You do want to caulk that so you dont get water back there and so the gap isnt visible. Use a quality (50 year) paintable mildew resistant caulk, use tape before you caulk then use a small bead of caulk and run your finger over it to smooth it. Pull the tape after caulking before it dries to get a nice line. Then you can tape it again and paint it to get a nice finish. If you use caulk that matches the granite in color you might not need to paint it.

The tile guy was last to touch it ? id call him or your general contractor that sub contracted things.

insist on a 100% silicone and do not allow grout caulk or any caulk substitute.

if the countertop was to be scribed to a finished wall and no backsplash then i would have the countertop installer do it.

good luck

The tile guy never touched it. The granite fabricator installed the vanity countertop, the sink, and the backsplash and sidesplash. I called the granite fabricator again to ask about caulk types because of the subcontractor talking about silicone caulk being unpaintable. The granite fabricator sales rep said the painter is the one who caulks the tops (the granite scheduler was the one who said the tile setter-I think she was confusing this with a shower curb or niche ledge). The granite rep said they caulk the bottoms using an acrylic latex caulk and suggested that be used instead of silicone because it is paintable. He said clear Polyseamseal would be good. What do you think?

100% silicone (mildew resistant), accept no substitutes.

OK Team!

They make a paintable silicone for the top where drywall meets counter splash return! but thats not my point or concern.

TO CLARIFY 100% silicone color match or the closest clear/white at the change of plane @ counter to backsplash ( now we find its a counter splash return not earlier clarified)

I was not speaking to painting and that change of plane.

Function over fashion is the winner here.

"Function over fashion is the winner here."

Wrong. You want both function and fashion. If it looks like garbage, its garbage. I stick to my post earlier. You wont want to use clear, I had orginially thought to include that in my first post, but you would see the gap if its large enough. The OP said there was a gap there, so it should be hidden to make it look good. Silicone is great for showers and tub surrounds, but silicone shouldnt be used here. Siliconized latex is the better option up against a painted wall. You will get a better finish at the wall if the caulk is paintable, guaranteed. Just use the good stuff and not the 'painters caulk' grade which will mildew.

I tried paintable silicone once. Took about 2 months to cure. Appearently a common problem. Wasnt expired. Wont use again.

The guy who installed my countertop caulks both above and below the backsplash. He used a very fine line above the backsplash - hardly visible at all. If the tile guy wasn't working in that area, there would be no reason on earth for him to caulk there. The only other person who you could ask to caulk there would be your painter.

a clear silicone will easily bleed the 2 identical colors together just fine if you cant find a better match of pure silicone and assuming the counter fabricator did a good job with a 1/8 slip joint.

silicone the clear winner/ choice over any caulk by every single granite and counter top experts ive worked with and every counter and backsplash weve ever installed.

withdude!!! why dont t you share with us who you are ? dude!

EDIT withdude just went and changed name to Vith !

Meh, not giving personal info. GW username was Vith before the merger, never changed display name after making new username (vith was taken). But now I did, huzzah.

I do agree clear silicone is the best clear caulking, still don't like it for a painted wall.

Sorry, but I refuse to use silicone. It tends to break down and fail after a year or two, and then to replace it you need to completely strop any residue of the old caulking or the new caulking won't stick. I'll use a latex caulking made to match the grout in the backsplash. Tool it with your finger, and then wipe it with a wet sponge, and it looks exactly like a grout joint..... except that you can dent it with your fingernail if you press on it.

"Sorry, but I refuse to use silicone. It tends to break down and fail after a year or two..."

Respectfully, Bill, that is one of the silliest things I've ever read on this board. Silicone does not break down in a year or two. Such a statement cannot be verified scientifically.

I've yet to see ANY silicone bead, put in by ANYONE-- carpenter putting in doors and windows. Plumber putting in accessories. And ESPECIALLY used in corners for tile-- where the caulking didn't come out or separate in some way or other within a few years. I don't need scientifically. I know what I've seen, and I refuse to use an inferior product.

Good point about clear showing the gap. It is about 1/8" at this section of the side splash. Here is a photo.

I have seen what Bill is talking about, the silicone itself doesnt break down, it just detaches from the surface eventually. Which is odd, because its super sticky when you apply it.

I would be fixing that with drywall products first. A little Synko Cement Fill - then joint compound and a couple feather coats of fine finish.

Looks like it should have been set back tighter or braced when set with construction adhesive.

Is the space uniform the whole way done the backsplash.

Vith

if youre silicone detatches you have not prepped and installed properly , or using outdated product , or perhaps in the wrong application.

choosing the proper material safe specific solvent to first clean and then dry the area before applying silicone is paramount .

we use denatured alchohol or acetone for granite work prior to silicone.

The op had a confusiing post and was really trying to deal with a paint edge at backsplash return to drywall

And yes i may opt to feather that out rather than a big gap fill of caulk as John mentions.

John Whipple-no, the gap is not all the way across the top of the side splash.

Tundra Finish Works-sorry for any confusion. My question is not dealing with paint; it is dealing with what is the best way to fill the gap at the top of a granite backsplash and side splash where it meets the wall and who is typically responsible for filling it.

Joseph Corlett-I only found Polyseamseal in white or clear. See below:

I think that I should use clear & then paint if needed. The only color matching caulk I found was a different brand that comes in sanded or unsanded and doesn't say if it is used for granite. See photo:

exaclty, and hence my point! painted wall to granite juction, not the ideal place for silicone is what sparked confusion.

enough said!!!!!

If the drywall stays painted , I would prefer to see a silicone sealant , like Latasil in matching as close as possible the color of the granite . I find Latasil not as shiny as other ones . In my opinion , using a latex filler and paint over , it would look like the paint bleeded on the BS .

On my projects I never leave the gaps to be filled by others , not to mention the risk of messing my work .

Eurocerob, where the top of the backsplash and side splash meet the wall there is drywall. There will not be tile there.

We prefer on all backsplash jobs to use our TEC Silicone Caulk that matches all our grout colors that we carry in our stores. I have seen most unsanded or sanded caulks crack after couple months.