Edinburgh · Scotland
Barnton External Mastic
Problem with your movement joints in Barnton? We cut out the old, prepare the joints and apply the right sealant, and the work is guaranteed for a year.
- Movement joints filled with mortar instead of sealant
- Weeds or debris growing in open joints
- Hard, crazed mastic that has stopped moving
Common problems we fix in Barnton
Poor preparation causes many early failures: dusty or wet faces, no primer where one was needed, or old sealant left in. The sealant never bonds properly.
Look out for these signs:
- Failed seals between different materials
- Plants rooting in failed movement joints
- Weathered mastic that no longer stretches
- Joints pointed up with cement by mistake
Rented homes near Edinburgh Gateway station change hands often, and outside joints that have cracked can let damp into a rental, so check them between lets.
What to look for in a quote
- Which colour the sealant will be
- Which sealant they’ll use, and why
- How the surfaces are prepared before sealing
- What happens if the job turns out different
External mastic in Barnton
Getting the depth right is half the job. Closed-cell backing rod sets the depth and stops the sealant sticking to the back, so it bonds to the two sides only and can stretch. If you’re dealing with joints pointed up with cement by mistake and sealant pulling away from one side of the joint, we can help.
Stone-built tenements in Scotland’s cities share their roof, gutters and outside walls between every flat in the building. In Barnton, work on shared parts of a tenement is generally agreed between owners, often with a factor arranging it.
We stand behind the work with a one-year guarantee, so you’re covered after we have gone.
- Where
- Barnton (EH4, EH12)
- Wider area
- Edinburgh
- Cover
- 12 months on all our work
- Price
- A clear price before any work starts
- info@mrmastic.co.uk
- Page updated
- 26 October 2026
Why it’s worth doing now in Barnton
Low-modulus sealants stretch easily, so they put less strain on the joint edges. That matters on brick, render and concrete, which can be weaker at the face. A stiffer product can damage the joint edge as it fails. Private landlords in Barnton must meet the Repairing Standard, and damp or leaks can fall short of it, so it’s worth fixing failed sealant before a tenant reports it.
Homes and businesses are quoted the same way: how much there is to do, how we reach it and what it needs. Call for a quick quote and we’ll go through it with you.
Why Barnton customers choose us
- A sealant colour to suit the surroundings
- Anti-fungal sanitary silicone in wet areas
- Any old sealant cut out fully, not covered over
- A 12-month guarantee on all work
Read how sealant jobs are priced and our reviews.
Barnton: your questions answered
Does living near the coast affect external mastic in Barnton?
Near the sea, outside joints face more wind, rain and salt than they would inland, so the choice of sealant and the preparation matter even more. Walls facing the sea are normally the first to need attention.
I let a flat near Edinburgh Gateway station. Can you help?
Yes, rental work is part of what we do. You can drop us a line at info@mrmastic.co.uk with the address and a few details, and we’ll give you a fixed price before we start.
Will the old sealant be removed?
Yes. Sealing over old sealant is the main reason resealing fails early, and it’s something we never do.
Do you cover Barnton?
Yes. We’re based in Crawley and work across South East England, London and Scotland, Barnton included.
Where are you based?
We’re based in Crawley, West Sussex, and we cover South East England, London and all of Scotland.
When will the joints need doing again?
That varies with the weather the wall faces, how much it moves and the sealant used. Treat it as a maintenance item and look at it yearly and reseal when it splits.
Is it OK to fill a movement joint with cement?
No, not if it’s a movement joint. Filling it with mortar defeats its purpose and can lead to cracking. We will reseal it with a flexible sealant.
Is there any odour?
Some sealants have a smell while they cure. Ventilation helps.
How it works
We bring everything the job needs with us, so you don’t need to buy or prepare anything. After a quick look at the joints together, we protect the area and start. Most jobs take anything from a few hours to several days, depending on the building. Parking in city streets around Barnton can be tight or controlled, so it helps to know about permits or nearby bays. For flats, mention the door entry system and any shared-stair arrangements.
- We start by walking round the building and agreeing the joints and the access.
- We cut out the old mastic and rake out anything in the joint.
- The faces are brushed clean and primed where the product requires it.
- We fit closed-cell backing rod to control the depth.
- We apply the sealant, tool it and check the whole run.
How to prepare
- Try not to wet indoor joints just before the visit
- Clear the area around the work
- Tell us about any previous sealing or DIY attempts
Get a quote
The more we know about the job, the more useful the quote. Let us know the location, the problem and roughly how many joints, and email pictures if that is easy.
Related advice
More services for Barnton
Looking after it afterwards
A little care helps the new joints last. Our advice:
- Wash walls gently around the sealant
- Show decorators and builders where the movement joints are
- Have failed joints looked at early
- Fix overflowing gutters above sealed joints
If you have more work done on the wall, such as new render, cladding or an opening, show the contractor the movement joints. They must stay as flexible joints, never rendered or pointed over.
Small splits are the time to act. At that stage it’s a simple cut out and reseal before water has had years to get in.
When it is not the sealant
We won’t take on work that won’t last, so these are the limits:
- Damp from another source, such as a leaking gutter or a bridged damp-proof course
- Cracks in the bricks or render themselves, away from the joints
- Subsidence or other structural problems
Not sure which it is? You can send an email to info@mrmastic.co.uk and we’ll tell you honestly before booking.
Surfaces we seal
- Joints between brick and frames
- Copings & trims
- Façade panels
- Brickwork movement joints
- Concrete & block
- Render & cladding joints
Outside joints around Barnton
Barnton is close to the coast, and homes near the sea take more wind-driven rain, with salt in the air closer to the shore. Both are hard on movement joints and outside wall joints, which can dry out and crack sooner where a building faces the weather. Edinburgh’s Old and New Towns are a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the Georgian New Town is known for its sash windows. For listed homes and conservation areas, check with the council before changing how windows or walls look.
If you look after a building such as Craigmount High School, movement joints, cladding joints and gutters on larger buildings need the same care as a house’s. Caroline Park, about 2.9 miles north-east, is one of the historic houses in the wider area around Barnton.
Barnton is about 4 miles west of Edinburgh, in Edinburgh. We provide external mastic to householders, landlords and businesses in Barnton, as part of our work across Edinburgh. Across Edinburgh, we cover 175 places, and Barnton is one of them.
We work across the EH4 and EH12 postcode area for external mastic. Whether your property is on Avon Road, Cammo Road and Essex Road or a nearby road, our applicators can take on the job. Other places close to Barnton include Braepark (1 mile north), Cammo (1 mile south-west), Cramond (1 mile north-east), Bughtlin (1 mile south) and East Craigs (1 mile south). Larger places within reach include Edinburgh (4 miles east), Leith (5 miles east), Bonnington (5 miles east), Greenside (5 miles east), Broughton (5 miles east) and Bellevue (4 miles east).
Local landmarks in Barnton
The nearest railway station is Edinburgh Gateway station, roughly 1.6 miles south of the centre. Well-known places in the area include Corstorphine Hospital (1.9 miles south-east) and The Gyle Shopping Centre (1.7 miles south). The countryside around Barnton includes The New Leaf Co-op and Corstorphine Hill.
What affects the cost of external mastic
Every job gets its own quote. This is what makes a difference:
- Whether there’s mould to deal with
- Any working-time requirements on site
- How many rooms, windows or areas are involved
- Which sealant suits the joint
What it costs depends on the size of the job, how much old material has to come out and how easy the joints are to reach. You’ll have a clear quote before any work starts, so you know where you stand.
Helping us quote
You don’t need to know the technical terms. It helps if you can tell us:
- Photos by email, if that is easy
- Roughly how big the job is
- Access, such as stairs, a lift or height
- The problem you’ve noticed
To get a quote, email us at info@mrmastic.co.uk with the location and a short description of the problem. We will give you a clear quote before any work starts.
DIY sealant or a professional job?
If you’ve already had a go yourself, that’s fine. We remove it and do the joint properly, so just mention it when you contact us.
Not every job suits DIY: high-level joints, fire-rated gaps, external movement joints and big jobs call for the right materials, safe access and experience.