10 Surprising Ways To Hide Cabinet Seams (Within 5 Min.)
You can apply paste wax such as carnauba and petroleum, a blend of beeswax, Brimax paste wax, or Jecowax Beeswax Blend from Harrell’s.
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Do you know what seams are?
They are the two sections’ meeting point of a countertop. Using a natural stone such as marble or granite looks gorgeous as your countertop material.
The countertops are mostly larger than the size. It means two pieces join to get an accurate dimension.
What causes seams?
The cause for seams is mainly when the countertop exceeds the stone slab length. Seams become essential in some projects.
For instance, if the slab is of manageable size and comes together on installation, transporting the slab is difficult, or it may lack space to maneuver the position.
On the other hand, in some cases, the stone slab is too large or heavy that maneuvering it is difficult.
In such cases, the contractors cut for the convenience of installation and transportation. All these cause seams.
Is there a need to hide cabinet seams?
Yes. If the seams on the countertop are many, there is a need to minimize them if it is hard to avoid.
An expert designer and contractor will ensure to work on it and reduce the number of seams to a possible extent.
It will ensure it is invisible to your eye to the best.
Cabinet with seams represent shoddy installation, and no customer will ever be happy.
As contracting jobs rely on reputation, the contractor goes to all lengths to do every correction. There is a need to hide the cabinet seams.
10 different ways to hide cabinet seams
Applying paste wax
”It is the most simple and quick fix for cabinets featuring water stains.
You can apply paste wax such as carnauba and petroleum, a blend of beeswax, Brimax paste wax, or Jecowax Beeswax Blend from Harrell’s.
Take a clean cloth to apply the paste wax. Follow the directions and wipe to shine the cabinet surface and hide the seams.”
Use colored caulk
Using colored caulk is helpful for gaps that are not more than 1/8 inch. If you plan to refinish the cabinets, you may use some wood putty.
It is good as it dries hard and fills the cracks or gaps.
If your cabinets require no finishing, you may apply the color-matching caulking to the gaps, and the seams will disappear.
Tighten everything
Gaps or seams are unavoidable. It occurs even if a screw fails to fit. It causes even if there is a strip out, screw miss studs, or overloaded cabinets.
The simple approach is to identify the screw hole near the seams. Brace the cabinet to close the gaps. Use a screwdriver and tighten everything.
Place screw strips anywhere or above it such that the screw buries itself in it. Add washers to the screws; it helps sometimes.
The screws pull the cabinet with incredible strength and close the gaps. The seams hide beneath the screws.
Fillers
It is common to see cabinet fillers on modular cabinets. The installers use them on built-in cabinets that fail to fit right.
The cabinet fillers range from 2 to 4 inches.
This gap filler type is in ¾ inch sold hardwood, the same as the cabinet face frame. You may measure the length and width of the gap.
Sand and finish to match the filler, and tap it into the existing cabinet’s surface.
Screw the filler from the inside to the cabinet frame by drilling horizontal holes and adding screws from the adjoining cabinet.
Moldings
Using molding as a border allows for hiding the cabinet seams.
The molding should be clean and low profile. For gaps in the built-in cabinet, using pin nails is enough.
It fits through the molding angle at 30-degrees into the cabinet side.
For flush surface gaps, use half-round molding and for the wider gap, buy wider molding featuring a round profile.
Add matching color putty crayon and cover the pin nail holes.
Silicone tube
Using a silicone tube is the best to fill the gaps. It remains pliable for years. It also moves with the natural contraction and expansion of the wood.
You may push the tube deep to fill small gaps or cracks. Smooth it with a wet fingertip.
Single units
Consider building single-unit cabinets. It will be single cabinet styles, and you can keep an essential gap between cabinets.
However, ensure there is no wider gap, and in this way, you can evade the seams aesthetic completely.
Overhanging partition
Hiding the cabinet seams is possible by placing one cabinet partition overhanging from the other cabinet box.
In this way, the cabinets will look like front and back style.
The rails and stile will be dry joined using a domino, and it will be sanded and finished.
They are easy to detach and reassemble, and the apparent seams are minimal to hide.
You can perfect it by touching up the site.
Use Grout
Be sure to have adequate space to fill with grout. Planning to grout the seams is a good idea.
Ascertain, it has at least a quarter-inch space to stay together in the seal between the slabs.
The grout you use is best if it is in the same color. If you are less lucky and the grout is not of the same color, purchase grout paint and paint it to dry.
If not, use a sealant to blend the color.
Wooden trims
If you notice seams on one side, you may hide them using a wood trim piece or another cabinet. It is an excellent way of disguising the seams.
The countertops make them look like an integral part of the cabinets in the kitchen. The cabinets finish, and the seam does not look noticeable.
It offers an elegant look and helps the kitchen design. You may paint or finish matching the color of the cabinet.
You can also add a flat contrast stop and insert it in the seams or add a contrast color or white, and it will look like an intentional decoration. It is also an easy route.