed project.

Also note that the back area has been scraped clean of white caulking.

Please note, I am not a plumber or a handyman.  I am only stating in this blog what works for me.

Enjoy your day!