Orkney Islands · Scotland
Sand Mastic in Grimness
Our applicators work in Grimness 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.
- Crumbling sand mastic round a window
- Mastic round period door frames that has failed
- Mastic worn away on windows facing the weather
About our sand mastic in Grimness
Fresh sand mastic forms a skin quite soon, but it takes longer to harden fully. Traditionally, sand mastic is left unpainted, so ask us before you decorate. Typical jobs include old cement repairs round a window that have failed and silicone on a period window that looks wrong, on timber door frames, sash and case windows and stone surrounds.
In and around a place like Grimness, 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.
Whatever the size of the job, it’s backed by our 12-month guarantee in Grimness and across the Orkney Islands.
- Where
- Grimness (KW17)
- Region
- Orkney Islands
- Cover
- A year, on every job
- Quotes
- A clear price before any work starts
- info@mrmastic.co.uk
- Last updated
- 26 October 2026
Signs you need sand mastic in Grimness
Timber swells and shrinks with the weather. That movement opens up the mastic joint little by little.
Common reasons people contact us are:
- Gaps where the frame meets the masonry
- Tired mastic found when preparing windows for paint
- Draughty sash windows at the surround
- Mastic worn away on windows facing the weather
Whether the job is in Grimness itself or nearby, the right material for each joint matters as much as a neat finish.
What to look for in a quote
- Which sealant they’ll use, and why
- Whether they’re fully insured
- Whether they seal over old material or remove it
- Is VAT in the price?
What we can’t put right
We’d rather tell you now than do work that won’t last, so here’s what sealant can’t put right:
- Rotten sashes, sills or window boxes (a joiner’s job)
- Sash cords, weights and draught-proofing of the sashes
- Decisions on consent for listed homes
If you are not sure, just email us at info@mrmastic.co.uk and we will give you a straight answer before booking.
Where we work in Grimness
- Stone surrounds
- Timber door frames
- Tenement windows
- Period & listed homes
- Brick reveals
- Sash and case windows
Grimness questions
Is Grimness within the area you cover?
Yes, Grimness is covered. Our work covers the whole of Scotland, islands included, and smaller places are part of that. The journey is planned ahead, so it helps to know about access.
Can you do sand mastic in Grimness?
Yes. Our work covers the whole of Scotland, and Grimness is part of that. Just drop us a line at info@mrmastic.co.uk with a few details of the job.
What is sand mastic?
Sand plus a binder based on linseed oil. It’s built up in the joint by hand and finished to sit neatly against the masonry.
Do I have to be there?
If the work is inside, we need someone to let us in. Once we have agreed the job, you do not need to watch us work.
Can I do it myself?
You can, for simple jobs. The key is preparation: remove all the old material and work on a clean, dry joint. If it doesn’t work out, we can redo it.
Should I use sand mastic or silicone?
For period timber windows in stone or brick, sand mastic is often the better fit. Modern frames normally suit a flexible sealant.
Can old silicone round a sash window be swapped for sand mastic?
Yes. The silicone is cut out and the joint cleaned before the sand mastic goes in.
How long will you be here?
As a guide, most jobs take a few hours for a single window, longer for several. Larger jobs naturally take longer, and we’ll say how long yours will take.
Landlords, agents and businesses in Grimness
Mouldy or split sealant often shows up at the end of a tenancy, and it’s quick to put right between tenancies. Several properties can be quoted together.
Letting agents often deal with us directly. Tell us the address, the job and how access works and we’ll quote.
What the job involves on each surface
Timber door frames
Door frames get knocked and soaked, so their mastic can fail sooner. It’s renewed by hand.
Sash and case windows
Sash windows are where we do most sand mastic work. Each joint round the box is raked out and renewed.
Grimness homes and the weather
Grimness is within about 1 mile of the coast, where wind-driven rain is a fact of life and, nearer the shore, so is salt air. That’s hard on the mastic around older windows and doors, especially on the side facing the sea. Under the Repairing Standard, private landlords in Scotland have to keep homes wind and watertight, and failed outside joints work against that.
In and around Grimness, as anywhere, good sand mastic starts with a clean, dry, properly prepared joint.
Grimness is about 11 miles south of Kirkwall, in the Orkney Islands. Whether you are in the middle of Grimness or further out, sand mastic is available for homes and businesses alike, from flats and houses to offices and hotels. Across the Orkney Islands, we cover 51 places, and Grimness is one of them.
All of KW17 is covered for sand mastic, from the main roads to the quietest streets. Grimness sits on or near the B9044, which makes travel easy. We also cover Burray Village (1 mile north), St Margaret's Hope (2 miles west), Widewall (3 miles south-west), St Mary's (5 miles north) and Upper Sanday (7 miles north-east). Island and remote addresses take a little more planning, so please mention your location when you drop us a line at info@mrmastic.co.uk.
What’s near Grimness
Nearby you will also find W Hourston Blacksmiths Museum (1.8 miles west). The countryside around Grimness includes Echna Loch and Ward Hill.
How the visit works
You don’t need to clear the whole room or building before we come, only the area right around the joints. Everything nearby is protected, and the job takes anything from a few hours to a full day, depending on how many windows in most cases. For a place like Grimness, longer drives are planned in advance. Tell us about tracks, gates, a ferry crossing or anything unusual about getting there.
- Each surround is checked first.
- We rake out the old mastic and clean the joint.
- Large voids are packed out.
- New sand mastic is applied and shaped by hand.
- We finish the mastic to a tidy line.
Preparing for the visit
- Let us know if you’ve seen damp or leaks
- Mention any tricky access
- Plan for the work area to be out of bounds to pets and children
Getting a quote
For a quick quote, get us on the phone, or send an email if you’d rather. Describe what needs sealing and we will talk you through the work.
Read more
Why deal with it now?
New sash windows are a major, costly change and on a listed home, consent may be needed. If the frames are sound, renewing the mastic deals with gaps and draughts at the surround. Out of town in Scotland, exposed walls take a lot of weather, and damp in stone or harled walls takes a long time to dry once water gets behind a joint.
Commercial jobs are quoted on the same basis as homes: the amount of work, how we reach it and what it needs, along with when we can work on site. Ask us for a quote and we’ll explain what it covers.
Why book with us
- Any old sealant cut out fully, not covered over
- Rated 4.9 stars on Google
- ARBOMaster approved applicator
- 20+ years of sealant experience
See our cost guide or what customers say.
DIY sealant or a professional job?
A DIY attempt doesn’t rule out a professional job. We remove it and do the joint properly, so tell us about it when you ask for a quote.
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 fails, we can still redo it.