Edinburgh · Scotland
Sand mastic for sash & case windows in Old Town, Edinburgh
Professional sand mastic in and around Old Town, with every bit of old sealant taken out first and a one-year guarantee.
- Patchy fillers round a sash window
- Crumbling sand mastic round a window
- A silicone bead on a sash window that spoils the look
Sand mastic in Old Town
Sand mastic does not last for ever, leaving gaps round the window. We rake it out and renew it and tidies the surround. We work on timber door frames, tenement windows and brick reveals, and common reasons people get in touch are old cement repairs round a window that have failed and gaps round a timber door in stone or brick.
Scotland’s cities are full of stone-built tenements and terraces, in sandstone or granite. Natural stone around older windows needs a sealant that won’t mark or attack it, so acetoxy silicones, which can attack some stone, are best avoided.
Each job carries a 12-month guarantee, whatever its size.
- Place
- Old Town (EH1, EH8, EH3)
- Region
- Edinburgh
- Cover
- 12 months on all our work
- Price
- Quoted before any work starts
- info@mrmastic.co.uk
- Last updated
- 26 October 2026
Old Town homes and the weather
Old Town 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. The Old and New Towns of Edinburgh are a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the Georgian New Town is known for its sash windows. If a home is listed or in a conservation area, it’s worth checking with the council before changing the look of windows or walls.
In the older streets around Augustine Congregational Church, the joint between an old wall and a newer frame is normally the first place rain gets in. Rented homes near Edinburgh Waverley station change hands often, and older sash windows in a rental need their mastic kept sound to keep the weather out.
Old Town is about 1 mile north-east of Edinburgh, in Edinburgh. Whether you’re in the middle of Old Town or further out, sand mastic is available for homes and businesses alike, from flats and houses to offices and hotels. Old Town is one of 175 places in Edinburgh we cover.
Postcode districts we cover here for sand mastic: EH1, EH8 and EH3. Whether your property is on Meuse Lane, High Street and Meadow Lane or anywhere close by, our applicators can take on the job. Neighbouring places we cover for sand mastic include Lauriston (1 mile south-west), Buccleuch (1 mile south-east), Holyrood (1 mile north-east), Dumbiedykes (1 mile east) and Canongate (1 mile north-east). Further out, we also cover Queensferry (8 miles west), South Portobello (3 miles east), Southhouse (4 miles south-east), Gilmerton (4 miles south-east), Muirhouse (3 miles north-west) and Gracemount (3 miles south-east).
Local landmarks in Old Town
In Old Town, that means homes and buildings near St Cuthbert's Church, Greyfriars Bobby Bar and The Meadows, among other places. Other local landmarks include Old Royal High School (0.6 miles north-east) and National Museums Scotland Library (less than half a mile south-east). Old Town has its own railway station: Edinburgh Waverley station. Nearby you’ll also find Edinburgh Castle (within half a mile west) and Museum of Scotland (less than half a mile south-east). The countryside around Old Town includes Salisbury Crags and Dunsapie Loch.
Signs you need sand mastic in Old Town
Sand mastic slowly weathers. It hardens, cracks and starts to come away on the stone or timber.
The problems people generally mention when they call include:
- Gaps round a timber door in stone or brick
- Mastic worn away on windows facing the weather
- Silicone on a period window that looks wrong
- Tired mastic found when preparing windows for paint
If you look after a building such as Tollcross Primary School, larger buildings have plenty of frames, and the mastic around each one ages.
What your quote should include
- What product goes in the joint
- The length of the guarantee
- What the quote includes, VAT included or not
- Whether all the old sealant comes out first
How the visit works
There’s no need to move everything out before we come, only the area right around the joints. We protect the rest, and the job takes a few hours for a single window, longer for several in most cases. Many homes in Scotland’s cities are tenement flats, reached through a shared close and up a common stair. In Old Town, it helps to know the floor, the door entry arrangements and the nearest parking.
- We check each window surround and the condition of the joint.
- We rake out the old mastic and clean the joint.
- Large voids are packed out.
- We point the joint with sand mastic by hand.
- The finish is dressed neatly.
Before we arrive
- Tell us about any previous sealing or DIY attempts
- For indoor joints, keep the area dry beforehand if you can
- Clear items away from the joints we’re working on
How to get a quote
Need a quote? Please email us at 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.
Advice
Other services in Old Town
Landlords, agents and businesses in Old Town
Businesses can book us for washrooms, kitchens, offices and more. On commercial sites, working times can be discussed when we quote.
If you manage several properties in or around Old Town, several properties can be quoted together. Send us the addresses and the work at each.
Your questions about sand mastic in Old Town
Does the coastal weather in Old Town affect outside sealant?
Near the coast, wind-driven rain and, nearer the shore, salt air make outside sealant work harder. The right product, a clean joint and the right depth all help it cope.
How do repairs to the shared parts of a tenement in Old Town get organised?
The owners of the flats usually agree repairs to shared parts like the roof and outside walls, and many buildings have a factor to arrange it. Where the title deeds are silent, the Tenements (Scotland) Act 2004 fills the gaps. Your title deeds will say who owns the windows.
Do you work in Old Town?
We do. Our applicators work in Old Town, and the service is the same as everywhere else.
I’m a tenant. Can you help?
Yes, but check with your landlord or agent first. Landlords are often happy for the work to be arranged.
Do you work for letting agents?
Yes, regularly. Several properties can go on one quote, and between tenancies is a good time for the work.
Will there be a smell?
That depends on the sealant. Some smell for a while, some hardly at all, and any smell fades as they cure.
How long does sand mastic take?
Most jobs take a few hours per window, depending on the condition of the joints. We’ll confirm how long when we quote.
Should I check with the council before work on a listed or conservation-area home?
Yes, it’s worth checking. Your local planning authority can say if consent is needed for listed or conservation-area properties.
Why deal with it now?
Not every filler suits an old window surround. Sand mastic is the like-for-like choice and that can be important for listed homes. Wind-driven rain gets into any failed joint on the outside of a city building, and in a tall building in Old Town, damp can travel a long way before it shows.
The cost depends on the size of the job, how hard the old material is to remove and access to the work. You’ll have a clear quote before any work starts.
Why book with us
- Approved under the ARBOMaster scheme
- 12-month guarantee on every job
- Anti-fungal sanitary silicone in wet areas
- Any old sealant cut out fully, not covered over
Take a look at our cost guide or customer reviews.
Honest limits
Before you book, it’s worth knowing the limits too:
- Putty and glazing repairs
- Sashes that rattle, stick or will not open
- Decayed frames that need repair
Not sure which it is? You can email us at info@mrmastic.co.uk and we will tell you honestly.
Surfaces we seal
- Stone surrounds
- Brick reveals
- Timber door frames
- Tenement windows
- Period & listed homes
- Sash and case windows
What the job involves on each surface
Timber door frames
Door frames get knocked and soaked and the mastic can crack early. It’s renewed by hand.
Tenement and terrace windows
Rows of sash windows on tenements and terraces often need renewing together. We can do one window or several.
Keeping the joints in good condition
Good habits help new joints last longer. A few tips:
- Plan mastic work ahead of painting
- Ask the planning authority about consent for listed or conservation-area homes
- Check the mastic when you check the paintwork
- Clear gutters so water does not pour onto the windows
Don’t touch or press the mastic while it hardens. It skins over quickly, but takes longer to harden fully.
It’s best to renew mastic before painting the windows. Paint over cracked mastic only covers it up.