On Mon, 09 Dec 2013 23:31:59 -0700, Dennis C wrote:

There is small crack along the grout line between the granite countertop
and the tile backsplash. What is the way to fix it? It is about 1mm in
width.
Pics here
http://www.flickr.com/photos/5423000...7638536078325/

Thanks

As you may have noticed, once cracked ALWAYS cracked.

I was JUST going to update on solving similar problem with cracks in
travertine flooring grout! People here had recommended everything from
regrout to 'sanded caulking' to plain caulking.

If cracking is not obtrusive, you can use a close color match of DAP's Tub
n Tile Sealer. It's water proof, easy to work with, and squeegies down
into cracks nicely, BUT! it has a smooth final surface which may catch
your eye, especially since what you describe is counter top height.

To match texture, find the same color "sanded grout" caulking. Comes in a
tube about $4-$5 at HD or Lowes. Don't trust the colors on the tube, but
you can match very closely by taking a sample of your grout [if possible]
to compare to sample colors as shown for the bags of grout [bags of grout
and sanded caulking tubes have the same names, but don't EXACTLY match,
but may be close enough for govt work, eh?]

Before I got a piece of old grout large enough to take in to HD, I bought
bag after bag at HD, got just enough powder out of the bag to make a small
slurry mix, then apply with finger tip onto existing grout, let dry, and
examine in several forms of lighting to check for match. That several
forms of lighting is super important! I confirmed that sunlight spectrum
and lightbulb spectrum are WAAAAY different. Surprisingly close doing
this, but not close enough. The best color match occurred when I could
take the actual piece of grout in to compare using HD's color samples. So,
close. Slight difference is probably difference between Lowes vs HD brands.

*IF* you go with sanded grout be ready for one small problem. IT SHRINKS
LIKE NOTHING I've ever seen before! Fill a crack and it's like it sucks
into it! But, and this is important, it LOOKS like grout. Even at only
about 2 ft viewing distance looks great!

Two ways to go here. One is to barely cut off the tip of the tube and put
the smallest bead you've ever made in there and never touch it again. If
you have that skill, kudos, if like me and there's a bit of hesitation
along your line. Carefully, can't stress this enough, carefully use finger
tip to even the surface. I found best to let excess migrate along the
horizontal surface NOT the vertical surface, else almost start over.

Finally, *IF* you're a real perfectionist on this stuff; leave the
'rounded' bead alone, you can finish the final caulking surface after it
cures a bit by taking a sharp box cutter blade and cut absolutely level
with BOTH surfaces, remove the tiny rubbery bit, and you'll be left with
an incredibly FLAT surface that still has that 'grout' look. [Don't try
to smooth while working the wet bead with water. BIG MISTAKE! Working
while wet, makes this stuff appear glass smooth and you lose your texture
match. Leave alone, work with it semicured instead.]

And the other caveat: patience! I found I could only work about six to 12
inches at a time. Low humidity here cures the stuff too fast to work on
longer lines. You know the problem, catastrophic rubbery roll ups that
then pull out your work, making huge mess, so you can start over type of
problem.