Orkney Islands · Scotland
Dounby External Mastic
External mastic in Dounby from a team with over 20 years’ experience. 180+ five-star Google reviews and a 4.9 rating.
- Old sealant gone brittle and cracked
- Water getting into walls through failed joints
- Movement joints with cracked, split or missing sealant
External mastic in Dounby, done properly
As ARBOMaster approved applicators, we choose exterior sealants to suit the joint and the surfaces. Porous or awkward surfaces are primed where the sealant needs it. If you have failed sealant between panels on a façade and weathered mastic that no longer stretches, we can help, on copings & trims, concrete & block and joints between brick and frames alike.
In and around a place like Dounby, many buildings face open ground and take the full weather. Gutter joints and wall joints take a battering.
The work is covered for a year after we finish. If anything isn’t right with it, drop us a line at info@mrmastic.co.uk.
- Where
- Dounby (KW17)
- Wider area
- Orkney Islands
- Guarantee
- One year on every job
- Price
- A clear quote up front
- info@mrmastic.co.uk
- Last updated
- 26 October 2026
Dounby buildings and the weather
Dounby is within about 3 miles of 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. Island jobs need planning around ferries and the weather, so give us as much notice as you can.
Historic houses such as Skaill House, about 4 miles west, show how far back building around Dounby goes, and older homes nearby need a sealant that suits their walls.
Dounby is about 12 miles north-west of Kirkwall, in the Orkney Islands. Dounby gets the same service as everywhere we cover: the old material taken out, joints prepared properly and a 12-month guarantee. Dounby is one of 51 towns and villages in the Orkney Islands where we work.
Every address in KW17 is covered for external mastic. You’ll find streets such as Flett's Park, Back Road and Hillside Road, and we cover them all. Neighbouring places we cover for external mastic include Hourston (1 mile south), Skeabrae (1 mile west), Russland (2 miles south), Harray (3 miles south-east) and Tenston (3 miles south-west). As one of the bigger places in the Orkney Islands, Dounby has every kind of property, from flats to offices. If you’re somewhere remote, the job takes a little more planning, so let us know when you get in touch.
Around Dounby
Other landmarks nearby include Corrigall Farm Museum (2.1 miles south-east). The countryside around Dounby includes Birsay moors RSPB Reserve and Greeny Hill.
The process
Our applicators work methodically: protection first, then preparation, sealing and a tidy-up. For most jobs that takes a few hours to a few days, depending on the length of joint and the access. In smaller Scottish places, parking is usually less of an issue than access and distance. Tell us how to find the property and how to reach the work, and the visit is planned around that.
- First we look over the joints with you, agree which to renew and talk through access.
- Old sealant and any debris are cut and raked out.
- Both sides are cleaned back to sound material and primed if needed.
- Backing rod goes in next, setting the depth and keeping the sealant off the back of the joint.
- We gun in a flexible exterior sealant in a colour that suits the wall and tool it neatly.
How to prepare
- Move anything stored near the joints
- Mention any leaks or damp you’ve noticed
- Keep children and pets away from the work area
Get a quote
The more we know about the job, the more useful the quote. Tell us where the job is, what’s wrong and how much there is.
Related advice
Keeping the joints in good condition
No joint lasts for ever, but care makes a real difference. A few tips:
- Point out the joints to other trades
- Keep water from gutters off the wall
- Clear growth from the base of walls and joints
- Check external joints each spring
Don’t let soil, plants or ivy build up against the new joints. Anything that holds water against the joint wears it out sooner.
If you can see gaps, plants or bare sections in a joint, have it checked. Earlier resealing means a smaller job and a better result.
More services for Dounby
What we are called out for in Dounby
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.
People generally contact us after spotting something like this:
- Rain getting behind render or cladding at a joint
- Rigid filler in a joint that should flex
- Joints with sealant missing in places
- Weathered mastic that no longer stretches
In and around Dounby, as anywhere, good external mastic starts with a clean, dry, properly prepared joint.
Before booking anyone
- What insurance they hold
- Is the old sealant removed completely?
- Whether you can choose the colour
- When the joint can take water or movement
Leave it or put it right?
Pointing a movement joint with mortar might seem a neat fix, but it stops the joint moving. The wall then cracks somewhere else. The correct repair is a flexible sealant with the right backing. Around Dounby, water from a failed joint in an older stone home can soak into timber and plaster, which is a far bigger job than the sealant.
A few things move the cost up or down: how much old sealant there is and how stubborn it is, any mould to treat, and whether we need extra access for height. We take all of that into account in your quote.
Why Dounby clients choose us
- We never seal over old sealant
- Arbo and Everbuild products
- A choice of colours where the product allows
- Fully insured
Read what affects the cost or our reviews.
Surface by surface
Joints between dissimilar materials
Joints where frames, sills or panels meet the wall are common leak points. We cut out the old sealant and reseal with a product suited to both surfaces.
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.
Can I do it myself?
Not every job suits DIY: high-level joints, fire-rated gaps, external movement joints and big jobs need the right product, the right access and the right method.
Some sealant jobs are within reach of a careful DIYer, like a short, easy-to-reach joint indoors. Where it goes wrong is sealing over the old bead, working on a wet joint or overloading the gap.
Questions from Dounby
Can you do external mastic in Dounby?
Yes. We work across all of Scotland, and Dounby is part of that. You can drop us a line at info@mrmastic.co.uk and tell us what needs doing.
Do you cover smaller places like Dounby?
Yes, smaller places are covered as well as towns. Our work covers the whole of Scotland, including the islands, where work is planned around ferry crossings. Let us know about access, parking and anything unusual about getting there when you book.
Can you reach joints on upper floors?
It depends on the building. We work on joints that can be reached safely. Tell us about the building and we’ll confirm what access is needed.
How long does the job take?
That depends on the amount of work, but most jobs take anything from a few hours to several days, depending on the building. We’ll tell you when we quote.
I’m a tenant. Can you help?
Yes, but check with your landlord or agent first. Many landlords are glad to have it sorted.
Can you do several jobs on one visit?
Yes. Just list everything you need and you will get one quote.
Are you fully insured?
Yes. Full insurance covers our work, and we can confirm the details when we quote.
Do you remove the old sealant?
Yes, always, and completely. New sealant will not bond properly to old, so any old material comes out before anything new goes in.
Quotes for external mastic in Dounby
Your quote is based on your job. We take into account:
- The product the joint needs
- How much old sealant there is and how hard it is to remove
- The size of the job
- Any mould that needs treating
Homes and businesses are quoted the same way: the amount of work, the access and the products needed, plus any working-time requirements on site. Call for a quick quote and we will go through it with you.
Asking for a quote
When you contact us, it’s useful to know:
- Whether it’s a home or a business
- If someone has resealed it before
- How we’d reach the joints
- What’s wrong with the joints now
Quotes start with a quick conversation. Tell us what’s wrong, where it is and how much there is, and we will explain how we’d tackle it. When it suits you, send an email to info@mrmastic.co.uk.