Reading · England
External & façade joints in Play Hatch, Reading
Our applicators work in Play Hatch on sealing brickwork movement joints, render, cladding and façade joints. Old material cut out, joints cleaned and sealed neatly.
- Damp patches traced to an open external joint
- Cracked joints where brick meets render or frames
- Joints pointed up with cement by mistake
Honest limits
Before you book, it’s worth knowing the limits too:
- Cracking across the wall rather than at a joint
- Adding movement joints to masonry that has none
- Rising or penetrating damp from elsewhere in the wall
If in doubt, ring 0345 464 0079 or email us and we will say what we think.
Joints and surfaces we work on
- Brickwork movement joints
- Façade panels
- Copings & trims
- Concrete & block
- Joints between brick and frames
- Render & cladding joints
External mastic in Play Hatch, done properly
Many failed façade joints only get noticed once there’s a stain or a damp patch inside. We look over the joints, agree the ones to renew and reseal with a flexible, weatherproof product in a matching colour. If you have hard, crazed mastic that has stopped moving and movement joints filled with mortar instead of sealant, we can help, whatever the surface.
Older homes in small places like Play Hatch may be stone, brick or timber-framed, often with later extensions. Where one material meets another is where water generally gets in.
You are covered for a year from the day we finish. If anything is not right with it, ring 0345 464 0079 or drop us an email.
- Place
- Play Hatch (RG4)
- Wider area
- Reading
- Guarantee
- 12 months on all our work
- Quotes
- A clear quote up front
- Call
- 0345 464 0079
- Page updated
- 26 October 2026
Should I try it myself first?
Overfilling a joint is a classic DIY mistake. A heavy bead looks messy and copes badly with movement, and getting the depth right matters as much as the look.
If you’re set on DIY, put the effort into preparation: remove every trace of old sealant, clean and dry the joint, and follow the product’s cure time. If it fails, we can still redo it.
External mastic in Play Hatch: local notes
Rainfall in the South East is lower than in much of the UK, but outside sealant still needs a dry, clean surface, so outdoor work is planned around the forecast. Historic houses like Mapledurham House (about 4.4 miles west) are a reminder that the area around Play Hatch has older buildings as well as new. Where a home is older, older brick and stone need a sealant that suits them, at the right joint depth.
In the older streets around St Andrew's Church, the joints between older walls, newer extensions and the roofline need a sealant that can move. If you look after a building such as St Martin's Catholic Primary School, larger buildings have long runs of movement joint that eventually need resealing.
Play Hatch is about 1 mile east of Caversham, in Reading. From the centre of Play Hatch to the outskirts, we cover external mastic for every kind of property, from flats and houses to offices and hotels. 34 places in Reading are on our list, large and small.
Postcode districts we cover here for external mastic: RG4. Streets in the area include Dene Close, Henley Road and Foxhill Lane, all of which we cover. We also cover Dunsden Green (1 mile north), Caversham Park Village (1 mile west), Littlestead Green (1 mile north-west), Emmer Green (1 mile west) and Sonning (1 mile south-east). Larger places within reach include Norcot (4 miles west), West Reading (3 miles south-west), Tilehurst Within (5 miles west), Shinfield (5 miles south), Arborfield Garrison (7 miles south) and Horncastle (5 miles south-west).
Around Play Hatch
In Play Hatch, that means homes and buildings near Highdown School and Sixth Form Centre, Reading Blue Coat School and The Shoulder of Mutton pub, among other places. Play Hatch’s nearest station is Reading station, about 2.2 miles south-west. Nearby you will also find The Oracle (2.4 miles south-west) and Royal Berkshire Hospital (2.3 miles south-west). Not far away are Alder Moors and South Lake.
The process
There is not much for you to do on the day. Show us the job and we’ll take it from there. The job generally takes a few hours for a handful of joints, longer for a whole elevation, including the tidy-up. Somewhere as small as Play Hatch, access is often the only tricky part. For outside work, also let us know about exposed walls and any outbuildings involved.
- We look at every joint and agree a colour to suit the wall.
- Failed sealant is removed back to clean, sound faces.
- Backing rod goes in so the sealant can stretch between the two faces.
- Primer is applied wherever the sealant needs it.
- A low-modulus exterior sealant is gunned in and tooled to a neat finish.
Getting ready for the visit
- Plan for the work area to be out of bounds to pets and children
- Mention any parking rules near the property
- Mention any sign-in or site rules at work premises
Getting a quote
To get a quote, ring 0345 464 0079 or drop us an email and tell us where the job is and what the problem looks like. We’ll give you a clear price before any work starts.
Read more
Towns and villages near Play Hatch
What else we do in Play Hatch
How we quote for external mastic
The price is agreed before any work begins. It’s based on:
- Whether there’s mould to deal with
- How many areas need sealing
- Access and height
- The amount of work
The cost reflects the work involved, not guesswork. That is why we ask a few questions first and give you a clear quote before we start.
What we need to know
A few details help us give you an accurate quote. When you get in contact, it helps to mention:
- If someone has resealed it before
- If it’s domestic, commercial or a hotel
- Photos by email, if that is easy
- How many joints, rooms or windows are involved
Call for a quick quote, or send an email if you’d rather. Tell us about the joints that need doing and we will explain what’s involved and give you a clear quote.
Questions from Play Hatch
Can you help a landlord with a rental near Reading station?
Yes, rental work is part of what we do. You can ring 0345 464 0079 or email us with the address and a few details, and we will give you a fixed price before we start.
Will you come out to Play Hatch?
Yes, Play Hatch is covered. We work across London and the South East, from towns to the smallest places. The journey is planned ahead, so it helps to know about access.
How do I get a quote for external mastic in Play Hatch?
The cost depends on the size of the job, access and how much old sealant has to come out. Ask us for a quote and we’ll talk you through it.
Is it messy?
No. We protect the surfaces around the joints, and we tidy up before we go.
Why is there a gap in my brick wall?
A movement joint is a planned break in the wall that absorbs expansion and shrinkage. It should be filled with flexible sealant, never mortar.
Do you take out the old sealant first?
Yes. Sealing over the old bead is the commonest cause of early failure, so we never do it.
What do you put in the joint?
Quality sealants from brands including Arbo and Everbuild, picked for each joint. We will tell you what we are using and why.
How long does external mastic take?
Most jobs take a few hours to a few days, depending on the length of joint and the access. Your quote will say how long we expect yours to take.
Common problems we fix in Play Hatch
Using the wrong sealant is another common reason. A stiff, general-purpose sealant can’t cope with a joint that moves a lot, so it pulls away from the edges.
The most common problems we see are:
- Old sealant gone brittle and cracked
- Movement joints filled with mortar instead of sealant
- Sealant that has lost its bond to the brick or render
- Moss and dirt in joints with no sealant left
For landlords with property near Reading station, outside joints that have cracked can let damp into a rental, so check them between lets.
Comparing quotes
- The length of the guarantee
- What preparation is included
- What the quote includes, VAT included or not
- Is the old sealant removed completely?
Landlord and commercial work in Play Hatch
Whether it’s one flat or a portfolio, the work is the same standard: the old material taken out, careful preparation and a 12-month guarantee.
Businesses can book us for washrooms, kitchens, offices and more. For commercial premises, we can talk through working times when we quote.
Looking after it afterwards
No joint lasts for ever, but care makes a real difference. Our tips:
- Clear growth from the base of walls and joints
- Look over the joints every year, ideally after winter
- Get split or bare joints resealed while the damage is small
- Keep movement joints as flexible joints, not mortar
Don’t paint over the new sealant unless we have said the product is paintable. Paint can crack on a flexible joint and spoil the finish.
Small splits are the time to act. Then it’s a straightforward cut-out and reseal with no damage behind it to deal with.