Shetland Islands · Scotland
Clate External Mastic
Specialist external mastic for Clate: careful preparation, the right product and tidy work. Ask us for a quick quote.
- Weeds or debris growing in open joints
- Movement joints with cracked, split or missing sealant
- Rain getting behind render or cladding at a joint
External mastic in Clate
A movement joint is only as good as its depth. 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. Typical jobs include joints where the bead has come unstuck and joints pointed up with cement by mistake, across brickwork movement joints, render & cladding joints and concrete & block.
In and around a place like Clate, many buildings face open ground and take the full weather. Gutter joints and wall joints take a battering.
We stand behind the work with a one-year guarantee, so you’re covered after we have gone.
- Where
- Clate (ZE2)
- Region
- Shetland Islands
- Cover
- 12 months on all our work
- Quotes
- Quoted before any work starts
- info@mrmastic.co.uk
- Last updated
- 26 October 2026
Different surfaces, different methods
Brickwork movement joints
Vertical joints in long brick walls let the brickwork expand without cracking. We reseal them with a low-modulus sealant over backing rod coloured to suit the wall.
Joints between dissimilar materials
Where a frame or panel meets masonry, water often finds a way in. The old joint is removed and a sealant that bonds to both sides goes in.
What happens on the day
Once we’re on site, we check the joints match what you told us. If anything is different, we explain it before carrying on. After that, the work takes anything from a few hours to several days, depending on the building. Outdoor work around Clate depends on the weather, as sealant needs a dry surface, so external jobs may need to move if the day turns wet. Work indoors isn’t affected.
- First, the joints are inspected and the access agreed.
- We cut out the old mastic and rake out anything in the joint.
- Joint faces are cleaned back and primed if the sealant needs it.
- Backing rod sized to the joint goes in to set the depth.
- We apply the sealant, tool it and check the whole run.
Getting ready for the visit
- Mention any parking rules near the property
- Tell us about access, such as stairs, a lift or high-level joints
- Where the joints are inside, avoid wetting them before we arrive
How to get a quote
It all starts with a short chat. Tell us what’s wrong, where it is and how much there is, and we will explain how we’d tackle it. Whenever you are ready, email us at info@mrmastic.co.uk.
Advice
Questions from Clate
Is external mastic in a coastal place like Clate any different?
Coastal weather is harder on outside sealant: there’s more wind-driven rain and, closer to the shore, salt in the air. The right product, a clean joint and the right depth all help it cope.
Will you come out to Clate?
Yes, Clate is covered. Our work covers the whole of Scotland, islands included, and smaller places are part of that. Longer journeys are simply planned in advance.
Will it make a mess?
We keep the work tidy. Nearby surfaces are protected.
Should I point up the gap in my brickwork?
No, not where the gap is a movement joint. Pointing it stops it working. A flexible sealant is the right fill.
Do you seal joints where cladding meets other materials?
Yes. Different materials move at different rates, so the joint between them must be flexible. The sealant is matched to both sides.
Do you have insurance?
Yes. We’re fully insured, with over 20 years’ experience in sealant work.
What does external mastic cost?
Every job is different, so each one gets its own quote. To get one, email us at info@mrmastic.co.uk and tell us what needs doing and where.
Is it OK to seal over old sealant?
No, and we never do. It may look fine at first, but the new layer lifts away from the old one. The old sealant has to come out completely.
Why it’s worth doing now in Clate
Done well, a resealed joint is a neat, straight line that suits the wall. A rushed bead with no backing looks untidy and doesn’t last, so it pays to do it properly once. Out of town in Scotland, exposed walls take a lot of weather, and once water gets behind a failed joint, damp in stone or harled walls is slow to dry out.
Rather than a set price list, we look at what your job involves: how many joints, what’s in them now and how we reach them. You will know the price before we begin.
What you get with us
- Tidy, careful work
- Sanitary silicone with an anti-fungal additive in wet areas
- 20+ years of sealant experience
- White, clear, grey or coloured to suit, where the product allows
See what affects the cost or our reviews.
Walls and rooflines in Clate
Clate is close to the coast, where wind-driven rain is a fact of life and, nearer the shore, so is salt air. That’s hard on movement joints and outside wall joints, especially on the side facing the sea. On the islands, wind and salt spray are hard on outside sealant.
Around Clate, as everywhere, external mastic is only as good as the preparation behind it.
Clate is about 13 miles north of Lerwick, in the Shetland Islands. Wherever you are in the ZE2 postcode area, our applicators can take on external mastic. Across the Shetland Islands, we cover 63 places, Clate among them.
All of ZE2 is covered for external mastic, from the main roads to the quietest streets. Whether your property is on Rocky Road and Harlsdale or a nearby road, our applicators can take on the job. Neighbouring places we cover for external mastic include Sandwick (1 mile north), Symbister (1 mile north), Hamister (1 mile north), Huxter (1 mile east) and Tripwell (2 miles north-east). We also work in nearby towns such as Lerwick (13 miles south), Sound (14 miles south) and Brae (12 miles west). For island and remote addresses, a little more planning is needed, so mention it when you ask for a quote.
Near you in Clate
For a walk, there’s Loch of Sandwick and Ward of Clett.
Landlord and commercial work in Clate
Whether it’s one flat or a portfolio, you get the same standard of work: the old material taken out, careful preparation and a 12-month guarantee.
We also work for property managers and facilities teams in Clate and across the Shetland Islands. Several sites can be quoted together.
More services for Clate
When it is not the sealant
Sealant isn’t the answer to every problem, and we’d rather say so up front. It will not solve:
- Damp from another source, such as a leaking gutter or a bridged damp-proof course
- Adding movement joints to masonry that has none
- Render that’s blown, hollow or coming away
Not sure which it is? You can send an email to info@mrmastic.co.uk and we will tell you honestly.
Surfaces we seal
- Concrete & block
- Joints between brick and frames
- Render & cladding joints
- Copings & trims
- Brickwork movement joints
- Façade panels
How to look after the new joints
A little care helps the new joints last. We recommend:
- Clear growth from the base of walls and joints
- Fix overflowing gutters above sealed joints
- Leave the joints unpainted unless we’ve said otherwise
- Never let anyone fill a movement joint with mortar
Look over the joints once a year, ideally after winter. Watch for splits, edges coming away or growth in the joint.
Act while the splits are small. Then it’s a straightforward cut-out and reseal with no damage behind it to deal with.
When to call us in Clate
Using the wrong sealant is another common reason. A stiff, general-purpose sealant cannot cope with a joint that moves a lot, and it tears off the sides.
These are the problems we are asked about most:
- Joints pointed up with cement by mistake
- Moss and dirt in joints with no sealant left
- Joints where the bead has come unstuck
- Failed sealant between panels on a façade
Whether the job is in Clate itself or nearby, the right material for each joint matters as much as a neat finish.
What your quote should include
- What insurance they hold
- What preparation is included
- Whether all the old sealant comes out first
- Is VAT in the price?