West Sussex · England
Sand mastic for sash & case windows in Donnington, West Sussex
Traditional burnt sand mastic around sash and case windows and doors in stone and brick for homes and businesses in Donnington and across West Sussex. ARBOMaster approved applicators, fully insured, with a one-year guarantee.
- Cement or filler used on old window joints that has cracked
- Draughts and rain around sash boxes
- A silicone bead on a sash window that spoils the look
Sand mastic in Donnington
Sand mastic is the traditional way to point the gap between a timber window frame and the stone or brick around it. It’s a mix of sand and a linseed-oil-based binder and built up by hand. On older homes, it suits the building far better than silicone. Typical jobs include draughty sash windows at the surround and mastic round period door frames that has failed, on period & listed homes, stone surrounds and timber door frames.
Around Donnington, many homes face open ground, so their windows and doors take the full weather. Exposed frames and sills lose their mastic sooner than sheltered ones.
The work is covered for a year after we finish. If there’s a problem with it, please phone 0345 464 0079 or email us.
- Place
- Donnington (PO20)
- Region
- West Sussex
- Guarantee
- One year on every job
- Price
- A clear price before any work starts
- Call
- 0345 464 0079
- Updated
- 26 October 2026
What sealant work cannot fix
New sealant can’t fix everything, and we’d rather say so up front. Sealant will not put right:
- Sash cords, weights and draught-proofing of the sashes
- Planning or listed building consent (your local planning authority decides)
- Masonry that needs repairing
If in doubt, ring 0345 464 0079 or email us and we will say what we think before you book.
Where we work in Donnington
- Stone surrounds
- Timber door frames
- Brick reveals
- Tenement windows
- Sash and case windows
- Period & listed homes
How it works
We bring everything the job needs with us, so you don’t need to buy or prepare anything. Once we’ve agreed what’s being done, the area is protected and the work begins. It normally takes anything from a few hours to a full day, depending on how many windows. Somewhere as small as Donnington, access is often the only tricky part. For outside work, also let us know about exposed walls and any outbuildings involved.
- We look at the surrounds with you and agree the joints to renew.
- Old mastic and any loose material are raked out.
- Deep gaps are packed so the mastic sits at the right depth.
- The sand mastic is mixed and pressed into the joint by hand.
- The surface is finished to suit the stone or brick.
Preparing for the visit
- Plan for the work area to be out of bounds to pets and children
- Let us know about parking restrictions
- Tell us about any previous sealing or DIY attempts
Get a quote
Getting a quote is simple: let us know the job and the location. Photos by email help us understand the job, and we will take it from there.
Advice
Why it’s worth doing now in Donnington
Cement-based fillers and modern sealants do not always suit a period surround. Sand mastic matches what was there, which can matter on listed and conservation-area homes. In a small place like Donnington, homes can be exposed to wind and rain, which finds any gap, and older walls, once damp, take a long time to dry.
Combining jobs into one visit is usually more efficient than separate visits. You will get one clear quote for the whole job.
What you get with us
- Approved under the ARBOMaster scheme
- Old sealant always removed completely
- Anti-fungal sanitary silicone in wet areas
- Arbo and Everbuild products
Read our cost guide and what customers say.
Your questions about sand mastic in Donnington
Is Donnington within the area you cover?
Yes, Donnington is covered. Our work covers London and the South East, from towns to the smallest places. Longer journeys are simply planned in advance.
Is sand mastic in a coastal place like Donnington 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.
Are you insured?
Yes. We are fully insured.
Do you remove the old sealant?
Always. Sealing over old sealant is the main reason resealing fails early, so we never do it.
Do you work for letting agents?
Yes, we do. Domestic, commercial and hotel work are all part of what we do.
How long does sand mastic take to go off?
It takes a while. The skin forms first, and the full set comes later and we will give you an idea for your job.
Should I try DIY first?
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.
Can old silicone round a sash window be swapped for sand mastic?
In most cases. The silicone is cut out and the joint cleaned before the sand mastic goes in.
What sand mastic looks like in Donnington
Donnington 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. With historic houses such as Goodwood House (about 4.8 miles north-east) nearby, there’s older building stock in the area around Donnington as well as newer homes. Where a home is older, older frames set in brick or stone need a sealant that suits them, and sometimes that’s traditional sand mastic.
Letting a property close to Chichester station? Then older sash windows in a rental need their mastic kept sound to keep the weather out. If you look after a building such as Chichester High School For Girls, the mastic around its windows and doors needs looking after like any other building’s. Homes close to The Parish Church of St George include some older properties, and the windows may be timber, sash or later replacements, and each needs the right sealant against the wall.
Donnington is about 2 miles south of Chichester, in West Sussex. Every kind of property in Donnington is covered for sand mastic. The work is guaranteed for a year. Donnington is one of 371 places in West Sussex we cover for sand mastic. You can also see our page for Portsmouth, about 13 miles away.
Postcode districts we cover here for sand mastic: PO20. Being close to the B2201, Donnington is easy for our applicators to reach. We also cover Hunston (1 mile east), North Mundham (1 mile east), Runcton (2 miles east), Chichester (2 miles north) and Portfield (2 miles north-east). We also work in nearby towns such as Bognor Regis (5 miles east), Selsey (5 miles south), Littlehampton (11 miles east), Emsworth (7 miles north-west), Rustington (12 miles east) and Angmering (14 miles east).
Around Donnington
Typical jobs here are in homes near The Blacksmith's Arms Public House. The nearest railway station is Chichester station, about 1.6 miles north of the centre. Other landmarks nearby include Chichester Cathedral Treasury (1.8 miles north) and St Richard's Hospital (2.5 miles north). The countryside around Donnington includes Nutborne Marshes.
Work for landlords, hotels and businesses
For anyone letting property in or around Donnington, several properties can be quoted together. Just tell us the addresses and what each one needs, and photos by email help.
Letting agents often deal with us directly. Send the address, what’s needed and the access arrangements and we will quote.
Should I try it myself first?
Overfilling a joint is a classic DIY mistake. A thick, smeared bead looks untidy and doesn’t move well, and the joint depth matters as much as the finish.
Sealing over old silicone is the commonest DIY error. New silicone will not bond to old, so it lifts and traps water and mould underneath. Everything old must be removed first.
How the job changes by surface
Sash and case windows
A sash window’s box frame sits in the masonry opening. Sand mastic seals the joint round it.
Tenement and terrace windows
Upper-floor windows need access planning. Tell us the height and we’ll confirm what’s needed.
Quotes for sand mastic in Donnington
Some jobs are bigger than they look, and some smaller. The main factors:
- Working hours on commercial sites
- Whether old sealant or filler has to be cut out
- Mould in or behind the old joints
- The type of sealant required
What it costs depends on the amount of work, how hard the old material is to remove and access to the work. You’ll have a clear quote before any work starts, so you know where you stand.
What to tell us for a quote
You do not need to know the technical terms. Just tell us:
- Roughly how big the job is
- What’s wrong with the joints now
- Whether it has been sealed before
- Whether it’s a home or a business
The more we know about the job, the more useful the quote. Let us know the location, the problem and roughly how many joints, and add pictures by email if you can.