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We just bought a house and it turns out that a small section of the granite countertop wasn't correctly supported by the cabinet underneath it. A seam popped when I stepped on the counter to dust off the tops of the cabinets. The carpentry work didn't quite match up to support the granite. The small section of countertop is still usable, but it's now slightly misaligned relative to the rest of the counter and I don't want to leave the seam open to water and debris long term.

What is required for fixing this? I'm generally handy but have no experience with countertops. I'm trying to determine how to approach it and whether I should try to find a professional or just do it myself.

back of seam

front of seam

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  • I have a feeling that the raise top and the back splash will need to be removed/taken off, to have the edges cleaned and placed/bonded back together. The back splash is probably glued onto the wall and be a pain in the bottom to take off.
    – crip659
    Commented Aug 24 at 15:20

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The counter needs to be raised in the back with shims. Tap them in under the counter. Use composite shims rather than wood. (Wood may have been used originally and rotted.)

Once the seams are even, the back should be very close to the backsplash.

Get a granite repair kit.. The bonding epoxy can be mixed with dyes to best replicate the counter color. Tape both edges and apply the epoxy according to the directions. Let it dry.

When the epoxy is dry the seam between the back and backsplash can be caulked with clear caulking. Some recommend silicone, but I have great use with clear latex caulk.

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  • Excellent. Thanks for the outline of how to approach it!
    – IanH
    Commented Aug 24 at 19:43
  • Yep. You will need to raise the counter so you can stick the shims in. If you don't have a bottle jack or something, you can cut a piece of 2x4 or such, just a little bit longer than the height from the cabinet floor to the bottom of the counter. Put one end on the cabinet floor, next to a supporting wall, and then jam the other end against the counter. Might need to tap it in a bit to push the counter up.
    – Huesmann
    Commented Aug 25 at 14:10

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