Edinburgh · Scotland
Colinton Mains Sand Mastic
Our applicators work in Colinton Mains on traditional burnt sand mastic around sash and case windows and doors in stone and brick. Old material cut out, joints cleaned and sealed neatly and a 12-month guarantee.
- Draughty sash windows at the surround
- Mastic dropping out of the joint
- Mastic that needs renewing before redecorating
Sand mastic in Colinton Mains
A silicone bead around a sash window can look out of place and doesn’t suit the building. Sand mastic is the traditional choice, and we can replace one with the other. Typical jobs include wind and rain getting in round a sash window and open joints round the window box, across sash and case windows, brick reveals and tenement windows.
Sash and case windows are a feature of older tenements in all four Scottish cities, and plenty still have them. Whether you are in a tenement flat or a house in Colinton Mains, the joint between frame and wall is what keeps the weather out.
We stand behind the work with a one-year guarantee, so you’re covered after we’ve gone.
- Place
- Colinton Mains (EH13, EH10, EH14)
- Region
- Edinburgh
- Guarantee
- One year on every job
- Price
- A clear price before work begins
- info@mrmastic.co.uk
- Updated
- 26 October 2026
Signs you need sand mastic in Colinton Mains
Scraping and sanding before painting can loosen old mastic. It’s often found when windows are being prepared for paint.
The most common problems we see are:
- Mastic round period door frames that has failed
- Gaps between timber frames and stone or brick
- Wind and rain getting in round a sash window
- Weathered mastic on the most exposed windows
If you let a flat or house near Slateford station, cracked sand mastic around sash windows lets in the draughts tenants complain about.
Questions to ask before booking
- How much experience the applicator has
- What insurance they hold
- Whether VAT is included
- How long the guarantee is
Surface by surface
Sash and case windows
On a sash window, the mastic joint shows on the outside, so a neat, even finish matters.
Period and listed homes
Many older homes were built with sand mastic round the windows. If your home is listed, ask your local planning authority about consent.
When something else is needed
Before you book, it’s worth knowing the limits:
- Decisions on consent for listed homes
- Sashes that rattle, stick or will not open
- Putty and glazing repairs
If in doubt, drop us a line at info@mrmastic.co.uk and we will say what we think before booking.
Where we work in Colinton Mains
- Tenement windows
- Period & listed homes
- Stone surrounds
- Brick reveals
- Timber door frames
- Sash and case windows
How to look after the new joints
How long the joints last depends on use and care. We suggest:
- Leave the new mastic unpainted
- Sort the mastic before the decorators arrive
- Avoid patching sand mastic with silicone
- Make sure water runs off the sill
Look at the mastic when you look over the windows. Small cracks are easier to deal with early.
It’s best to renew mastic before painting the windows. Painting over failed mastic hides the problem for a while.
What else we do in Colinton Mains
Colinton Mains questions
Can you do sand mastic in Colinton Mains?
Yes, Colinton Mains is within the area we cover. Our work covers the whole of Scotland. Just email us at info@mrmastic.co.uk with a few details of the job, and we will send you a clear quote.
How do repairs to the shared parts of a tenement in Colinton Mains get organised?
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. Your title deeds will say who owns the windows.
Are you insured?
Yes. Mr Mastic is fully insured.
Can I add another job to the visit?
Yes. Tell us about everything you’d like done and you’ll get one quote.
Do I have to be there?
It depends on the job. For work indoors, someone needs to let us in.
What exactly is sand mastic?
A traditional pointing material made from sand and a linseed-oil-based binder, used between timber frames and stone or brick.
Do you hold any approvals?
Yes. We hold ARBOMaster approved applicator status and we are fully insured too.
Is it worth trying 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.
What sand mastic looks like in Colinton Mains
Sash and case windows are common in older Scottish homes, and the joint between the box frame and the stone or render is traditionally pointed with sand mastic. Under the Tenements (Scotland) Act 2004, shared parts of a tenement, such as the roof and outside walls, are looked after by the owners together, often through a property factor. Who owns the windows depends on the title deeds.
In the older streets around St Johns Colinton Mains Church, frames set in older brick or stone need a sealant that suits the wall as well as the frame. Schools such as Firrhill High School are buildings too, and the mastic around its windows and doors needs looking after like any other building’s.
Colinton Mains is about 3 miles south of Edinburgh, in Edinburgh. Anywhere in EH13, our applicators can take on sand mastic. Our area takes in 175 places across Edinburgh, from the larger towns to small villages.
We cover every part of the EH13, EH10 and EH14 postcode area for sand mastic and the streets around it. Whether your property is on Redford Road, Greenbank Road and Oxgangs Avenue or a nearby road, our applicators can take on the job. We also cover Firrhill (1 mile north-west), Oxgangs (1 mile east), Redford (1 mile west), Greenbank (1 mile north-east) and Comiston (1 mile east). Further out, we also cover Edinburgh (3 miles north), Leith (5 miles north-east), Bonnington (5 miles north-east), Greenside (4 miles north-east), Broughton (4 miles north-east) and Bellevue (4 miles north).
Around Colinton Mains
Around Colinton Mains, our work takes us to homes and buildings near Army School of Bagpipe Music and Highland Drumming and Harrison Park, among other places. The nearest railway station is Slateford station, about 1.3 miles north-west. Nearby you’ll also find Edinburgh City Hospital (0.5 miles north) and Cameron Toll Shopping Centre (2.8 miles north-east). The countryside around Colinton Mains includes Duddingston Loch and Craiglockhart Hill.
DIY sealant or a professional job?
What a professional job adds is preparation and the right product. We take joints back to clean, dry surfaces, and the sealant is matched to the joint and its conditions.
If you’re set on DIY, put the effort into preparation: take out all the old sealant, make sure the joint is clean and dry, and give it the full cure time. If it does not work out, we can still put it right.
How it works
All our tools and materials come with us in the van, so you don’t need to buy or prepare anything. After a quick look at the joints together, the area is protected and the work begins. It normally takes a few hours for a single window, longer for several. Many homes in Scotland’s cities are tenement flats, reached through a shared close and up a common stair. In Colinton Mains, it helps to know the floor, the door entry arrangements and the nearest parking.
- We start by checking each surround and agreeing the joints to renew.
- 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.
- The mastic is mixed, pressed into the joint by hand and shaped.
- The mastic is finished to sit tidily against the stone or brick.
How to prepare
- On commercial sites, let us know about site rules
- Mention any parking rules near the property
- Let us know if you’ve seen damp or leaks
Getting a quote
Quotes start with a quick conversation. Describe the problem, the location and the size of the job, and we’ll talk you through what we’d do. When it suits you, email us at info@mrmastic.co.uk.
Advice
How we quote for sand mastic
Every job gets its own quote. This is what makes a difference:
- Any working-time requirements on site
- Which sealant suits the joint
- The amount of work
- The old material and how stubborn it is
Doing several joints on one visit generally makes better use of the time than several visits, so it’s worth mentioning everything you’d like done. We will send you a clear quote for the lot.
What we need to know
To make quoting easier, please include:
- Access, such as stairs, a lift or height
- If someone has resealed it before
- What’s wrong with the joints now
- The address or postcode of the job
Call for a quick quote, or send an email if you’d rather. Tell us about the joints that need doing and we will talk you through the work.