Orkney Islands · Scotland
Sand mastic for sash & case windows in Heddle, Orkney Islands
Traditional burnt sand mastic around sash and case windows and doors in stone and brick for householders, landlords and businesses in Heddle. ARBOMaster approved applicators, fully insured, with a 12-month guarantee.
- Window mastic to renew ahead of painting
- Mastic dropping out of the joint
- Wind and rain getting in round a sash window
Questions from Heddle
Will you come out to Heddle?
Yes. Heddle is within the area we cover, which takes in towns, villages and rural addresses. Our work covers the whole of Scotland, including the islands, where work is planned around ferry crossings. Just mention lanes, gates or anything else about the route when you book.
Does living near the coast affect sand mastic in Heddle?
Near the sea, outside joints face more wind, rain and salt than they would inland, so preparation and the right sealant matter all the more. Walls facing the sea are generally the first to need attention.
What exactly is sand mastic?
It’s sand mixed with a linseed-oil-based binder, used between timber frames and stone or brick.
Can new sealant go over the old?
No, because it fails. The old sealant always comes out first.
I rent my home. Can I book you?
We’re happy to deal with the tenant, landlord or agent. Get your landlord’s agreement first.
Do you offer different sealant colours?
Yes. Sealants come in white, clear, grey and other colours, and we agree the colour with you before work begins.
Do you guarantee sand mastic work?
Our 12-month guarantee covers every job.
Is there any odour?
Sometimes, a little. It fades as the sealant cures.
About our sand mastic in Heddle
Sand mastic is the traditional way to point the gap between a timber window frame and the stone or brick around it. It’s made from sand and a linseed-oil-based binder and built up by hand. On period homes, it looks right where silicone wouldn’t. We work on stone surrounds, period & listed homes and timber door frames, and common reasons people get in touch are modern sealant on a period surround and patchy fillers round a sash window.
Many older Scottish homes still have timber windows set into stone walls. Those suit a traditional sand mastic or a neutral-cure sealant, not an acetoxy silicone that can attack some stone.
All our work comes with our one-year guarantee.
- Location
- Heddle (KW17)
- Region
- Orkney Islands
- Cover
- 12 months on all our work
- Quotes
- Quoted before any work starts
- info@mrmastic.co.uk
- Last updated
- 26 October 2026
What happens if it’s left?
An open joint round the frame lets weather in. Water can get to the frame and the masonry so renewing it early protects the window. In an older home around Heddle, damp from a failed joint can get into timber and plaster, which is a far bigger job than the sealant.
Every job is a little different, so each one gets its own quote. The number of joints, how easy they are to reach and the sealant needed all make a difference, and we will explain the quote if you ask.
Why Heddle customers choose us
- Homes, businesses and hotels
- Every job guaranteed for a year
- We are fully insured
- 180+ five-star Google reviews
Read how sealant jobs are priced or our reviews.
How we quote for sand mastic
There’s no set price list, because no two jobs are the same. What we look at:
- Whether there’s mould to deal with
- Any working-time requirements on site
- How easy the joints are to reach
- How many areas need sealing
Leaving a failed joint generally makes the job bigger, not smaller, because water and mould keep working on it. If you’re not sure whether it needs doing, email us at info@mrmastic.co.uk and we’ll give you an honest view and a quote.
Asking for a quote
A few details help us give you an accurate quote. When you ask for a quote, tell us:
- The rough size of the job
- A few pictures by email, if you can
- The type of property
- Any previous sealing or DIY work
Every job is quoted individually, so the first step is telling us about yours. Just email us at info@mrmastic.co.uk with the details.
Different surfaces, different methods
Sash and case windows
On a sash window, the mastic joint shows on the outside so we finish it carefully.
Tenement and terrace windows
Upper-floor windows need access planning. Tell us the height and we will confirm what’s needed.
Frames and glazing around Heddle
Heddle is close to 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. 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.
For jobs in and around Heddle, choosing the right material for each joint is as important as a tidy finish.
Heddle is about 6 miles west of Kirkwall, in the Orkney Islands. Our applicators cover sand mastic for homes and businesses in Heddle and nearby, as part of our work across the Orkney Islands. We cover 51 towns and villages across the Orkney Islands, large and small.
Work in KW17 works the same way as everywhere else we cover. Neighbouring places we cover for sand mastic include Finstown (1 mile north-east), Grimbister (1 mile east), Germiston (1 mile south-west), Grimeston (3 miles north-west) and Bimbister (3 miles north-west). Island and remote addresses take a little more planning, so tell us where you are when you ask for a quote.
What’s near Heddle
A little further out are Balfour Hospital (5.9 miles east). Open spaces near Heddle include Loch of Wasdale and Hill of Heddle.
What happens on the day
There isn’t much for you to do on the day. Point us to the joints and we will get on with it. The work itself takes a few hours for a single window, longer for several, including the tidy-up. Outside jobs in Heddle need a dry day, because sealant will not bond to a wet joint, so external jobs may need to move if the day turns wet. Indoor work goes ahead whatever the weather.
- First, we look at the surrounds with you and agree what needs doing.
- We rake out the old mastic and clean the joint.
- We pack any deep gaps so the mastic sits at the right depth.
- We mix the sand mastic and apply it by hand, shaping it to the joint.
- The mastic is finished to sit tidily against the stone or brick.
Before we arrive
- Let us know about earlier repairs to the joints
- Tell us if parking is tricky
- For business premises, tell us about site rules or sign-in
Getting a quote
A good description makes for an accurate quote. Let us know the location, the problem and roughly how many joints.
Advice
Aftercare tips
So the new joints stay in good condition:
- Clear gutters so water does not pour onto the windows
- Inspect the joints round the windows every year or so
- Renew mastic before redecorating the windows
- Take care around the mastic when scraping paint
Do not run silicone over the new mastic. If anything cracks, get it looked at rather than patching it.
Once mastic starts to crumble, rain gets in. That water can reach the timber frame and the wall, so renewing it early is worth it.
More services for Heddle
Landlords, agents and businesses in Heddle
Hotels need rooms back in use, so we plan the work room by room. Hotel work is part of what we do, alongside homes and businesses.
A neglected joint can let water reach the structure, which is a bigger problem in a rented property. Resealing at the right time is simple maintenance.
Common problems we fix in Heddle
Water gets into small cracks in the mastic and loosens it further. Exposed elevations normally fail first.
People normally contact us after spotting one of these:
- Failed mastic on an exposed elevation
- Tired mastic found when preparing windows for paint
- Gaps between timber frames and stone or brick
- Gaps round a timber door in stone or brick
Around Heddle, as everywhere, sand mastic is only as good as the preparation behind it.
Before booking anyone
- How the joint is cleaned and prepared
- Which colour the sealant will be
- What the quote includes, VAT included or not
- What insurance they hold