East Lothian · Scotland
Old Craighall Sand Mastic
Traditional burnt sand mastic around sash and case windows and doors in stone and brick for homeowners, landlords and businesses in Old Craighall. Fully insured, ARBOMaster approved and guaranteed for a year.
- Mastic dropping out of the joint
- Patchy fillers round a sash window
- Window mastic to renew ahead of painting
Windows and doors in Old Craighall
Old Craighall 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 Melville Castle (about 2.6 miles south-west) nearby, there’s older building stock in the area around Old Craighall as well as newer homes. Where a home is older, older timber frames in brick or stone need a different approach from a modern uPVC window.
Schools such as Loretto School are buildings too, and the mastic around its windows and doors needs looking after like any other building’s. If you let a flat or house near Musselburgh station, any sash windows need sound mastic to keep draughts and rain out. Melville Castle, about 2.6 miles south-west, is one of the historic houses in the wider area around Old Craighall.
Old Craighall is about 1 mile south of Musselburgh, in East Lothian. For sand mastic in and around Old Craighall, it’s easy to get a quote: please email us at info@mrmastic.co.uk. We are based in Crawley and cover East Lothian, Old Craighall included. Across East Lothian, we cover 48 places, and Old Craighall is one of them. For nearby work, see our Edinburgh page, about 6 miles away.
Postcode districts we cover here for sand mastic: EH21. We cover properties on Queen Margaret University Way, Old Craighall Road and Milne Meadows. We also cover the places around Old Craighall: Millerhill (1 mile south-west), Shawfair (1 mile west), Whitecraig (1 mile east), Newton Village (1 mile south-west) and Newcraighall (1 mile north-west). Within a short drive, we also cover Haddington (11 miles east), Tranent (5 miles east), Prestonpans (4 miles north-east), Cockenzie and Port Seton (5 miles north-east), Longniddry (7 miles north-east) and Gullane (12 miles north-east).
Local landmarks in Old Craighall
The nearest railway station is Musselburgh station, roughly 0.8 miles north. A little further out are Musselburgh Doll Museum (1.4 miles north) and Dalkeith Palace (1.6 miles south). Green spaces nearby include Duddingston Loch and Whinny Hill.
Sand mastic in Old Craighall
Our applicators renew the sand mastic around sash and case windows and doors set in stone or brick. The old mastic is raked out, and new mastic is applied and shaped by hand. Typical jobs include modern sealant on a period surround and failed mastic on an exposed elevation, on brick reveals, stone surrounds and sash and case windows.
Older stone-built homes in Scotland often have sash and case or timber windows set in stone. The sealant has to suit the stone, which rules out acetoxy silicones that can mark or attack it.
Every job comes with a 12-month guarantee, wherever you are in East Lothian.
- Place
- Old Craighall (EH21)
- Region
- East Lothian
- Cover
- One year on every job
- Quotes
- Quoted before any work starts
- info@mrmastic.co.uk
- Page updated
- 26 October 2026
What affects the quote in Old Craighall
There’s no set price list, because no two jobs are the same. What we look at:
- Access and height
- How many areas need sealing
- The old material and how stubborn it is
- When we can work, for business premises
What you pay reflects the work, not a rough estimate. That’s why we ask a few questions first and send you a clear quote before any work starts.
Asking for a quote
You don’t need to know the technical terms. It helps if you can tell us:
- A few pictures by email, if you can
- How we’d reach the joints
- What the problem is, such as mould, gaps, leaks or cracking
- Where the job is, and your postcode
For sand mastic in Old Craighall, email us at info@mrmastic.co.uk. A short description of the job and where it is helps us quote, and you’ll get a clear quote before we start.
Different surfaces, different methods
Timber door frames
Sand mastic is used round timber door frames too. The method is the same as for windows.
Sash and case windows
Sash windows are where we do most sand mastic work. We renew the mastic round each box.
How it works
There’s no need to move everything out, just the space around the work. We protect the rest, and the work takes anything from a few hours to a full day, depending on how many windows for a typical job. For a place like Old Craighall, longer drives are planned in advance. Tell us about tracks, gates, a ferry crossing or anything unusual about getting there.
- First we agree which joints need doing.
- Old mastic and any loose material are raked out.
- We pack any deep voids first.
- The sand mastic is mixed and pressed into the joint by hand.
- The surface is finished to suit the stone or brick.
Before we arrive
- Tell us about any water getting in
- Mention any sign-in or site rules at work premises
- Try not to wet indoor joints just before the visit
Get a quote
Asking for a quote is easy: tell us what needs doing and where and its rough size. A few photos by email make the job easier to understand, and we will come back to you with a quote.
Related advice
Landlord and commercial work in Old Craighall
Letting agents often deal with us directly. Send the address, what’s needed and the access arrangements and we will give you a quote.
We also work for property managers and facilities teams. We can quote a run of properties together, and we are fully insured.
DIY sealant or a professional job?
The difference is mostly in the preparation and the product. Joints are cleaned back to sound surfaces and dried, and the sealant is chosen for how the joint moves and where it is, then guaranteed for a year.
Not every job suits DIY: work at height, external movement joints, fire-rated sealant and large areas call for the right materials, safe access and experience.
Places near Old Craighall
Other services in Old Craighall
What happens if it’s left?
If you’re redecorating, renew the mastic first. Painting over failed mastic doesn’t seal it, and the new mastic is traditionally left unpainted. When the nearest tradesperson is a drive away, it’s tempting to leave a small leak, but water behind a failed seal does the most damage when nobody’s watching.
Rather than a set price list, we price the job in front of us: the amount of work, the old material and the access. You will know the price before we begin.
What you get with us
- Anti-fungal silicone where joints get wet
- 180+ five-star Google reviews
- Any old sealant cut out fully, not covered over
- ARBOMaster approved applicator
Questions from Old Craighall
Does living near the coast affect sand mastic in Old Craighall?
Coastal weather is harder on outside sealant: there’s more wind-driven rain and, closer to the shore, salt in the air. Choosing the right sealant for the frame and wall, laid at the right depth, helps it last.
Do you cover smaller places like Old Craighall?
Yes, smaller places are covered as well as towns. Our work covers the whole of Scotland. Just mention lanes, gates or anything else about the route when you book.
Is sand mastic better than silicone for my windows?
We will talk it through with you. Sand mastic suits many period homes and newer frames suit modern sealant.
Can you work on commercial sites?
Yes. We can plan bigger jobs in stages to suit the site.
Can landlords and businesses book you?
Yes. We work in homes, commercial premises and hotels.
What is sand mastic?
A traditional pointing material made from sand and a linseed-oil-based binder for the joint between timber frames and masonry.
Can I add another job to the visit?
Yes. Tell us about everything you’d like done and we’ll quote it together.
Do you remove the old sealant?
Yes. All of the old material is cut out and the joint cleaned.
Keeping the joints in good condition
A little care helps the new joints last. We recommend:
- Have rotten timber repaired before new mastic goes in
- Renew mastic before redecorating the windows
- Check the mastic when you check the paintwork
- Keep sills and gutters clear so water drains away
Look at the mastic when you look over the windows. Catching cracks early keeps repairs small.
Good mastic helps keep the frame dry. Once it fails, water can sit against the timber, which can lead to rot.