Kent · England
Margate Sand Mastic
Traditional burnt sand mastic around sash and case windows and doors in stone and brick for householders, landlords and businesses in Margate. Fully insured, ARBOMaster approved and guaranteed for a year.
- Silicone on a period window that looks wrong
- Mastic dropping out of the joint
- Cement or filler used on old window joints that has cracked
How to look after the new joints
Aftercare is simple:
- Make sure water runs off the sill
- Ask us before painting near the mastic
- Plan mastic work ahead of painting
- Keep modern sealant off the mastic
When preparing windows for paint, take care around the mastic. Hard scraping can loosen it.
Sound mastic protects the frame. Failed mastic lets water reach the timber and timber that stays wet can rot.
Sand mastic for homes and businesses in Margate
Fresh sand mastic forms a skin quite soon, but it takes longer to harden fully. Traditionally, sand mastic is left unpainted and we’ll advise if you’re redecorating. If you are dealing with modern sealant on a period surround and old cement repairs round a window that have failed, we can help, on brick reveals, timber door frames and period & listed homes alike.
Plenty of homes in a town like Margate have had conservatories, patio doors or new windows added over the years. Every addition brings more joints, each wearing at its own pace. Sills, frame heads and glazing joints are where leaks normally start.
A 12-month guarantee comes as standard.
How the job changes by surface
Stone surrounds
Sand mastic sits naturally against stone. The finish blends with the masonry.
Period and listed homes
Materials matter on listed and conservation-area homes. Sand mastic is often the preferred finish.
What else we do in Margate
Signs you need sand mastic in Margate
Most of it is simply age. Sand mastic is a maintenance item like any pointing and how long it lasts depends on the weather it faces.
Common reasons people contact us are:
- Window mastic to renew ahead of painting
- A silicone bead on a sash window that spoils the look
- Gaps where the frame meets the masonry
- Old sand mastic that has cracked, crumbled or fallen out
For an older house near a landmark such as Parish Church of St John the Baptist, replacement windows fitted into old openings often leave uneven gaps that need backing and a flexible joint.
What your quote should include
- What happens if the job turns out different
- Who does the work, and how experienced they are
- What the cure time is
- How the colour is chosen
The process
When we arrive, we look over the joints with you first, so you know exactly what we are doing. Surfaces next to the work are protected before work begins. The work generally takes a few hours for a single window, longer for several. Parking in a town like Margate is generally straightforward, but tell us if there’s a driveway or any restrictions, and let us know if the work is upstairs, in a flat or up high outside.
- We check each window surround and the condition of the joint.
- The joint is raked out and cleaned.
- Large voids are packed out.
- New sand mastic is applied and shaped by hand.
- The finish is dressed neatly.
Preparing for the visit
- Let us know about earlier repairs to the joints
- Clear the area around the work
- Keep pets and children clear of the area while we work
How to get a quote
We do not publish a price list, as no two jobs are quite the same. Instead, we give you a clear price for your job. To get started, ring 0345 464 0079 or send us an email.
Advice
How we quote for sand mastic
Call for a quick quote. The main things that affect it are:
- The old material and how stubborn it is
- The number of rooms or windows
- The type of sealant required
- The number and length of the joints
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.
Helping us quote
Before you ask for a quote, have a think about:
- What the problem is, such as mould, gaps, leaks or cracking
- Where the job is, and your postcode
- Roughly how big the job is
- How we’d reach the joints
Every job is quoted individually, so the first step is telling us about yours. Simply phone 0345 464 0079 or send us an email and describe the job, and photos are welcome.
Leave it or put it right?
Before painting the windows, it pays to renew the mastic. Paint over cracked mastic won’t stop the gaps and traditional guidance is to leave the new mastic unpainted. In a family home in Margate, a failed seal around a bath or a frame lets water into places you cannot see, such as under the floor, behind a panel or into a wall. Left alone, that means rot, damp and a bigger repair.
Combining jobs into one visit generally makes better use of the time than several visits, so tell us about everything that needs sealing. You will get one clear quote for the whole job.
What you get with us
- Sanitary silicone with an anti-fungal additive in wet areas
- Any old sealant cut out fully, not covered over
- Approved under the ARBOMaster scheme
- Tidy, careful work
See our cost guide or what customers say.
Margate homes and the weather
Margate 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. London and the South East are among the drier parts of the UK, yet outdoor joints still have to be sealed dry, so jobs are booked with the weather in mind.
For site and facilities teams at buildings such as Salmestone Primary School, the mastic around its windows and doors needs looking after like any other building’s. Letting a property close to Margate station? Then older sash windows in a rental need their mastic kept sound to keep the weather out.
Margate is in Kent. Margate gets the same service as everywhere we cover: the old material taken out, joints prepared properly and a 12-month guarantee. We cover 922 towns and villages across Kent. We also work in Chelmsford, around 46 miles away.
We cover every part of CT9, CT7, CT8 and CT10 for sand mastic. You’ll find streets such as Yoakley Square, Church Road and High Street, and we cover them all. Margate is on the A28 and A254, which makes it straightforward to reach. Nearby, we also carry out sand mastic in Westwood (1 mile south), Westbrook (1 mile west), Garlinge (1 mile west), Flete (1 mile south-west) and Haine (2 miles south). We also work in nearby towns such as Canterbury (15 miles south-west), Ramsgate (3 miles south), Whitstable (15 miles west), Deal (11 miles south), Herne Bay (11 miles west) and Walmer (12 miles south). Margate is one of the larger places we cover in Kent.
What’s near Margate
Typical jobs here are in homes near Hartsdown Academy and Secret Spices pub, among other places. The nearest railway station is Margate station, roughly 0.6 miles north-west. Nearby you’ll also find Westwood Cross (1.6 miles south) and Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother Hospital (under half a mile south-east). Open spaces near Margate include Sandwich and Pegwell Bay.
DIY versus a professional finish
The biggest DIY mistake is sealing over old sealant. New silicone will not bond to old, so it peels away and traps moisture behind it. Everything old must be removed first.
Some sealant jobs are within reach of a careful DIYer, such as a straightforward joint indoors. Where it goes wrong is sealing over the old bead, working on a wet joint or overloading the gap.
Margate questions
Is Margate in your area for sand mastic?
Yes, Margate is within the area we cover. Our work covers London and the South East. You can ring 0345 464 0079 or send us an email and tell us what needs doing.
Does the coastal weather in Margate affect outside sealant?
Coastal homes put outside sealant through more weather than inland ones, so the choice of sealant and the preparation matter even more. It’s worth checking the walls that face the sea first.
How much does sand mastic cost in Margate?
The cost depends on the size of the job, access and how much old sealant has to come out. Call for a quick quote.
Do I need to be at home?
Access is agreed with you when the job is booked. For inside work, that normally means someone being in.
Can you match the sealant colour?
Yes. White, clear and grey are common, and other colours are available, and we’ll agree it with you first.
Will the old sealant be removed?
Yes, always, and completely. New silicone does not stick to old silicone, so any old material comes out before anything new goes in.
Where are you based?
Our base is in Crawley, West Sussex, and we work across South East England, London and Scotland.
Can landlords and businesses book you?
Yes. We work for householders, landlords, letting agents, businesses and hotels in Margate.