Orkney Islands · Scotland
Abune-the-Hill Sand Mastic
Window and door surrounds in Abune-the-Hill need attention? We remove the old material, prepare the joints and seal them properly.
- Draughts and rain around sash boxes
- Old cement repairs round a window that have failed
- Mastic dropping out of the joint
Sand mastic in Abune-the-Hill, done properly
For a listed home or one in a conservation area, ask your local planning authority if consent is needed before window work. Like-for-like sand mastic is often the preferred finish. Typical jobs include open joints round the window box and mastic that needs renewing before redecorating, on timber door frames, stone surrounds and brick reveals.
In and around a place like Abune-the-Hill, homes range from older stone-built cottages to newer houses. Exposed frames and sills take the full force of wind-driven rain, so the mastic there works hard.
The work is covered for a year after we finish. If anything isn’t right with it, drop us a line at info@mrmastic.co.uk.
- Where
- Abune-the-Hill (KW17)
- Wider area
- Orkney Islands
- Cover
- A year, on every job
- Quote
- A clear quote up front
- info@mrmastic.co.uk
- Updated
- 26 October 2026
Common questions in Abune-the-Hill
Is Abune-the-Hill within the area you cover?
Yes. Abune-the-Hill is within the area we cover, which takes in towns, villages and rural addresses. Our work covers the whole of Scotland, including the islands, where work is planned around ferry crossings. Let us know about access, parking and anything unusual about getting there when you book.
Is sand mastic in a coastal place like Abune-the-Hill any different?
Coastal weather is harder on outside sealant: there’s more wind-driven rain and, closer to the shore, salt in the air. The right product, a clean joint and the right depth all help it cope.
Can you work on commercial sites?
Yes. Commercial and hotel work is a large part of what we do. Working times can be discussed when we quote.
What’s sand mastic made of?
Sand plus a binder based on linseed oil. It’s applied by hand and shaped to suit the surround.
Can tenants book the work?
Of course. Ask your landlord first, and we can send them the quote if that helps.
Is it worth trying it myself?
Some simple jobs can be done by a careful DIYer. Most DIY failures come from sealing over old material, wet joints or too much sealant.
Where are you based?
We work from Crawley. We cover Abune-the-Hill and the rest of the Orkney Islands, along with the rest of our area.
Do you have insurance?
Yes, we are fully insured for domestic and commercial work.
Why deal with it now?
Silicone might seem the quicker option, but it can look wrong on a period surround. Sand mastic suits the building and blends with the stone or brick. In an older home around Abune-the-Hill, damp from a failed joint can get into timber and plaster, which is a far bigger job than the sealant.
Commercial jobs are quoted on the same basis as homes: how much there is to do, how we reach it and what it needs. Ask us for a quote and we’ll explain what it covers.
Why Abune-the-Hill clients choose us
- Approved under the ARBOMaster scheme
- Anti-fungal sanitary silicone in wet areas
- We never seal over old sealant
- Over 20 years’ experience
See our cost guide or our reviews.
How we quote for sand mastic
We quote each job individually. This is what makes a difference:
- The number and length of the joints
- How many areas need sealing
- Whether there’s mould to deal with
- Whether old sealant or filler has to be cut out
No two jobs are quite the same, so we quote each one individually. Size, access and the product the joint needs all play a part, and we will explain the quote if you ask.
What we need to know
You don’t need to know the technical terms. Just tell us:
- How we’d reach the joints
- A few pictures by email, if you can
- Roughly how big the job is
- Whether it has been sealed before
Need a quote? Please send an email to info@mrmastic.co.uk and tell us about the job. You will know what we plan to do, and what it will cost, before any work begins.
Should I try it myself first?
If you do try it yourself, take your time over the preparation: remove every trace of old sealant, clean and dry the joint, and follow the product’s cure time. If it doesn’t work out, we can still put it right.
The biggest DIY mistake is sealing over old sealant. Silicone doesn’t stick to old silicone, so it lifts and traps water and mould underneath. All the old material has to come out first.
Frames and glazing around Abune-the-Hill
Abune-the-Hill is close to the coast, and homes near the sea take more wind-driven rain, with salt in the air closer to the shore. That’s hard on the mastic around older windows and doors, especially on the side facing the sea. On the islands, wind and salt spray are hard on outside sealant.
Whether the job is in Abune-the-Hill itself or nearby, the right material for each joint matters as much as a neat finish.
Abune-the-Hill is about 15 miles north-west of Kirkwall, in the Orkney Islands. We provide sand mastic to homeowners, landlords and businesses in Abune-the-Hill. 51 places in the Orkney Islands are on our list, large and small.
Every address in KW17 is covered for sand mastic. Nearby, we also carry out sand mastic in The Barony (2 miles west), Evie (5 miles east), Dounby (5 miles south), Skeabrae (5 miles south) and Scarwell (6 miles south-west). Remote and island addresses need a little more planning, so tell us where you are when you ask for a quote.
What’s near Abune-the-Hill
Other landmarks nearby include Earl's Palace (3 miles west) and Kirbuster Farm Museum (2 miles south). The countryside around Abune-the-Hill includes Birsay moors RSPB Reserve and Hundland Hill.
Honest limits
We’d rather tell you now than do work that won’t last, so these are the limits:
- Crumbling stone or brickwork round the window
- Decisions on consent for listed homes
- Sashes that rattle, stick or will not open
If in doubt, drop us a line at info@mrmastic.co.uk and we’ll say what we think.
Where we work in Abune-the-Hill
- Tenement windows
- Period & listed homes
- Timber door frames
- Sash and case windows
- Brick reveals
- Stone surrounds
What the job involves on each surface
Brick reveals
An open joint at a brick reveal lets weather in. Renewing the mastic closes it.
Stone surrounds
Stone surrounds suit sand mastic well. The finish blends with the masonry.
Also in Abune-the-Hill
Signs you need sand mastic in Abune-the-Hill
Sand mastic slowly weathers. It hardens, cracks and starts to come away on the stone or timber.
People normally contact us when they notice something like this:
- Modern sealant on a period surround
- Cracked mastic round a front door frame
- Mastic dropping out of the joint
- Draughts and rain around sash boxes
In and around Abune-the-Hill, as anywhere, good sand mastic starts with a clean, dry, properly prepared joint.
Questions to ask before you book
- When the joint can take water or movement
- Whether all the old sealant comes out first
- Whether the sealant suits the joint
- How much experience the applicator has
How the visit works
We keep the work tidy and contained to the joints we’re treating, so you can carry on as normal. The job usually takes anything from a few hours to a full day, depending on how many windows. For a place like Abune-the-Hill, longer drives are planned in advance. Tell us about tracks, gates, a ferry crossing or anything unusual about getting there.
- First we agree which joints need doing.
- We remove the old, loose mastic.
- We pack any deep voids first.
- We apply the mastic by hand and shape it.
- The surface is finished to suit the stone or brick.
How to prepare
- Tell us about any previous sealing or DIY attempts
- Mention any sign-in or site rules at work premises
- Let us know about stairs, lifts or work at height
How to get a quote
For a quote, send an email to info@mrmastic.co.uk with the location and a short description of the problem. You will have a clear quote before we start.