Filling small gaps where cabinet meets wall

[Matt Day]

I'm just about done with my mudroom built in project, but have a few small gaps where the wall/drywall is out of square/plumb/flat. Gaps are no more than 1/4".

I scribed a filler strip on the sides but didn't make one for the back for a few reasons. Now that I am where I am, what would you do? Quarter round? Flat stock scribed? Carefully applied caulk?

[Judson Green]

If you feel you can use caulk that's what I'd do, no srink and paintable. I'd suggest using something like a credit card to smooth, clean frequently. Perhaps make it a 2 or more day thing, apply once to get it in there, on day 2 go for the look of it.

[Dave Richards]

Here in the hospital, the cabinetmakers/installers use silicone based caulk to fill gaps like that. It's quick and easy and it lasts a long time. It's also cleanable.

[Phil Thien]

I'd mill-up some molding on the router table and cover the gaps with a nice shoe.

If you DO go with caulk, remember that any gaps more than 3/16" or 1/4" need a backer, and you should masking tape-off the wall and cabinet, tool the caulk, then peel the masking tape just as the caulk begins to skin.

But I'd do the molding. It would probably be faster adding the molding versus doing a good job w/ the caulk, believe it or not.

Oh and if you do the caulk, I'd probably go Lexel over Silicone-based. And I'd honestly use Big Stretch (latex-based) as my first choice.

But again, I'd do the moldings.

[Jason Roehl]

I more or less agree with Phil. Molding (what you want is called "scribe molding", it's similar to base shoe molding, only smaller) would be the first choice.

NO SILICONE!!! I can't stress that enough. Silicone is not paintable, so if you ever repaint that room, you'll have a super-ugly line next to the cabinet if you use silicone because the caulk line won't be perfect, and the paint line will match that imperfection. I get very nervous any time I see a carpenter with a tube of caulk, especially so when it's silicone.

For interior caulking, you don't usually need backer rod until the gap hits about 1/2" (yikes!), or unless it's a seam between two surfaces that will move relative to each other quite a bit (a countertop on an outside wall, for example). Skip the tape. Use a good acrylic caulk ("siliconized" is okay, as long as it says "paintable" on the tube). Run a bead, and SMOOTH it with your (wet) finger--just smooth it, don't try to push it into next week. If you get squeeze out on either side of your finger, then you either used too much pressure, or too much caulk. If that happens, wipe off the excess with a damp rag, then smooth it again with your finger. Wait for the caulk to cure, then paint. The sharper the smoothed curve in the caulk, the better the paint will look (and the easier it will be to have a sharp cut line if the caulk is where two different paints meet).

Here's what paint looks like over silicone:

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-sxLOSA4Tqk8/T0v5-4H7BcI/AAAAAAAAAF0/Myk00taU-0E/s1600/P1070001.JPG

I've run so many miles of caulk, I'm surprised I have fingers left. (Pro painter...)

[Mike Ontko]

Another bump for molding. It'll give it a more finished cabinet look and won't require future touch ups due to shrinkage.

[scott vroom]

I would do 1 of 3 things:

1. Leave it as is and you'll stop noticing it

2. Remove the unit and install a painted 1/4" ply back

3. Remove the unit and scribe to the wall (difficult unless you're experienced)

Filling 1/4" gaps with painters caulk is going to look like a hack repair job IMO. Walls are rarely perfectly flat, your situation is common. I'd try to live with it for awhile to see if it's really a bother. It's a mudroom utility shelf not a fine furniture piece.

Just my 2 cents worth.

[Bruce Page]

I would go with molding. Caulked gaps that size are hard to do well.