Good points, but honestly, sealing and prep only get you so far. I've seen people go nuts with caulk and liners, yet still end up with mold issues because they skimped on ventilation. Moisture finds a way eventually, especially if you're cooking regularly or running hot water often. Better to tackle airflow early than rely solely on waterproofing—just my two cents from past headaches...
Totally agree on ventilation being key. When we first moved into our custom build, I was hyper-focused on waterproofing—went all-in with premium caulks, liners, and sealants. But within a couple months, I noticed moisture still lingering around the sink cabinet after cooking pasta or washing dishes. Turned out the builder had installed an undersized exhaust fan that barely moved air. Swapped it out for a stronger model and added some passive vents in the cabinetry, and the difference was night and day.
Waterproofing is important, sure, but it's really just half the battle. Without good airflow, you're basically trapping humidity in there no matter how meticulous your sealing job is. Learned that one the hard way...
"Waterproofing is important, sure, but it's really just half the battle."
Couldn't agree more. When we redid our kitchen, I obsessed over sealing everything perfectly—only to find condensation building up anyway. Finally added some open shelving and vents... problem solved. Airflow really makes all the difference.
Yeah, airflow's definitely underrated. When we did ours, I learned the hard way that waterproofing alone doesn't stop mold if moisture just sits there. Did you find certain vent placements worked better than others? Still tweaking ours...
You're spot on about airflow—it's often overlooked until problems start popping up. When we redid our kitchen, I found placing vents near corners or tucked behind cabinets didn't really help much. Ended up moving them closer to moisture-heavy areas like around the sink and dishwasher, and noticed a big improvement. Keep tweaking... you'll find the sweet spot eventually. Kitchens are always a bit of trial and error, but totally worth it once you nail it down.
