Edinburgh · Scotland
External Mastic in Colinton Mains
Sealing brickwork movement joints, render, cladding and façade joints for homes and businesses in Colinton Mains and across Edinburgh. Fully insured, ARBOMaster approved and guaranteed for a year.
- Failed sealant between panels on a façade
- Movement joints filled with mortar instead of sealant
- Sealant that has lost its bond to the brick or render
Different surfaces, different methods
Render joints
Water behind render can lead to blown patches. A sound joint keeps the render dry behind and protects the render itself.
Cladding and façade panels
Panel systems often rely on sealant between and around the panels. We reseal them with a sealant suited to the panel material.
External mastic in Colinton Mains
Getting the depth right is half the job. Backing rod controls how deep the sealant goes and keeps it off the back of the joint, leaving it bonded to two faces so it can move with the wall. We work on concrete & block, joints between brick and frames and brickwork movement joints, and the jobs we see most are joints with sealant missing in places and plants rooting in failed movement joints.
Stone-built tenements in Scotland’s cities share their roof, gutters and outside walls between every flat in the building. In Colinton Mains, work on shared parts of a tenement is usually agreed between owners, often with a factor arranging it.
Every job is covered by a one-year guarantee, wherever you are in Edinburgh.
- Place
- Colinton Mains (EH13, EH10, EH14)
- Region
- Edinburgh
- Cover
- A year, on every job
- Quotes
- A clear price before we start
- info@mrmastic.co.uk
- Page updated
- 26 October 2026
What else we do in Colinton Mains
Common problems we fix in Colinton Mains
Buildings move more than people expect. Clay bricks expand slightly over their life, concrete and block shrink, and everything moves with temperature and wet. All of that ends up in the joint sealant.
These are the problems we are asked about most:
- Failed seals between different materials
- Plants rooting in failed movement joints
- Joints with sealant missing in places
- Rain getting behind render or cladding at a joint
If you live in an older home near St Johns Colinton Mains Church, the joints between older walls, newer extensions and the roofline need a sealant that can move.
Comparing quotes
- Who does the work, and how experienced they are
- How long the guarantee is
- Are they insured?
- How the surfaces are prepared before sealing
Landlord and commercial work in Colinton Mains
Housing providers, facilities teams and property managers book us too in Colinton Mains and across Edinburgh. Several sites can go on one quote, and we are fully insured for the work.
Landlords and letting agents in Colinton Mains can book us as well as homeowners. Sealant work between tenants is a simple way to keep a property in good order.
Aftercare tips
Aftercare is simple, and it makes a real difference:
- Wash walls gently around the sealant
- Leave the joints unpainted unless we have said otherwise
- Fix overflowing gutters above sealed joints
- Keep movement joints as flexible joints, not mortar
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.
Leaks behind façade panels and render often go unseen. By the time there’s a damp patch, the damage can be well established so early resealing is worth it.
When it isn’t the sealant
We will always be straight with you, so here’s what new sealant will not do:
- Loose or hollow render, which needs re-rendering
- Rising or penetrating damp from elsewhere in the wall
- Structural movement, which needs a surveyor or engineer
If you are not sure, just email us at info@mrmastic.co.uk and we will give you a straight answer before you book.
Where we work in Colinton Mains
- Brickwork movement joints
- Copings & trims
- Joints between brick and frames
- Façade panels
- Render & cladding joints
- Concrete & block
What we do, step by step
The work is kept neat and contained to the area we’re working on. Expect the work to take anything from a few hours to several days, depending on the building, and we tell you how long to leave it before we go. Parking in city streets around Colinton Mains 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.
- Each joint is checked and the colour of the new sealant agreed.
- Failed sealant is removed back to clean, sound faces.
- Closed-cell backing rod is pushed in so the sealant bonds to two sides only.
- Primer is applied wherever the sealant needs it.
- We gun in low-modulus sealant and tool it neatly.
Before we arrive
- Plan for the work area to be out of bounds to pets and children
- Mention any sign-in or site rules at work premises
- Let us know if you’ve seen damp or leaks
Get a quote
For a quick quote, get us on the phone, or email us if that’s easier. Describe what needs sealing and we will explain what’s involved before giving you a price.
Read more
Why deal with it now?
Water gets in through a failed movement joint. Resealing early keeps the job to the joint itself, instead of the wall and finishes around it. In a Scottish city tenement, failed sealant affects more than one flat: water can reach the flat below, and gaps in shared walls or fire-stopping affect the whole stair.
We don’t show prices on the website, because the cost depends so much on the job itself. For a quick quote, please send an email to info@mrmastic.co.uk.
Why us?
- We agree the colour with you first
- Neat joints and a tidy finish
- Anti-fungal silicone where joints get wet
- More than 20 years in sealant work
Take a look at our cost guide and our reviews.
FAQs for Colinton Mains
Can you help a landlord with a rental near Slateford station?
Yes, we work for landlords and letting agents. You can email us at info@mrmastic.co.uk with the address and a few details, and we’ll give you a fixed price before any work starts.
Is Colinton Mains in your area for external mastic?
Yes, Colinton Mains is within the area we cover. Our work covers the whole of Scotland. You can email us at info@mrmastic.co.uk and tell us what needs doing.
Can you seal over the old sealant?
No. We remove every bit of old sealant first, so the new sealant bonds properly.
What does external mastic cost?
The cost depends on the size of the job, access and how much old sealant has to come out. Call for a quick quote and we will talk you through it.
What’s an expansion joint in brickwork?
It’s a deliberate gap that lets the wall expand and contract without cracking. It’s sealed with a flexible sealant, not mortar.
Is it worth trying it myself?
That depends on the joint. High-level, external movement and fire-rated joints are professional jobs.
How long will you be here?
Most jobs take a few hours to a few days, depending on the length of joint and the access, including the preparation. We will confirm how long when we quote.
Why do you put foam in the joint first?
The foam is closed-cell backing rod. It stops the sealant going in too deep and bonding to three sides so it can flex with the joint.
Colinton Mains buildings and the weather
Harled (roughcast) walls are common in Scotland, and joints where harling meets other materials need a sealant that can grip and flex. Private landlords in Scotland must meet the Repairing Standard, which includes keeping a home wind and watertight, and failed outside joints work against that.
If you let a flat or house near Slateford station, split movement joints are easy to miss on a rental until damp shows inside. Managing a site like Firrhill High School? Then its movement joints, gutters and trims need looking after like any other building’s.
Colinton Mains is about 3 miles south of Edinburgh, in Edinburgh. Across the EH13 area, we can carry out external mastic at your property. Colinton Mains is one of 175 places in Edinburgh we cover.
Here we cover the EH13, EH10 and EH14 postcode area for external mastic. We cover properties on Redford Road, Greenbank Road and Oxgangs Avenue and the roads around them. If you are just outside Colinton Mains, we cover Firrhill (1 mile north-west), Oxgangs (1 mile east), Redford (1 mile west), Greenbank (1 mile north-east) and Comiston (1 mile east). Further out, we also cover Edinburgh (3 miles north), Leith (5 miles north-east), Bonnington (5 miles north-east), Greenside (4 miles north-east), Broughton (4 miles north-east) and Bellevue (4 miles north).
Local landmarks in Colinton Mains
In Colinton Mains, that means homes and buildings near Army School of Bagpipe Music and Highland Drumming and Harrison Park. The closest station to Colinton Mains is Slateford station, about 1.3 miles north-west of the centre. Nearby you will also find Edinburgh City Hospital (0.5 miles north) and Cameron Toll Shopping Centre (2.8 miles north-east). The countryside around Colinton Mains includes Duddingston Loch and Craiglockhart Hill.