Orkney Islands · Scotland
Sand mastic for sash & case windows in Upper Sanday, Orkney Islands
Sand mastic for Upper Sanday and the surrounding area: the right sealant, proper preparation and a neat finish. Call for a quick quote.
- A silicone bead on a sash window that spoils the look
- Draughts and rain around sash boxes
- Gaps between timber frames and stone or brick
Sand mastic in Upper Sanday
Old sand mastic cracks, crumbles and falls out over time, leaving gaps round the window. We rake it out and renew it and tidies the surround. We work on stone surrounds, tenement windows and timber door frames, and common reasons people get in touch are cracked mastic round a front door frame and mastic worn away on windows facing the weather.
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.
The work is covered for a year after we finish. If there’s a problem with it, please drop us a line at info@mrmastic.co.uk.
- Where
- Upper Sanday (KW17)
- Region
- Orkney Islands
- Cover
- One year on every job
- Quote
- A clear price before any work starts
- info@mrmastic.co.uk
- Last updated
- 26 October 2026
Upper Sanday: your questions answered
Do you cover Upper Sanday for sand mastic?
Yes. Our work covers the whole of Scotland, and Upper Sanday is part of that. You can drop us a line at info@mrmastic.co.uk and let us know what needs doing, and we’ll send you a clear quote.
Is Upper Sanday within the area you cover?
Yes, we do. Our work covers the whole of Scotland, islands included, from towns to the smallest places. Longer journeys are simply planned in advance.
Is it possible to paint over sand mastic?
Sand mastic is normally left unpainted, as guidance on traditional windows advises. Ask us before decorating.
When will the new mastic be hard?
It takes a while. It skins first and hardens fully later, and we’ll tell you what to expect.
Can old silicone round a sash window be swapped for sand mastic?
Yes, we do this often. All the old silicone is removed first so the mastic beds in well.
Do I need to be at home?
It depends on the job. For work indoors, someone needs to let us in.
Which is right for my windows, sand mastic or modern sealant?
That depends on your windows. On many period windows, sand mastic looks right and suits the building and newer frames normally get a flexible sealant.
Will the old sealant be removed?
Always. Sealing over the old bead is the commonest cause of early failure, so we never do it.
What affects the cost of sand mastic
We don’t publish a price list, because no two jobs are the same. What we look at:
- The type of sealant required
- How many areas need sealing
- Whether old sealant or filler has to be cut out
- How much there is to do
There are no prices on our website, because the cost depends so much on the job itself. For a quick quote, please email us at info@mrmastic.co.uk.
Asking for a quote
The more you tell us, the more accurate the quote. When you get in contact, it helps to mention:
- Whether it’s a home or a business
- Pictures of the joints, sent by email
- The address or postcode of the job
- How we’d reach the joints
Getting a quote is simple: tell us what needs doing and where, and roughly how big it is. Photos by email help us understand the job, and we will come back to you with a quote.
How the visit works
Before we leave, we go over the finished joints with you and explain the cure time. The work normally takes a few hours per window, depending on the condition of the joints, depending on the size of the job. In smaller Scottish places, parking is generally less of an issue than access and distance. Let us know how to find you and how to reach the joints.
- Each surround is checked first.
- The joint is raked out and cleaned.
- Large voids are packed out.
- New sand mastic is applied and shaped by hand.
- We finish the mastic to a tidy line.
How to prepare
- Mention any parking rules near the property
- Let us know about earlier repairs to the joints
- For indoor joints, keep the area dry beforehand if you can
Get a quote
A good description makes for an accurate quote. Tell us where the job is, what’s wrong and how much there is, and email pictures if that is easy.
Read more
Landlords, agents and businesses in Upper Sanday
Businesses can book us for washrooms, kitchens, offices and more. For commercial premises, we can talk through working times when we quote.
Letting agents often deal with us directly. Send the address, what’s needed and the access arrangements and we will quote.
Can I do it myself?
A DIY attempt does not rule out a professional job. We cut it out and start again.
Sealing over old silicone is the commonest DIY error. New silicone won’t bond to old, so it lifts and traps water and mould underneath. All the old material has to come out first.
Keeping the joints in good condition
To keep the joints looking good and working properly:
- Sort the mastic before the decorators arrive
- Inspect the joints round the windows every year or so
- Make sure water runs off the sill
- Ask a joiner to look at soft timber first
Avoid painting over the new mastic, which is the traditional advice. If you’re redecorating, ask us first.
Once mastic starts to crumble, rain gets in. It can soak into the frame and the surrounding masonry so early renewal protects both.
Windows and doors in Upper Sanday
Upper Sanday is within about 1 mile 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. Private landlords in Scotland must meet the Repairing Standard, which includes keeping a home wind and watertight, and failed outside joints work against that.
For jobs in and around Upper Sanday, choosing the right material for each joint is as important as a tidy finish. Around Upper Sanday, as everywhere, sand mastic is only as good as the preparation behind it.
Upper Sanday is about 7 miles south-east of Kirkwall, in the Orkney Islands. We provide sand mastic to householders, landlords and businesses in Upper Sanday. Our the Orkney Islands coverage runs to 51 places, and Upper Sanday is one of them.
Jobs for sand mastic in KW17 works the same way as everywhere else we cover. Close by, we work in Toab (2 miles north), Tankerness (3 miles north), St Mary's (3 miles west), Burray Village (6 miles south-west) and Kirkwall (7 miles north-west). Remote and island addresses need a little more planning, so tell us where you are when you ask for a quote.
Around Upper Sanday
A little further out are Graemeshall Museum (3.1 miles west). Green spaces nearby include Eves Loch.
Different surfaces, different methods
Period and listed homes
Period homes look their best with traditional materials, and sand mastic is one of them.
Tenement and terrace windows
In shared buildings, the windows may be part of a wider repair so it’s worth checking responsibilities.
Nearby places to Upper Sanday
Other services in Upper Sanday
What sealant work can’t fix
Honest advice matters more to us than a booking, so here’s what new sealant won’t do:
- Decayed frames that need repair
- Cracked or broken glass
- Sashes that need overhauling
If in doubt, send an email to info@mrmastic.co.uk and we will say what we think.
Where we work in Upper Sanday
- Period & listed homes
- Brick reveals
- Stone surrounds
- Tenement windows
- Sash and case windows
- Timber door frames