Greater London · England
Ratcliff Sand Mastic
Traditional burnt sand mastic around sash and case windows and doors in stone and brick for Ratcliff, backed by a 12-month guarantee. Ask us for a quote.
- Gaps round a timber door in stone or brick
- Gaps where the frame meets the masonry
- Mastic dropping out of the joint
For landlords and businesses
Businesses can book us for washrooms, kitchens, offices and more. On commercial sites, working times can be discussed when we quote.
Mouldy or split sealant often shows up at the end of a tenancy. We can quote for more than one property at once.
Sand mastic in Ratcliff, done properly
Sand mastic does not last for ever and gaps open up round the frame. Renewing it closes the gap so the surround looks right again. We work on stone surrounds, timber door frames and brick reveals, and people most often call us about cracked mastic round a front door frame and crumbling sand mastic round a window.
Many London homes are flats, with windows high above the street. Who looks after the outside of the frames can depend on the lease, so check that first.
Your job is guaranteed for a year, as with all our work.
- Place
- Ratcliff (E1, E14, SE16)
- Region
- Greater London
- Cover
- One year on every job
- Quote
- A clear quote up front
- Phone
- 0345 464 0079
- Page updated
- 26 October 2026
Keeping the joints in good condition
A little care helps the new joints last. Our advice:
- Have rotten timber repaired before new mastic goes in
- Ask us before painting near the mastic
- Take care around the mastic when scraping paint
- Keep sills and gutters clear so water drains away
Make sure water drains away from the window surround. Constant wetting wears the mastic faster.
It’s best to renew mastic before painting the windows. Painting over failed mastic hides the problem for a while.
Ratcliff homes and the weather
Historic houses like Mansion House (about 1.9 miles west) are a reminder that the area around Ratcliff has older buildings as well as new. In older buildings, older frames set in brick or stone need a sealant that suits them, and sometimes that is traditional sand mastic. In a converted house or block, who looks after the windows depends on the lease, so it’s worth checking before booking.
As a London address, Ratcliff can be tricky for parking: let us know about parking bays, permits or a driveway. For an older house near a landmark such as Royal Foundation of St Katharine, frames set in older brick or stone need a sealant that suits the wall as well as the frame.
Ratcliff is about 1 mile east of Whitechapel, in Greater London. For sand mastic in and around Ratcliff, it’s easy to get a quote: please call 0345 464 0079 or send us an email. We cover Greater London from our Crawley base, Ratcliff included. Across Greater London, we cover 764 places, and Ratcliff is one of them.
We cover every part of the E1, E14 and SE16 postcode area for sand mastic and the streets around it. We cover properties on Wharf Lane, Glamis Road and Salter Road and the roads around them. Ratcliff sits on or near the A101 and A126, which makes travel easy. Other places close to Ratcliff include Shadwell (1 mile south), East End of London (1 mile north-west), Limehouse (1 mile north-east), Stepney (1 mile north) and Wapping (1 mile west). We also work in nearby towns such as City of Westminster (5 miles west), Marylebone (4 miles west), Kensington (7 miles west), St Pancras (3 miles west), Walthamstow (5 miles north) and Hampstead (6 miles north-west).
Landmarks near Ratcliff
Typical jobs here are in homes near Stepney Green Park, Bishopsgate Institute Special Collections and Archives and Stepney Jewish School, among other places. You’ll also find Bishop Challoner Catholic Collegiate School (less than half a mile north-west) and The British Prince Public House (under half a mile north). Ratcliff has its own railway station: Limehouse station. Other landmarks nearby include Tower of London (1.4 miles west) and The Royal London Hospital (0.8 miles north-west). For a walk, there’s Lavender Pond and Tower Hill.
Other services in Ratcliff
Common problems we fix in Ratcliff
Sand mastic slowly weathers. It hardens, cracks and starts to come away from the frame or the masonry.
Common reasons people contact us are:
- Failed mastic on an exposed elevation
- Open joints round the window box
- Window mastic to renew ahead of painting
- Wind and rain getting in round a sash window
Schools such as Marion Richardson Primary School are buildings too, and larger buildings have plenty of frames, and the mastic around each one ages.
Before booking anyone
- Are they insured?
- Whether all the old sealant comes out first
- How the colour is chosen
- How hidden problems are handled
Honest limits
Some problems need a builder, plumber or other trade rather than us:
- Timber that has rotted
- Cracked or broken glass
- Sash cords, weights and draught-proofing of the sashes
Not sure which it is? You can ring 0345 464 0079 or drop us an email and we will tell you honestly before booking.
Joints and surfaces we work on
- Sash and case windows
- Timber door frames
- Brick reveals
- Tenement windows
- Stone surrounds
- Period & listed homes
Why deal with it now?
Cement-based fillers and modern sealants don’t always suit a period surround. Sand mastic matches what was there and that can be important for listed homes. Converted houses in London often have a bathroom above someone else’s living room, so a small leak from tired sealant can mean a neighbour’s ceiling and a lot of disruption. Putting it right early is much less trouble for homes in Ratcliff.
Combining jobs into one visit is normally more efficient than separate visits, so it’s worth mentioning everything you’d like done. We’ll give you a clear price for the lot.
Why Ratcliff clients choose us
- We never seal over old sealant
- Fully insured
- More than 20 years in sealant work
- Sanitary silicone with an anti-fungal additive in wet areas
Read our cost guide or our reviews.
What we do, step by step
There is not much for you to do on the day. Show us the job and we’ll take it from there. The work itself takes a few hours for a single window, longer for several from start to finish. Parking in much of London is by permit or pay-and-display, so it helps to know what’s near you in Ratcliff. It helps if you can point us to a visitor permit or a bay close to the door.
- We check the window surrounds and agree which joints need renewing.
- Old, loose mastic is raked out and the joint cleaned.
- We pack any deep gaps so the mastic sits at the right depth.
- The mastic is mixed, pressed into the joint by hand and shaped.
- We dress the surface so it sits neatly against the masonry.
Before we arrive
- Mention if the joints have been sealed before
- Keep pets and children clear of the area while we work
- Clear items away from the joints we are working on
Ask for a quote
We quote each job on its own. Just ring 0345 464 0079 or send us an email with the details, and pictures are welcome.
Advice
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. Let us know the floor and we’ll confirm access.
FAQs for Ratcliff
Is parking an issue for sand mastic in Ratcliff?
Parking in Ratcliff, as in most of London, takes a little planning: a visitor permit or a nearby bay makes the day run more smoothly, so mention what’s available when you book.
Can you help a landlord with a rental near Limehouse station?
Yes, landlords and agents are among the people we work for, and several properties can go on one quote. You can ring 0345 464 0079 or drop us an email with the details for a clear quote.
What do you need from me for a quote?
A short description and the location, plus photos if you have them. If we need more, we will ask.
Do I have to be there?
We need access to the joints, so we’ll agree that with you when we book. Indoors, that generally means someone at home.
Can I paint the new mastic?
The usual advice is to leave sand mastic unpainted. Ask us before you decorate around it and we will talk you through it.
Will the old sealant be removed?
Yes, always, and completely. New sealant will not bond properly to old, so any old material comes out before anything new goes in.
Can new sealant go over the old?
No. New silicone will not bond to old silicone, and it traps any mould or water underneath. We remove it all first.
Can you work on commercial sites?
Yes. Commercial and hotel work is a large part of what we do. Working times can be discussed when we quote.