Edinburgh · Scotland
Sand Mastic in Carrick Knowe
Traditional burnt sand mastic around sash and case windows and doors in stone and brick for Carrick Knowe, backed by a one-year guarantee. Ask us for a quote.
- Mastic dropping out of the joint
- Gaps where the frame meets the masonry
- Wind and rain getting in round a sash window
Sand mastic in Carrick Knowe, done properly
Sand mastic skins over fairly quickly but full hardening takes longer. Traditionally, sand mastic is left unpainted, so ask us before you decorate. Typical jobs include failed mastic on an exposed elevation and modern sealant on a period surround, across timber door frames, period & listed homes and stone surrounds.
Tenement flats in Scotland’s cities often have windows high above the street, where failing mastic is easy to miss. For a flat in Carrick Knowe, access is the first thing to plan, and in a tenement the outside of the building may be a shared repair.
Every job comes with a one-year guarantee, wherever you are in Edinburgh.
- Where
- Carrick Knowe (EH12, EH11, EH14)
- Wider area
- Edinburgh
- Guarantee
- One year on every job
- Price
- Quoted before any work starts
- info@mrmastic.co.uk
- Updated
- 26 October 2026
What we can’t put right
It helps to know what we cannot do too:
- Cracked or broken glass
- Masonry that needs repairing
- Whether work needs listed building consent
If you are not sure, just send an email to info@mrmastic.co.uk and we will give you a straight answer before you book.
Where we work in Carrick Knowe
- Brick reveals
- Stone surrounds
- Tenement windows
- Sash and case windows
- Period & listed homes
- Timber door frames
Keeping the joints in good condition
How long the joints last depends on use and care. We suggest:
- Check the mastic when you check the paintwork
- Leave the new mastic unpainted
- Sort the mastic before the decorators arrive
- Go gently near the mastic when preparing windows
Make sure water drains away from the window surround. Constant wetting wears the mastic faster.
Renewing mastic before redecorating saves doing it twice. Paint over cracked mastic only covers it up.
DIY versus a professional finish
A careful DIYer can reseal a simple joint, like a short, easy-to-reach joint indoors. Where it goes wrong is sealing over the old bead, working on a wet joint or overloading the gap.
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, and the work is guaranteed for a year.
Signs you need sand mastic in Carrick Knowe
Timber swells and shrinks with the weather. The movement cracks the mastic over time.
These are the problems we are asked about most:
- Weathered mastic on the most exposed windows
- Cement or filler used on old window joints that has cracked
- Tired mastic found when preparing windows for paint
- Wind and rain getting in round a sash window
If you live in an older home near St Anne's Parish Church, the windows may be timber, sash or later replacements, and each needs the right sealant against the wall.
Questions to ask before you book
- Whether they seal over old material or remove it
- How the colour is chosen
- Is VAT in the price?
- Which sealant they’ll use, and why
What the job involves on each surface
Brick reveals
An open joint at a brick reveal lets weather in. Renewing the mastic closes it.
Sash and case windows
Most of our sand mastic work is on sash windows. Each joint round the box is raked out and renewed.
How the visit works
Good joint work is mostly preparation, and we don’t rush it. Joints are cleaned back and dried before anything new goes in. All told, the work takes anything from a few hours to a full day, depending on how many windows. Many homes in Scotland’s cities are tenement flats, reached through a shared close and up a common stair. For a job in Carrick Knowe, tell us the floor, how the door entry system works and where we can park nearby.
- We check the window surrounds and agree which joints need renewing.
- The loose and crumbling mastic is raked out and the joint cleaned.
- Large voids are packed out first, so the mastic is not too thick.
- Sand mastic is mixed and applied by hand, then shaped to the joint.
- The finish is dressed so it sits neatly against the stone or brick.
Before we arrive
- Plan for the work area to be out of bounds to pets and children
- Let us know about earlier repairs to the joints
- Move anything stored near the joints
How to get a quote
For a quote, drop us a line at info@mrmastic.co.uk and tell us where the job is and what the problem looks like. You will have a clear quote before we start.
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Also near Carrick Knowe
Other services in Carrick Knowe
Landlord and commercial work in Carrick Knowe
From a single let to a portfolio, you get the same standard of work: the old material taken out, careful preparation and a 12-month guarantee.
For anyone letting property in or around Carrick Knowe, several properties can go on one quote. Just tell us the addresses and what each one needs, and photos by email help.
Frames and glazing around Carrick Knowe
Carrick Knowe is within about 3 miles of the coast, and homes near the sea take more wind-driven rain, with salt in the air closer to the shore. That is hard on the mastic around older windows and doors, especially on the side facing the sea. Historic houses like Caroline Park (about 3.4 miles north) are a reminder that the area around Carrick Knowe has older buildings as well as new. In older buildings, older frames set in brick or stone need a sealant that suits them, and sometimes that’s traditional sand mastic.
If you look after a building such as Scotus Academy, the mastic around its windows and doors needs looking after like any other building’s. Rented homes near South Gyle station change hands often, and any sash windows need sound mastic to keep draughts and rain out.
Carrick Knowe is about 3 miles west of Edinburgh, in Edinburgh. Anywhere in EH12, we can carry out sand mastic at your property. We cover 175 towns and villages across Edinburgh, from the larger towns to small villages.
Jobs for sand mastic in EH12, EH11 and EH14 is quoted and booked the same way as anywhere else. You will find streets such as Roull Road, Station Road and Dovecot Road. Being close to the A8, Carrick Knowe is simple for us to get to for sand mastic. We also cover the places around Carrick Knowe: Saughton (1 mile south), Stenhouse (1 mile south-east), Broomhouse (1 mile south-west), Corstorphine (1 mile north-west) and Balgreen (1 mile north-east). We also work in nearby towns such as Edinburgh (3 miles east), Leith (5 miles north-east), Bonnington (4 miles north-east), Greenside (4 miles north-east), Broughton (4 miles north-east) and Bellevue (3 miles north-east).
What’s near Carrick Knowe
Locally, jobs take us to homes and businesses close to Saughton Park, Balgreen Primary School and Gabrielle Keiller Library. The closest station to Carrick Knowe is South Gyle station, about 1 mile west. Nearby you’ll also find The Gyle Shopping Centre (1.6 miles west) and Craigcrook Castle (1.3 miles north). Not far away are Corstorphine Hill and The New Leaf Co-op.
Carrick Knowe: your questions answered
Can you help a landlord with a rental near South Gyle station?
Yes, we work for landlords and agents. Just drop us a line at info@mrmastic.co.uk and tell us about the property, and we’ll send you a clear quote.
How do repairs to the shared parts of a tenement in Carrick Knowe get organised?
Most tenements arrange shared repairs through the owners or a property factor. The Tenements (Scotland) Act 2004 sets the rules for common parts if the deeds do not.
Can you work on commercial sites?
Yes. Larger jobs can be planned room by room or area by area.
Can I do it myself?
For a simple, easy-to-reach joint, a careful DIYer can do a reasonable job. The usual mistakes are sealing over old sealant, sealing a damp joint and using too much.
Do you come to Carrick Knowe?
Yes. From our base in Crawley, we cover South East England, London and all of Scotland, Carrick Knowe included.
Are you an approved applicator?
Yes. We’re ARBOMaster approved, the scheme for applicators of Arbo sealants.
Do the sealants smell?
Some sealants have a smell while they cure. Opening a window helps.
Should I use sand mastic or silicone?
We will help you decide. Period homes often look best with sand mastic, and modern sealants suit newer frames.