Edinburgh · Scotland
External & façade joints in New Town, Edinburgh
Our applicators work in New Town on sealing brickwork movement joints, render, cladding and façade joints. Old sealant removed completely, joints prepared properly and every job guaranteed for a year.
- Hard, crazed mastic that has stopped moving
- Joints where the bead has come unstuck
- Joints pointed up with cement by mistake
Why deal with it now?
An open joint keeps letting water into the wall with every downpour. Wet masonry is more easily damaged by frost, so the damage spreads beyond the joint. Private landlords in New Town must meet the Repairing Standard, and damp or leaks can fall short of it, so it’s worth fixing failed sealant before a tenant reports it.
We don’t show prices on the website, because each job is priced on what it involves. For a quick quote, please drop us a line at info@mrmastic.co.uk.
Why New Town clients choose us
- An ARBOMaster approved applicator
- More than 20 years in sealant work
- Every job guaranteed for a year
- Old sealant always removed completely
External mastic in New Town
For buildings in New Town, we reseal external joints of all kinds, from brick movement joints to cladding panels. The preparation is the same whatever the wall: clean, sound faces and a controlled depth. If you have damp patches traced to an open external joint and gaps where render, brick and frames meet, we can put it right, whatever the surface.
Alongside their tenements, Scotland’s cities have modern blocks with render, cladding and movement joints. Around New Town, as anywhere, those joints dry out and crack over time, letting water behind the face of the building.
Your job is guaranteed for a year, as with all our work.
- Where
- New Town (EH3, EH1, EH2)
- Wider area
- Edinburgh
- Cover
- One year on every job
- Quotes
- Quoted before any work starts
- info@mrmastic.co.uk
- Page updated
- 26 October 2026
What happens on the day
Good joint work is mostly preparation, and we do not rush it. Joints are cleaned back and dried before anything new goes in. In total, it normally takes a few hours to a few days, depending on the length of joint and the access. For a tenement in New Town, 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 checking each joint, agreeing the ones to redo and how we will reach them.
- Old sealant and any debris are cut and raked out.
- We clean both faces of the joint and prime them where the product calls for it.
- Closed-cell backing rod is fitted to set the depth and stop three-sided bonding.
- The new sealant, chosen to suit the brick or render, is applied and tooled to a neat finish.
Getting ready for the visit
- Clear the area around the work
- Mention if the joints have been sealed before
- Mention any parking rules near the property
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 before giving you a price.
Advice
Work for landlords, hotels and businesses
If you manage several properties in or around New Town, several properties can be quoted together. Just tell us the addresses and what each one needs, and pictures by email help.
Mouldy or split sealant often shows up at the end of a tenancy, and it’s easy to sort out between tenants. We can quote for more than one property at once.
When it is not the sealant
We will not take on work that won’t last, so here’s what sealant can’t put right:
- Rising or penetrating damp from elsewhere in the wall
- Structural movement, which needs a surveyor or engineer
- Failed render or damaged cladding panels
If you are not sure, just drop us a line at info@mrmastic.co.uk and we’ll give you a straight answer before you book.
Joints and surfaces we work on
- Joints between brick and frames
- Façade panels
- Render & cladding joints
- Copings & trims
- Brickwork movement joints
- Concrete & block
Other services in New Town
How the job changes by surface
Brickwork movement joints
Brick moves with heat and moisture, and grows a little over time. That movement goes into the joint, so its sealant has to stay flexible.
Copings and trims
Coping and trim joints face rain and sun head on. We reseal them with an exterior sealant suited to the material.
Common questions in New Town
Does living near the coast affect external mastic in New Town?
Coastal weather is harder on outside sealant: there’s more wind-driven rain and, closer to the shore, salt in the air. Choosing the right sealant for the frame and wall, laid at the right depth, helps it last.
Who arranges sealant work on the shared parts of a tenement in New Town?
Shared parts of a tenement, such as the roof and outside walls, are normally repaired with the agreement of the owners, often through a property factor. Where the title deeds are silent, the Tenements (Scotland) Act 2004 fills the gaps. Windows often belong to the individual flat, but it’s worth checking your deeds.
Do you use backing rod?
Backing rod goes into deeper joints as a matter of course. It controls the depth and stops the sealant bonding to the back, so the joint can move.
Can you seal over the old sealant?
No. The old sealant always comes out first, so the new joint bonds to clean surfaces.
Do you work at height?
That depends on how high the joints are and the ground below. Ground-floor joints are simple; for higher ones, send details and we’ll confirm the access.
Do the sealants smell?
Some sealants have a smell while they cure, but it fades. Opening a window helps.
Should I try DIY first?
It depends on the job. High-level, external movement and fire-rated joints are professional jobs.
Do you work in New Town?
Yes. From our base in Crawley, we cover South East England, London and all of Scotland, and that includes New Town.
Can I do it myself?
The difference is mostly in the preparation and the product. Joints are cleaned back to sound surfaces and dried, and the sealant is matched to the joint and its conditions.
Sealing over old silicone is the commonest DIY error. New silicone won’t bond to old, so it lifts and traps water and mould underneath. Everything old must be removed first.
New Town buildings and the weather
New Town 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. Edinburgh’s Old and New Towns are a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the Georgian New Town is known for its sash windows. For listed homes and conservation areas, check with the council before changing how windows or walls look.
In the older streets around St Andrew's and St George's West Church, older walls, gutters and the joints where extensions meet them need a flexible sealant. If you look after a building such as London Street Primary School, movement joints, cladding joints and gutters on larger buildings need the same care as a house’s.
New Town is about 1 mile north of Edinburgh, in Edinburgh. Homes, rented property, offices and hotels in New Town can book us for external mastic. The work is guaranteed for a year. New Town is one of 175 places in Edinburgh where we work for external mastic.
Here we cover the EH3, EH1 and EH2 postcode area for external mastic. You will find streets such as York Lane, Meuse Lane and Canon Lane, and we cover them all. We also cover Bellevue (1 mile north-east), Broughton (1 mile east), Canonmills (1 mile north), Greenside (1 mile east) and Gayfield (1 mile east). Within a short drive, we also cover Queensferry (8 miles west), South Portobello (3 miles east), Southhouse (4 miles south-east), Gilmerton (4 miles south-east), Slateford (3 miles south-west) and Gracemount (4 miles south-east).
Around New Town
We work in homes and buildings around Stockbridge public library, Drummond Community High School and King George V Park. You will also find St Cuthbert's Church (0.5 miles south-west) and The Standing Order pub (within half a mile south). New Town has its own railway station: Edinburgh Waverley station. Well-known places in the area include Royal Public Dispensary of Edinburgh (0.6 miles south-east) and Waverley Mall (under half a mile south-east). Green spaces nearby include The New Leaf Co-op and Salisbury Crags.
What we are called out for in New Town
Sunlight, wet weather and frost wear exterior sealant down. Over the years it hardens, cracks on the surface and loses its give, so the joint eventually tears or comes away from one side.
The most common problems we see are:
- Damp patches traced to an open external joint
- Movement joints filled with mortar instead of sealant
- Sealant that has lost its bond to the brick or render
- Leaking joints around cladding and façade panels
If you let a flat or house near Edinburgh Waverley station, outside joints that have cracked can let damp into a rental, so check them between lets.
What to look for in a quote
- How hidden problems are handled
- Are they insured?
- Is the old sealant removed completely?
- What preparation is included