Edinburgh · Scotland
Drumbrae Sand Mastic
We cover Drumbrae for 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 every job guaranteed for a year.
- Gaps round a timber door in stone or brick
- Failed mastic on an exposed elevation
- Tired mastic found when preparing windows for paint
Sand mastic in Drumbrae
For a listed home or one in a conservation area, ask your local planning authority whether consent is needed for work to windows. Like-for-like sand mastic is often the preferred finish. Typical jobs include weathered mastic on the most exposed windows and mastic that needs renewing before redecorating, across period & listed homes, sash and case windows and tenement windows.
Drumbrae is in one of Scotland’s four big cities, where many older buildings are sandstone or granite. Natural stone around older windows needs a sealant that won’t mark or attack it, which usually means a neutral-cure product or a traditional sand mastic rather than an acetoxy silicone.
All our work is covered by our 12-month guarantee.
- Place
- Drumbrae (EH4, EH12)
- Wider area
- Edinburgh
- Guarantee
- A year, on every job
- Quote
- A clear price before we start
- info@mrmastic.co.uk
- Last updated
- 26 October 2026
Keeping the joints in good condition
Aftercare is simple, and it makes a real difference:
- Make sure water runs off the sill
- Sort the mastic before the decorators arrive
- Look over the window mastic once a year
- Go gently near the mastic when preparing windows
Leave the new mastic unpainted, which is the traditional advice. If you’re redecorating, ask us first.
Gaps round a sash box let in draughts and rain. The longer it’s left, the more the joint opens.
Nearby places to Drumbrae
What else we do in Drumbrae
Drumbrae homes and the weather
Drumbrae is within about 2 miles of the coast, and homes near the sea take more wind-driven rain, with salt in the air closer to the shore. Both are hard on the mastic around older windows and doors, which can dry out and crack sooner where a building faces the weather. With historic houses such as Caroline Park (about 2.8 miles north-east) nearby, there’s older building stock in the area around Drumbrae 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.
Historic houses such as Caroline Park, about 2.8 miles north-east, show how far back building around Drumbrae goes. For landlords with property near South Gyle station, older sash windows in a rental need their mastic kept sound to keep the weather out.
Drumbrae is about 3 miles west of Edinburgh, in Edinburgh. Jobs in Drumbrae get the same care as everywhere else we work: old sealant removed completely, careful preparation and a one-year guarantee. Drumbrae is one of 175 towns and villages in Edinburgh we cover for sand mastic.
Here we cover the EH4 and EH12 postcode area for sand mastic. Whether your property is on Oak Lane, Rannoch Road and Hillview Road or a nearby road, our applicators can take on the job. Neighbouring places we cover for sand mastic include Clermiston (1 mile north-east), Parkgrove (1 mile north), Corstorphine (1 mile south), Craigcrook (1 mile east) and Davidson's Mains (1 mile north-east). Larger places within reach include Edinburgh (3 miles east), Leith (5 miles east), Bonnington (4 miles east), Greenside (4 miles east), Broughton (4 miles east) and Bellevue (4 miles east).
Local landmarks in Drumbrae
We work in homes and buildings around The Torfin pub, among other places. The nearest railway station is South Gyle station, roughly 1.3 miles south of the centre. Other landmarks nearby include Corstorphine Hospital (1.1 miles south-east) and War Poets Collection (2.1 miles south). The countryside around Drumbrae includes The New Leaf Co-op and Dundas Loch.
Common problems we fix in Drumbrae
Shallow joints are a common cause. Mastic that is too thin cracks and drops out so we make sure the new mastic is the right thickness.
Keep an eye out for these signs:
- Wind and rain getting in round a sash window
- Mastic dropping out of the joint
- Modern sealant on a period surround
- Tired mastic found when preparing windows for paint
Schools such as Craigmount High School are buildings too, and its window and door frames need their mastic kept sound, just like a home’s.
What your quote should include
- What insurance they hold
- How the colour is chosen
- How long the guarantee is
- What happens if they find a problem under the old sealant
How the visit works
Good joint work is mostly preparation, so that’s where we spend the time. Every joint is cleaned and dried before new material goes in. In total, it normally takes anything from a few hours to a full day, depending on how many windows. In a Scottish city, a lot of jobs are in tenement flats, up a common stair from a shared close. For a job in Drumbrae, tell us the floor, how the door entry system works and where we can park nearby.
- Each surround is checked first.
- We rake out the old mastic and clean the joint.
- Large voids are packed out.
- We point the joint with sand mastic by hand.
- We finish the mastic to a tidy line.
Before we arrive
- For business premises, tell us about site rules or sign-in
- Move anything stored near the joints
- Tell us about any water getting in
Ask for a quote
If you’re in Drumbrae and need sand mastic, email us at info@mrmastic.co.uk. A short description of the job and where it is helps us quote, and we’ll agree the price before any work begins.
Read more
Different surfaces, different methods
Timber door frames
Period doors in stone or brick openings are often pointed with sand mastic. We renew it the same way as on windows.
Stone surrounds
Sand mastic sits naturally against stone. The finish blends with the masonry.
What sealant work can’t fix
We will always be straight with you, so here’s what new sealant won’t do:
- Whether work needs listed building consent
- Timber that has rotted
- Sash cords, weights and draught-proofing of the sashes
Not sure which it is? You can send an email to info@mrmastic.co.uk and we will tell you honestly before booking.
Where we work in Drumbrae
- Brick reveals
- Sash and case windows
- Stone surrounds
- Period & listed homes
- Tenement windows
- Timber door frames
Your questions about sand mastic in Drumbrae
I let a flat near South Gyle station. Can you help?
Yes, landlords and agents are among the people we work for. You can drop us a line at info@mrmastic.co.uk with the details for a clear quote.
Who arranges sealant work on the shared parts of a tenement in Drumbrae?
It usually goes through the owners together, or through the factor if the building has one. The Tenements (Scotland) Act 2004 covers the common parts where the deeds do not, and we can quote for the factor or the owners directly.
What should I tell you?
Just the basics: where it is, what you’ve noticed and how we reach it. Then send an email to info@mrmastic.co.uk.
How do I get a quote for sand mastic in Drumbrae?
Size, access and the old material all affect the cost. Ask us for a quote.
Can you replace silicone on a period window with sand mastic?
Yes. We remove the silicone and clean the joint before the sand mastic goes in.
Should I use sand mastic or silicone?
We will talk it through with you. Sand mastic suits many period homes, and modern sealants suit newer frames.
Can you seal over the old sealant?
No, it will not last. It can look neat for a few weeks, but the new bead soon lifts. The old sealant has to come out completely.
Do the sealants smell?
Some sealants have a smell while they cure, which fades as it sets. Opening a window helps.
What affects the quote in Drumbrae
There’s no set price list. The quote depends on:
- Working hours on commercial sites
- Access and height
- The number of rooms or windows
- Whether old sealant or filler has to be cut out
Doing several joints on one visit is generally more efficient than separate visits, so tell us about everything that needs sealing. We’ll give you a clear quote for the lot.
Asking for a quote
To make quoting easier, please include:
- Whether it’s a home or a business
- Access, such as stairs, a lift or height
- A few photos by email, if you can
- If someone has resealed it before
Want a quote for sand mastic? Please send an email to info@mrmastic.co.uk with a few details. You’ll know what we plan to do, and what it will cost, before any work begins.
DIY versus a professional finish
If you’ve already had a go yourself, that’s fine. We remove it and do the joint properly, so just mention it when you contact us.
Not every job suits DIY: high-level joints, fire-rated gaps, external movement joints and big jobs call for the right materials, safe access and experience.