Shetland Islands · Scotland
External Mastic in Melby
Movement joints in Melby need attention? We cut out the old, prepare the joints and apply the right sealant, and the work is guaranteed for a year.
- Plants rooting in failed movement joints
- Weathered mastic that no longer stretches
- Rain getting behind render or cladding at a joint
External mastic for homes and businesses in Melby
On houses, flats and commercial buildings across Melby, we reseal joints in brickwork, render, cladding and façade panels. Every joint gets the same careful preparation: clean joint faces and the right depth. If you have gaps where render, brick and frames meet and failed sealant between panels on a façade, we can help, on render & cladding joints, joints between brick and frames and façade panels alike.
Stone walls need a stone-friendly sealant, as acetoxy products can attack some stone. On newer homes, the movement joints and roofline trims are what need watching.
All of our work is guaranteed for twelve months, in Melby and everywhere else we cover.
- Location
- Melby (ZE2)
- Region
- Shetland Islands
- Guarantee
- A year, on every job
- Quote
- A clear quote up front
- info@mrmastic.co.uk
- Page updated
- 26 October 2026
What external mastic looks like in Melby
Melby is close to 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. Work on the islands has to be planned around ferry crossings and the weather, so the more notice, the better.
In and around Melby, as anywhere, good external mastic starts with a clean, dry, properly prepared joint.
Melby is in the Shetland Islands. For external mastic in and around Melby, it’s easy to get a quote: please email us at info@mrmastic.co.uk. We cover the Shetland Islands from our Crawley base. Our area takes in 63 places across the Shetland Islands, large and small.
Postcode districts we cover here for external mastic: ZE2. We also cover Sandness (1 mile south-east), Walls (6 miles south-east), Aith (10 miles east), Easter Skeld (11 miles south-east) and Brae (12 miles north-east). Island and remote addresses take a little more planning, so tell us where you are when you ask for a quote.
Local landmarks in Melby
Open spaces near Melby include Loch of Norby.
How the visit works
Once we are on site, we check the joints match what you told us. If we find something unexpected, we talk it through with you first. After that, the work takes a few hours for a handful of joints, longer for a whole elevation. Outside jobs in Melby need a dry day, because sealant will not bond to a wet joint, so external jobs may need to move if the day turns wet. Indoor work goes ahead whatever the weather.
- We inspect the joints and agree which need resealing and how they’ll be reached.
- We cut out the failed sealant and rake out any dirt or growth.
- The joint faces are cleaned and primed where the sealant needs it.
- We push in closed-cell backing rod so the sealant is the right depth and bonds to the sides only.
- The new sealant, chosen to suit the brick or render, is applied and tooled to a neat finish.
How to prepare
- Move anything stored near the joints
- Where the joints are inside, avoid wetting them before we arrive
- For business premises, tell us about site rules or sign-in
Ask for a quote
Asking for a quote is easy: let us know the job and the location, and roughly how big it is. A few photos by email make the job easier to understand, and we’ll come back to you with a quote.
Read more
Also in Melby
What we’re called out for in Melby
Using the wrong sealant is another common reason. A high-modulus or general-purpose sealant can be too rigid for a busy joint, so it pulls away from the edges.
Most people get in touch after spotting one of these:
- Movement joints filled with mortar instead of sealant
- Movement joints with cracked, split or missing sealant
- Sealant pulling away from one side of the joint
- Panel joints letting water in
Homes close to St Margaret's Kirk and Graveyard include some older properties, and the joints between older walls, newer extensions and the roofline need a sealant that can move.
What your quote should include
- The length of the guarantee
- Whether all the old sealant comes out first
- Which sealant they’ll use, and why
- What happens if the job turns out different
Common questions in Melby
Is external mastic in a coastal place like Melby any different?
Near the coast, wind-driven rain and, nearer the shore, salt air make outside sealant work harder. Choosing the right sealant for the frame and wall, laid at the right depth, helps it last.
Is Melby in your area for external mastic?
Yes. We work across all of Scotland, and Melby is part of that. Just send an email to info@mrmastic.co.uk with a few details of the job.
Can I add another job to the visit?
Yes. Just list everything you need.
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.
Do you guarantee your work?
Yes: twelve months. If anything is not right with the work within the year, let us know and we’ll sort it.
Will the new joint stand out?
We choose a sealant colour to suit the brick, stone or render. Exterior sealants come in a good range of colours.
How long should I leave it?
Many sealants skin over quickly but take longer to cure fully. We will tell you how long to leave the joint.
Do you seal joints where cladding meets other materials?
Yes. We cut out the old sealant, prepare both faces and reseal with a flexible exterior product. The colour is chosen to suit.
Looking after it afterwards
Once the sealant has cured, a few habits help it last:
- Keep high-pressure jets off the joints
- Keep soil, plants and ivy away from the joints
- Never let anyone fill a movement joint with mortar
- Ask before painting over external sealant
Avoid pressure-washing straight into the joints. High-pressure water can lift the edges and let water in behind.
An open movement joint lets rain into the wall every time it pours. Over time it can mean damp inside, stained render or frost-damaged brick, all bigger jobs than a reseal.
How we quote for external mastic
We don’t publish a price list, because jobs vary so much. What we look at:
- When we can work, for business premises
- How easy the joints are to reach
- Whether there’s mould to deal with
- The type of sealant required
A few things move the cost up or down: how much old sealant there is and how stubborn it is, whether mould needs treating, and whether we need extra access for height. We take all of that into account in your quote.
Helping us quote
What to tell us when you ask for a quote:
- How we’d reach the joints
- The rough size of the job
- Where the property is
- What’s wrong with the joints now
If you’re in Melby and need external mastic, drop us a line at info@mrmastic.co.uk. Tell us what the problem is and where, and you will get a clear quote before we start.
DIY sealant or a professional job?
What a professional job adds is preparation and the right product. We take joints back to clean, dry surfaces, and the sealant is chosen for how the joint moves and where it is.
The biggest DIY mistake is sealing over old sealant. Silicone does not stick to old silicone, so it lifts and traps water and mould underneath. All the old material has to come out first.
Surface by surface
Cladding and façade panels
If the façade has a specified sealant, that is what we use. Send us any details you have about the façade.
Render joints
Render is weaker at the surface than brick, so a sealant that stretches easily protects the edges. Priming is done where the sealant calls for it.
Work for landlords, hotels and businesses
From a single let to a portfolio, the work is the same standard: old sealant fully removed, joints prepared properly and a one-year guarantee.
Businesses can book us for washrooms, kitchens, offices and more. On commercial sites, working times can be discussed when we quote.