Edinburgh · Scotland
Ellen's Glen External Mastic
Sealing brickwork movement joints, render, cladding and façade joints for homes and businesses in Ellen's Glen and across Edinburgh. ARBOMaster approved applicators, fully insured, with a 12-month guarantee.
- Failed seals between different materials
- Panel joints letting water in
- Movement joints with cracked, split or missing sealant
External mastic in Ellen's Glen
Where two different materials meet, such as brick and render or blockwork and metal, they move at different rates. A flexible exterior sealant takes up that movement where a rigid filler would soon crack. We are often asked to deal with brick movement joints where the sealant has split and moss and dirt in joints with no sealant left, across façade panels, joints between brick and frames and concrete & block.
On a four-storey tenement, gutter joints are a long way from the street, and a slow drip can stain and soak the stone for a long time before it’s spotted. For a building in Ellen's Glen, access is planned first, and shared parts may need the other owners to agree.
The work is covered for a year after we finish. If there’s a problem with it, please email us at info@mrmastic.co.uk.
- Where
- Ellen's Glen (EH17, EH16)
- Region
- Edinburgh
- Cover
- 12 months on all our work
- Quotes
- Quoted before any work starts
- info@mrmastic.co.uk
- Page updated
- 26 October 2026
DIY sealant or a professional job?
Overfilling a joint is a classic DIY mistake. A thick, smeared bead looks untidy and does not move well, and getting the depth right matters as much as the look.
Some sealant jobs are within reach of a careful DIYer, like a short, easy-to-reach joint indoors. The common mistakes are sealing over old sealant, sealing a damp joint and using far too much.
Common problems we fix in Ellen's Glen
Sunlight, wet weather and frost wear exterior sealant down. In time it goes hard, crazes on the surface and stops stretching, so the next time the wall moves, it splits or pulls away.
Most people get in touch when they notice one of these:
- Sealant pulling away from one side of the joint
- Plants rooting in failed movement joints
- Water getting into walls through failed joints
- Brick movement joints where the sealant has split
Schools such as Liberton High School are buildings too, and larger buildings have long runs of movement joint that eventually need resealing.
Questions to ask before you book
- What the cure time is
- What preparation is included
- How hidden problems are handled
- Whether VAT is included
How the job changes by surface
Joints between dissimilar materials
Where a frame or panel meets masonry, water often finds a way in. We cut out the old sealant and reseal with a product suited to both surfaces.
Cladding and façade panels
Where a cladding system has its own specified sealant, we follow it. Send us any details you have about the façade.
External mastic in Ellen's Glen: local notes
Under the Tenements (Scotland) Act 2004, shared parts of a tenement, such as the roof and outside walls, are looked after by the owners together, often through a property factor. The title deeds set out which parts are common. Under the Repairing Standard, private landlords in Scotland have to keep homes wind and watertight, and failed outside joints work against that.
Rented homes near Shawfair station change hands often, and split movement joints are easy to miss on a rental until damp shows inside. Historic houses such as Melville Castle, about 2.2 miles south-east, show how far back building around Ellen's Glen goes.
Ellen's Glen is about 3 miles south-east of Edinburgh, in Edinburgh. If you need external mastic in Ellen's Glen, it’s easy to get a quote: please send an email to info@mrmastic.co.uk. We are based in Crawley and cover Edinburgh. Across Edinburgh, we cover 175 places, and Ellen's Glen is one of them.
Work in EH17 and EH16 is quoted and booked the same way as anywhere else. We cover properties on Soutra Road, Little Road and Mansion Lane and the roads around them. You’ll find Ellen's Glen on the A772, which makes it straightforward to reach. We also cover the places around Ellen's Glen: Gracemount (1 mile south-west), Liberton (1 mile north-west), Craigour (1 mile north-east), Moredun (1 mile north-east) and Southhouse (1 mile south-west). Larger places within reach include Edinburgh (3 miles north-west), Leith (5 miles north), Bonnington (4 miles north), Greenside (4 miles north-west), Broughton (4 miles north-west) and Bellevue (4 miles north-west).
Around Ellen's Glen
Locally, jobs take us to homes and businesses close to Liberton Parish Church and Drum Park, among other places. The nearest railway station is Shawfair station, roughly 2.4 miles east of the centre. A little further out are Cameron Toll Shopping Centre (1.3 miles north-west) and Ellen's Glen House (under half a mile west). For a walk, there’s The New Leaf Co-op and Duddingston Loch.
What affects the cost of external mastic
Every job gets its own quote. This is what makes a difference:
- How many rooms, windows or areas are involved
- Whether there’s mould to deal with
- How easy the joints are to reach
- When we can work, for business premises
Instead of a standard rate, we price the job in front of us: the amount of work, the old material and the access. You’ll know the price before we begin.
What to tell us for a quote
When you contact us, these details help:
- Whether it has been sealed before
- The rough size of the job
- Access, such as stairs, a lift or height
- Whether it’s a home or a business
There’s no standard price list, as no two jobs are quite the same. Instead, we send you a clear quote for your job. To arrange one, send an email to info@mrmastic.co.uk.
Landlords, agents and businesses in Ellen's Glen
We also work for businesses, from offices to washrooms and kitchens. On commercial sites, working times can be discussed when we quote.
Mouldy or split sealant often shows up at the end of a tenancy. Several properties can go on one quote.
Common questions in Ellen's Glen
Do you cover Ellen's Glen for external mastic?
Yes. We work across all of Scotland, and Ellen's Glen is part of that. You can email us at info@mrmastic.co.uk and tell us what needs doing, and we will give you a clear quote.
I let a flat near Shawfair station. Can you help?
Yes. We work for landlords and agents as well as householders. Just drop us a line at info@mrmastic.co.uk with the address and what needs doing, and we’ll give you a clear price.
Should I point up the gap in my brickwork?
No, not if it’s a movement joint. Filling it with mortar defeats its purpose, and the wall may crack nearby. We will reseal it with a flexible sealant.
How long will you be here?
A typical job takes anything from a few hours to several days, depending on the building. We will confirm how long when we quote.
Do you guarantee your work?
Yes, always. Each job is guaranteed for twelve months.
Where is Mr Mastic based?
We’re a Crawley-based firm, with over 20 years’ experience. We work across South East England, London and Scotland.
How long does external mastic last?
It varies with how exposed the wall is and how much the joint moves. Signs to watch for are cracking, hardening and gaps at the edges and have them redone then.
Can new sealant go over the old?
No, and we never do. It may look fine at first, but the new bead soon lifts. Removing the old sealant completely is the only lasting way.
What happens on the day
We work through the job in order: protect, prepare, seal, tidy. For most jobs that takes anything from a few hours to several days, depending on the building. For a tenement in Ellen's Glen, work inside your flat is between us and you, while shared parts may need the factor or neighbours to agree. Tell us which applies when you book.
- We start by walking round the building and agreeing the joints and the access.
- Every bit of old sealant and any mortar or debris is cut out.
- 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
- Try not to wet indoor joints just before the visit
- Plan for the work area to be out of bounds to pets and children
- Clear items away from the joints we’re working on
Ask for a quote
Call for a quick quote, or send an email if you’d rather. Describe what needs sealing and we will explain what’s involved and give you a clear price.
Advice
Why it’s worth doing now in Ellen's Glen
An open joint keeps letting water into the wall with every downpour. Wet masonry is more easily damaged by frost, so the problem grows beyond the joint itself. In a tenement flat in Ellen's Glen, a failed seal is rarely just your problem: a leak can come through the ceiling below, and gaps in shared walls or fire-rated joints matter to every flat.
Some things make a job bigger or smaller: the old material and how easily it comes out, whether mould needs treating, and whether the work is at height. Your quote takes all of that into account.
Why choose Mr Mastic in Ellen's Glen
- Sealant colour chosen to suit
- White, clear, grey or another colour, product permitting
- Experience in homes, commercial sites and hotels
- We leave the area clean and tidy
Take a look at how sealant jobs are priced and customer reviews.