SikaCeram®-212 Non-Slip — C2TE High Performance Non-Slip Cementitious Tile Adhesive

SIKAAuthorised distributor

Sika SikaCeram-212 Non-Slip

A C2TE polymer-modified cementitious adhesive that holds heavy wall tiles without slumping, with a working window long enough for large formats.

BrandSikaCategoryTile FixingFormA one-component, polymer-modified cementitious tile adhesive classified C2TE to EN 12004-2:2017 and Type-2 ‘T’ to IS…

What is it?

A one-component, polymer-modified cementitious tile adhesive classified C2TE to EN 12004-2:2017 and Type-2 ‘T’ to IS 15477-2019, formulated so tiles do not slide down vertical surfaces.

Where is it used?

Ceramic, vitrified, porcelain and stoneware tiles on walls and floors indoors and outdoors, including bathrooms, kitchens, balconies, terraces, wet areas and tile-over-tile jobs.

Why use it?

You get reduced vertical slip on walls, a bond strength of at least 1 N/mm2 and an open time of over 30 minutes, so large-format tiles stay put and you have time to work.

How is it applied?

Mix with clean water to a smooth paste, comb onto the substrate with a notched trowel to a 3-5 mm bed, and bed the tile in while the adhesive is fresh and sticky.

About Sika SikaCeram-212 Non-Slip

SikaCeram-212 Non-Slip is Sika India’s high-performance cementitious tile adhesive for jobs where a standard C1 mortar simply cannot cope. It is built around Portland cement, graded silica aggregates, water-retention additives and a re-dispersible polymer, which together give it the improved bond, deformability and workability that earn it a C2TE rating under EN 12004-2:2017 and a Type-2 ‘T’ rating under IS 15477-2019. The “Non-Slip” name is literal: the mortar is engineered so that a heavy tile pressed onto a wall stays where you place it instead of creeping downward, with measured slip of no more than 0.34 mm against a 0.5 mm limit. That single property saves a lot of propping, wedging and re-alignment on vertical work.

For engineers and contractors in Indian conditions, the practical appeal is the combination of grip and time. The adhesive delivers a tensile bond of at least 1 N/mm2 dry, after water immersion and after heat ageing, so it holds up in wet rooms and on sun-exposed facades. Its open time of over 30 minutes and pot life of around three hours give crews a realistic window to comb out large bays and set big tiles without the mortar skinning over. It is supplied in Grey and White in 20, 25 and 40 kg bags, letting you match white adhesive to translucent or light-toned marble and glass mosaic where a grey bed would shadow through. Space Arc Engineering supplies it as an authorised Sika channel across Delhi NCR and Pan-India, with applicator-side guidance on substrate prep and system build-up.

The technical insight

The non-slip behaviour is a rheology story, not a gimmick. The re-dispersible polymer and water-retention additives are balanced so the fresh mortar is thixotropic: it stays stiff and holds its combed ridges under the static load of a tile, yet shears smoothly under the trowel. Because the ridges do not slump, the tile’s own weight is not enough to overcome the mortar’s yield strength, so it resists downward creep on a wall. The same water-retention chemistry keeps moisture in the bed rather than letting a thirsty cementitious or plaster substrate wick it away, so the cement can hydrate fully at the glue line and develop its rated bond instead of drying prematurely. The polymer film that forms as it cures bridges the tile back and the substrate, adding the flexibility and adhesion that lift it from C1 into the C2 class and let it grip low-porosity vitrified and porcelain tiles that a plain sand-cement slurry would struggle to hold.

Where it is used

  • Fixing large-format ceramic, vitrified and porcelain wall tiles where a standard adhesive would let them slip
  • Floor tiling in kitchens, bathrooms, wet areas and storage areas on cementitious screeds and concrete
  • Exterior tiling on balconies and terraces where dry, wet and heat-aged bond all matter
  • Tile-over-tile overlays on sound existing interior ceramic tiling to avoid demolition
  • Bonding porcelain and stoneware in commercial and residential fit-outs and leisure centres
  • Setting white or light-toned tiles, marble and glass mosaic using the White grade to avoid shadowing
  • Wet-room walls and floors used together with a Sika cement- or acrylic-based waterproofing layer underneath
  • Prefilling minor surface defects and levelling variations up to 5 mm before the main adhesive coat

Key advantages

  • Reduced vertical slip lets heavy wall tiles hold position without extra propping or wedges
  • C2TE / Type-2 ‘T’ classification with tensile bond of at least 1 N/mm2 dry, wet and after heat ageing
  • Open time of over 30 minutes and pot life of around 180 minutes give a workable window for large areas
  • Suits low-porosity vitrified and porcelain tiles that plain sand-cement cannot reliably hold
  • Available in Grey and White, so light and translucent tiles can be set on a matching bed
  • Handles a wide substrate range: screed, concrete, plaster, existing tiles and gypsum-based boards
  • Bed thickness from 3 mm up to 10 mm accommodates uneven backgrounds in a single operation
  • Self-curing, normal-setting powder that needs only clean water on site

Limitations & considerations

  • Not suitable for direct application on metal, timber, or on old ceramic tiles in outdoor exposures
  • Calcium-sulphate substrates (gypsum, gypsum fibre board, anhydrite screed) require a SikaCeram-935 primer diluted 1:1 and a moisture content below 0.5 percent before tiling
  • Working temperature is limited to a substrate and air range of +5 C to +35 C, so hot afternoons and cold nights need scheduling
  • Tiles larger than 900 cm2 (about 30 x 30 cm) must be back-buttered as well as combed, which raises consumption and labour
  • Fresh work must be protected from rain and freezing, and a skinned-over layer must be scraped off and re-applied rather than re-wetted
  • It is an adhesive only, not a waterproofing product; wet areas still need a separate Sika membrane beneath the tiles

Selection & best practice

Start with a sound, clean, structurally firm substrate; cementitious backgrounds should be cured and dried for two to six weeks, and smooth or low-absorbency surfaces must be roughened or degreased. In hot or dry conditions, or on absorbent backgrounds, pre-dampen the surface and let surface water disappear so it is damp but not wet to touch. Mix with a slow-speed paddle (under 500 rpm) using the recommended water dose (roughly 5.2-5.6 litres for a 20 kg Grey bag), leave it to mature for about 5 minutes, then remix briefly. Comb the adhesive with a square-notched trowel sized to the tile, aiming for full back coverage of the tile, and always back-butter tiles over 900 cm2. Bed each tile into fresh, sticky adhesive with a rubber mallet, adjust within the roughly 25-minute adjustability window, and clean joints before the mortar dries. Wait 24-36 hours before grouting or walking on floors, and 4-6 hours before grouting walls; allow around 21 days before water immersion service. Where a waterproofing layer is specified, apply the Sika membrane first and tile onto it once cured.

Specifications

Classification C2TE (EN 12004-2:2017); Type-2 ‘T’ (IS 15477-2019)
Chemical base Portland cement, selected aggregates, water-retention additives, re-dispersible polymer
Tensile adhesion bond Greater than or equal to 1 N/mm2 (dry, after water immersion and after heat ageing)
Vertical slip Less than or equal to 0.34 mm (limit 0.5 mm)
Open time Greater than 30 minutes
Pot life Greater than or equal to 180 minutes (100 g mass at +27 C)
Consumption 3.00-3.50 kg/m2 at 3 mm (small), 3.75-4.25 kg/m2 at 4 mm (medium), 4.75-5.25 kg/m2 at 5 mm (large)
Mixing water Grey 0.26-0.28 by weight (5.2-5.6 L per 20 kg bag); White 0.28-0.30 (5.6-6.0 L per 20 kg bag)
Packaging / colour / shelf life 20, 25 and 40 kg bags; Grey or White powder; 12 months from production

Industry use cases

Residential wet rooms

Fixing bathroom and kitchen wall and floor tiles, including large-format porcelain, with the slip resistance to keep vertical tiles aligned during setting.

Hospitality and commercial fit-out

Hotels, restaurants, leisure centres and retail interiors where big tiles, tight programmes and a long open time have to work together across large bays.

Facades, balconies and terraces

Exterior tiling exposed to sun and rain, relying on the dry, wet and heat-aged bond strength for durable outdoor performance on sound cementitious substrates.

Renovation and tile-over-tile

Overlaying sound existing interior ceramic tiling without stripping it out, cutting demolition, dust and downtime on refurbishment jobs.

Light-toned and decorative tiling

Marble, translucent stone and glass mosaic set with the White grade so the adhesive bed does not shadow through the tile face.

Frequently asked questions

What does the C2TE rating on SikaCeram-212 Non-Slip actually mean?
Under EN 12004-2:2017, C2 means an improved cementitious adhesive with a tensile bond of at least 1 N/mm2, T means it has reduced vertical slip, and E means extended open time of over 30 minutes. In Indian terms it also meets IS 15477-2019 as a Type-2 ‘T’ adhesive.
How much adhesive will I need per square metre?
As a guide for single-side application, allow about 3.00-3.50 kg/m2 for small tiles at a 3 mm bed, 3.75-4.25 kg/m2 for medium tiles at 4 mm, and 4.75-5.25 kg/m2 for large tiles at 5 mm. Buttering large tiles increases this, so trial a test area to confirm your real consumption.
Can I use it to fix large vitrified or porcelain tiles on a wall?
Yes. The non-slip formulation is designed to hold heavier tiles on vertical surfaces without slumping. For any tile over about 900 cm2 (30 x 30 cm), back-butter the tile as well as combing the wall so you achieve full, uniform bedding.
Should I pick the Grey or the White grade?
Both perform the same structurally. Choose White when you are setting translucent, light-coloured or glass tiles, marble and mosaics where a grey bed could shadow through the tile. Grey is the economical choice for standard opaque ceramic and vitrified work.
Can it go straight onto gypsum plaster or an anhydrite screed?
Not directly. Calcium-sulphate substrates such as gypsum plaster, gypsum fibre board and anhydrite screed must first be primed with SikaCeram-935 Floor Leveler Primer diluted 1:1 with water, and the substrate moisture must be below 0.5 percent.
How long before I can grout and use the tiles?
At normal temperatures, allow 4-6 hours before grouting walls and 24-36 hours before grouting floors or walking on them. For areas subject to water immersion, such as tanks or pools, allow around 21 days. Higher temperatures shorten these times and lower temperatures extend them.
Is SikaCeram-212 Non-Slip waterproof on its own?
No. It is a tile adhesive, not a waterproofing membrane. In wet areas you should apply a suitable Sika cement- or acrylic-based waterproofing system to the substrate first, let it cure, and then tile onto it with SikaCeram-212 Non-Slip.

How we position Sika SikaCeram-212 Non-Slip

Within the Sika tiling family, SikaCeram-212 Non-Slip sits above the everyday SikaCeram-50 Tilofix for jobs that need genuine C2TE grip on walls and low-porosity tiles; pair it with a SikaCeram grout and, in wet areas, a Sika cement- or acrylic-based waterproofing membrane, plus SikaCeram-935 Floor Leveler Primer over gypsum-based substrates. Where a project runs on the Fosroc system instead, the closest counterpart is Fosroc Nitotile C2 HighFix, and Space Arc can supply either brand as an authorised channel; we have not linked a Fosroc product page here because a verified equivalent is not yet listed on our catalogue. For substrate levelling and repair ahead of tiling we would cross-refer to the Sika MonoTop or SikaCeram Floor Leveler range, and to Sikadur epoxy resins for sealing live cracks before the adhesive goes down.

Source Sika SikaCeram-212 Non-Slip for your project

Authorised distribution, technical advice & professional application across Delhi NCR and Pan-India.


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