Edinburgh · Scotland
External & façade joints in East Craigs, Edinburgh
Movement joints in East Craigs need attention? We cut out the old, prepare the joints and apply the right sealant, with a one-year guarantee.
- Failed seals between different materials
- Damp patches traced to an open external joint
- Movement joints filled with mortar instead of sealant
Keeping the joints in good condition
After the cure time, these simple habits help:
- Check the sealant is paintable before painting near it
- Keep soil, plants and ivy away from the joints
- Make sure movement joints aren’t pointed over
- Check external joints each spring
Have a quick look at the joints each spring. Watch for splits, edges coming away or growth in the joint.
Leaks behind façade panels and render often go unseen. By the time there’s a damp patch, the damage can be well established.
External mastic in East Craigs, done properly
External mastic is a job where short cuts show quickly. Overfilled joints, missing backing rod and sealant laid over old sealant all tend to fail early. We strip the joint back and start again. If you have failed seals between different materials and rigid filler in a joint that should flex, we can put it right.
Scotland’s cities also have plenty of modern blocks with rendered or clad walls and sealed movement joints. Around East Craigs, as anywhere, those joints dry out and crack over time, letting water behind the face of the building.
Our work is backed for twelve months.
- Place
- East Craigs (EH12, EH4)
- Wider area
- Edinburgh
- Cover
- A year, on every job
- Price
- A clear price before we start
- info@mrmastic.co.uk
- Updated
- 26 October 2026
East Craigs questions
How do repairs to the shared parts of a tenement in East Craigs get organised?
Most tenements arrange shared repairs through the owners or a property factor. The Tenements (Scotland) Act 2004 sets the rules for common parts if the deeds don’t, and we can quote for the factor or the owners directly.
Does living near the coast affect external mastic in East Craigs?
Coastal homes put outside sealant through more weather than inland ones, so the choice of sealant and the preparation matter even more. Walls facing the sea are normally the first to need attention.
Do the sealants smell?
Some sealants have a smell while they cure, which fades as it sets. Ventilation helps.
How long does the job take?
Most jobs take a few hours to a few days, depending on the length of joint and the access, including the preparation. Your quote will say how long we expect yours to take.
When will the joints need doing again?
That depends on the wall, the weather and the movement. Look for splits, hardening or edges coming away and have them redone then.
Can I add another job to the visit?
Of course. Combining jobs makes good use of the visit, so mention them when you ask for a quote.
I rent my home. Can I book you?
Yes, but check with your landlord or agent first. Landlords are often happy for the work to be arranged.
Which products do you use?
Products from Arbo and Everbuild, among others, picked for each joint. We explain the product when we quote.
What happens on the day
Most of a good job is in the preparation, so that’s where we spend the time. Every joint is cleaned and dried before new material goes in. All told, the work takes a few hours for a handful of joints, longer for a whole elevation. Inside a flat in East Craigs, the job is planned with you; outside, shared parts may need the factor or other owners involved. It helps to know which it is when you get in touch.
- First, the joints are inspected and the access agreed.
- 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.
- The exterior sealant is applied, tooled and checked along its length.
Before we arrive
- Mention any parking rules near the property
- For business premises, tell us about site rules or sign-in
- Mention if the joints have been sealed before
How to get a quote
If you’re in East Craigs and need external mastic, drop us a line at info@mrmastic.co.uk. A short description of the job and where it is helps us quote, and we will agree the price before any work begins.
Related advice
Why it’s worth doing now in East Craigs
Water gets in through a failed movement joint and can run behind render or cladding. Resealing early keeps the job to the joint itself, rather than the wall around it. In a tenement flat in East Craigs, a failed seal is rarely just your problem: water can reach the flat below, and gaps in shared walls or fire-stopping affect the whole stair.
Rather than a set price list, we look at what your job involves: the amount of work, the old material and the access. You will know the price before we begin.
Why us?
- Neat joints and a tidy finish
- Quality sealants from Arbo and Everbuild
- Domestic, commercial and hotel work
- Fully insured
See our cost guide and what customers say.
Different surfaces, different methods
Concrete and blockwork
Wide joints in concrete need the depth controlling carefully. We size the backing rod to the gap and keep the sealant to the right depth.
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.
What sealant work cannot fix
In fairness, there are a few things sealant will not fix:
- Loose or hollow render, which needs re-rendering
- Walls that need new movement joints cut into them
- Rising or penetrating damp from elsewhere in the wall
Not sure which it is? You can email us at info@mrmastic.co.uk and we will tell you honestly before booking.
Surfaces we seal
- Joints between brick and frames
- Façade panels
- Render & cladding joints
- Concrete & block
- Copings & trims
- Brickwork movement joints
Do you need external mastic in East Craigs?
Joints sealed without backing rod, or far too deep, rarely last. If the sealant sticks to the back as well as the sides, it can’t stretch and rips as the joint opens.
If you can see any of these, it’s time to have the joints looked at:
- Movement joints filled with mortar instead of sealant
- Water getting into walls through failed joints
- Joints where the bead has come unstuck
- Joints with sealant missing in places
If you let a flat or house near Edinburgh Gateway station, outside joints that have cracked can let damp into a rental, so check them between lets.
What to look for in a quote
- What the cure time is
- Which sealant they’ll use, and why
- What guarantee comes with the work
- How the joint is cleaned and prepared
More services for East Craigs
How we quote for external mastic
Every job gets its own quote. These are the things that affect it:
- Any mould that needs treating
- The size of the job
- How much old sealant there is and how hard it is to remove
- How easy the joints are to reach
Every job is a little different, so we quote each one individually. Size, access and the product the joint needs all play a part.
What to tell us for a quote
The more you tell us, the more accurate the quote. When you ask for a quote, tell us:
- Access, such as stairs, a lift or height
- The problem you’ve noticed
- If it’s domestic, commercial or a hotel
- Roughly how big the job is
To get a quote, email us at info@mrmastic.co.uk with the location and a short description of the problem. We’ll send you a clear quote before any work starts.
East Craigs buildings and the weather
East Craigs is within about 2 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. The Tenements (Scotland) Act 2004 sets out how owners share the upkeep of common parts like the roof and outside walls, and many buildings use a factor to arrange it. Your title deeds say which parts are shared.
Historic houses such as Caroline Park, about 3.5 miles north-east, show how far back building around East Craigs goes. For site and facilities teams at buildings such as Craigmount High School, its movement joints, gutters and trims need looking after like any other building’s.
East Craigs is about 4 miles west of Edinburgh, in Edinburgh. We provide external mastic to householders, landlords and businesses in East Craigs, as part of our work across Edinburgh. Our area takes in 175 places across Edinburgh.
Our applicators cover all of the EH12 and EH4 postcode area for external mastic. Local streets include Niven Road, Craigs Road and Maybury Road, and we cover them all. Neighbouring places we cover for external mastic include Bughtlin (1 mile north), West Craigs (1 mile south-west), Maybury (1 mile south), Cammo (1 mile north) and Barnton (1 mile north). We also work in nearby towns such as Edinburgh (4 miles east), Leith (6 miles east), Bonnington (5 miles east), Greenside (5 miles east), Broughton (5 miles east) and Bellevue (5 miles east).
Near you in East Craigs
The nearest railway station is Edinburgh Gateway station, about 0.7 miles south-west. Nearby you will also find Craigcrook Castle (1.7 miles east) and Corstorphine Hospital (1.5 miles east). The countryside around East Craigs includes Corstorphine Hill and Dundas Loch.