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How to fix water damage on kitchen bench?

Bell_1986

so it was time to move the dishwasher and give a clean, noticed appears some water swelling and rusted area.... also noticed top of bench wiping felt a bump area though does not appear underneath bench in that area. Not sure what to do about this, new build have been in my home for year & 1/2 now.

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JacobZ

Hi @Bell_1986,

Thank you for your question on some dampness and corrosion in your kitchen benchtop.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe we can see the underside of the drying board of your kitchen sink. This would suggest to me that the silicone sealant around the lip of your sink is allowing water to get underneath your sink and into the chipboard.

While you have the dishwasher out, I would suggest you place a fan in the area to dry out the chipboard as much as possible. I'd suggest at least 1-2 days would be ideal. During this time, you should avoid using the sink as much as possible to stop further water ingress. The chipboard doesn't look too damaged but further water ingress could be detrimental.

Once dried out, I would suggest you remove and replace the bead of silicone around the sink. Depending on the finish you are looking for, I suggest SikaSeal Kitchen And Bathroom Silicone Sealant in a suitable colour. You might like to check out How To Apply Bathroom Sealant for some guidance. It is important that there are no gaps in the silicone bead as water will seek them out and find a way through.

Once you have replaced the bead of silicone, you can replace the corroded sink clip with a new Kinetic Sink Clip.

Let me know if you require further assistance.

Jacob

Bell_1986

Thank you Jacob 😊 please see pic this is the top of benchtop can see area bump swelling although when I look underneath I don't see swelling. Not sure what to do about this area? Will it eventually go back down? Also can see around sink. Not sure where I'm supposed to put the sikaflex seal... around the sink? I was thinking of doing this some time ago although I read it should be done when the sink is inserted more so underneath. Upsetting as I love my benchtop I paid extra for an upgrade. So hopefully can fix it best I can 😊

MitchellMc

Hi @Bell_1986,

I would suggest contacting your builder to discuss whether this would be covered under any statutory warranties.

As Jacob mentioned, it appears that the silicone seal between the sink lip and benchtop is compromised, leading to water ingress. This is a significant issue, and restoration of the benchtop might not be possible. Removing the sink and replacing the silicone seal would help prevent further water penetration, but that lump would be hard to get rid of. The sink needs to be removed for this repair, as adding the silicone around the edge would not be a permanent solution.

Before you attempt any repairs, I'd call the builder, who might be able to assist you.

Mitchell

Bell_1986

Okay thanks Mitchell 😊 in the meantime I'll avoid using this side to keep dry as possible.

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