Oxfordshire · England
Shiplake Cross External Mastic
Sealing brickwork movement joints, render, cladding and façade joints in Shiplake Cross, with a one-year guarantee on every job. Ask us for a quote.
- Failed seals between different materials
- Sealant that has lost its bond to the brick or render
- Movement joints filled with mortar instead of sealant
Should I try it myself first?
Too much sealant is as bad as too little. A heavy bead looks messy and copes badly with movement, and the joint depth matters as much as the finish.
The biggest DIY mistake is sealing over old sealant. Silicone does not stick to old silicone, so it peels away and traps moisture behind it. All the old material has to come out first.
How we handle external mastic in Shiplake Cross
Low-level joints can usually be done from the ground. For joints higher up, give us some details of the building and we’ll confirm what’s needed to reach them safely. Typical jobs include water getting into walls through failed joints and joints pointed up with cement by mistake, across façade panels, copings & trims and concrete & block.
Outside joints can only be sealed when they’re dry, so work in Shiplake Cross is booked around the forecast. Tell us about access to all sides of the building, including outbuildings and garages.
There’s a 12-month guarantee on every job, whatever its size.
- Location
- Shiplake Cross (RG9)
- Wider area
- Oxfordshire
- Cover
- One year on every job
- Quotes
- Quoted before any work starts
- Telephone
- 0345 464 0079
- Page updated
- 26 October 2026
Also near Shiplake Cross
Other services in Shiplake Cross
Common problems we fix in Shiplake Cross
Every building moves. Clay bricks expand slightly over their life, concrete and block shrink, and everything moves with temperature and wet. All of that ends up in the joint sealant.
Any of these means the joints need attention:
- Rain getting behind render or cladding at a joint
- Gaps where render, brick and frames meet
- Rigid filler in a joint that should flex
- Sealant that has lost its bond to the brick or render
For landlords with property near Shiplake station, failed wall and movement joints let damp in, so they’re worth checking between tenancies.
Questions to ask before you book
- How hidden problems are handled
- The length of the guarantee
- Is the old sealant removed completely?
- Whether you can choose the colour
What external mastic looks like in Shiplake Cross
London and the South East are among the drier parts of the UK, yet outdoor joints still have to be sealed dry, so jobs are booked with the weather in mind. Historic houses like Greys Court (about 3.8 miles north-west) are a reminder that the area around Shiplake Cross 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.
Homes close to Church of St Peter and St Paul include some older properties, and an extension built onto an older house moves differently, and the joint between them takes the strain. If you look after a building such as Shiplake Church of England School, larger buildings have long runs of movement joint that eventually need resealing.
Shiplake Cross is about 3 miles north-east of Caversham, in Oxfordshire. If you need external mastic in Shiplake Cross, it’s easy to get a quote: please ring 0345 464 0079 or email us. We cover Oxfordshire from our Crawley base. Across Oxfordshire, we cover 443 places, and Shiplake Cross is one of them.
Every address in RG9 is covered for external mastic. You will find streets such as Memorial Avenue, Plowden Way and Orchard Close, all of which we cover. Nearby, we also carry out external mastic in Binfield Heath (1 mile west), Harpsden (1 mile north), Harpsden Bottom (2 miles north-west), Henley-on-Thames (2 miles north) and Sonning Common (4 miles west). Within a short drive, we also cover Benson (12 miles north-west), Chinnor (14 miles north), Tilehurst (6 miles south-west), Wallingford (12 miles north-west), Little Heath (7 miles south-west) and Oakley (14 miles north).
What’s near Shiplake Cross
Around Shiplake Cross, our work takes us to homes and buildings near The Plough pub, The Piggott School and Blessed Hugh Faringdon Catholic School, among other places. The nearest railway station is Shiplake station, roughly 1.1 miles north-east. A little further out are Royal Berkshire Hospital (4.3 miles south-west) and Frazer Nash Archives (2 miles north). The countryside around Shiplake Cross includes Sonning Hill and South Lake.
Looking after it afterwards
Aftercare is simple:
- Check external joints each spring
- Keep soil, plants and ivy away from the joints
- Check the sealant is paintable before painting near it
- Never let anyone fill a movement joint with mortar
Avoid pressure-washing straight into the joints. A strong jet can damage the edges of the bead and let water in behind.
Leave a failed movement joint and water keeps getting into the wall. Over time it can mean damp inside, stained render or frost-damaged brick, all bigger jobs than a reseal.
Work for landlords, hotels and businesses
We also work for property managers and facilities teams. Several sites can be quoted together, and we’re fully insured.
Businesses can book us for washrooms, kitchens, offices and more. On commercial sites, working times can be discussed when we quote.
Common questions in Shiplake Cross
Do you cover smaller places like Shiplake Cross?
Yes, smaller places are covered as well as towns. We work across London and the South East. Just mention lanes, gates or anything else about the route when you book.
Can you do external mastic in Shiplake Cross?
Yes. We work across London and the South East, and Shiplake Cross is part of that. Just ring 0345 464 0079 or send us an email with a few details of the job.
Do you guarantee your work?
Yes. Each job is guaranteed for twelve months, large or small.
Is it worth trying it myself?
It depends on the job. High-level, external movement and fire-rated joints are professional jobs, while a short indoor joint may be within reach.
Is there any odour?
Some sealants have a smell while they cure, which fades as it sets. Opening a window helps.
Will it make a mess?
Not at all. We work neatly, protect the area around the joints and tidy up afterwards.
Do you work at height?
It depends on the height and the site. Low-level joints are straightforward; for higher work, tell us about the building and we will confirm what’s needed.
When will the joints need doing again?
It varies from wall to wall: joints on exposed walls or with a lot of movement age sooner. Check them each year and reseal when they split or harden. Our work comes with a 12-month guarantee.
What affects the cost of external mastic
Every job gets its own quote. These are the things that affect it:
- The old material and how stubborn it is
- How much there is to do
- The number of rooms or windows
- How easy the joints are to reach
A failed joint rarely gets cheaper to fix by waiting, as water and mould keep getting in. If you’re not sure whether it needs doing, phone 0345 464 0079 or send us an email and we will give you an honest view and a quote.
Asking for a quote
Photos help, but a description is a good start. Try to tell us:
- How many joints, rooms or windows are involved
- The address or postcode of the job
- If someone has resealed it before
- Any access issues, like height or stairs
To get a quote, call 0345 464 0079 or email us and tell us where the job is and what the problem looks like. You’ll have a clear quote before work begins.
What happens on the day
A visit follows a simple pattern: we look at the joints together, mask and protect the surrounding surfaces, do the work and clear up. It usually takes a few hours for a handful of joints, longer for a whole elevation. Somewhere as small as Shiplake Cross, access is often the only tricky part. For outside work, also let us know about exposed walls and any outbuildings involved.
- We inspect the joints and agree which need resealing and how they’ll be reached.
- The old mastic and anything lodged in the joint is removed.
- Both sides are cleaned back to sound material and primed if needed.
- Closed-cell backing rod is fitted to set the depth and stop three-sided bonding.
- We gun in a flexible exterior sealant in a colour that suits the wall and tool it neatly.
How to prepare
- Tell us about access, such as stairs, a lift or high-level joints
- Mention any leaks or damp you’ve noticed
- Mention any parking rules near the property
Ask for a quote
The more we know about the job, the more useful the quote. Let us know the location, the problem and roughly how many joints.
Read more
Why deal with it now?
Running new sealant over the old bead rarely lasts. New sealant does not bond well to old, weathered sealant, so the old joint is cut out fully first. Older cottages and farmhouses around Shiplake Cross can have timber floors and frames, where water from a failed joint can cause rot if it’s left.
Commercial jobs are quoted on the same basis as homes: how much there is to do, how we reach it and what it needs, plus any working-time requirements on site. Call for a quick quote and we will go through it with you.
Why book with us
- Experience in homes, commercial sites and hotels
- A 12-month guarantee on all work
- Fully insured
- Quality sealants from Arbo and Everbuild