Master Builders Solutions MasterFlow 718
Ready-to-use, non-shrink cementitious grout that flows into baseplate gaps and anchor pockets — 20 N/mm² within a day, 65 N/mm² at 28 days, and a full hour of placeability even in Indian summer heat.
What is it?
A ready-to-use, non-shrink cementitious grout from Master Builders Solutions (formerly Masterflow 918), pre-blended with natural aggregate — only site water is added.
Where is it used?
Under stanchion baseplates and steel columns, bridge bearing plates, anchor bolts and holding-down bars, precast panel and beam joints, underpinning and patch repairs.
Why use it?
It hardens free of bleed, settlement and drying shrinkage at flowable consistency, reaches 20 N/mm² in one day and 65 N/mm² at 28 days, and stays placeable for up to an hour at high ambient temperatures.
How is it applied?
Mix one 25 kg bag with approximately 4.0 litres of water (about 16%), pour continuously from one side into a pre-saturated, formed gap, and wet-cure. Each bag yields roughly 13.2 litres of grout.
About Master Builders Solutions MasterFlow 718
MasterFlow 718 is the general-purpose workhorse of the Master Builders Solutions grout range in India — a factory-blended, non-shrink cementitious grout built around graded natural aggregate. Site crews add only water: roughly 4.0 litres per 25 kg bag produces a free-flowing grout that finds its own way under baseplates and into anchor pockets, usually without pumping or strapping. Long-time specifiers may know it by its earlier BASF name, Masterflow 918; the formulation carries the same identity under the MasterFlow brand today.
What sets it apart on Indian sites is the balance between working life and early strength. The mix stays placeable for up to an hour even at high ambient temperatures, yet still posts 20 N/mm² within 24 hours — enough for construction to keep moving — before climbing to 65 N/mm² at 28 days. Space Arc Engineering stocks MasterFlow 718 for Delhi NCR and pan-India despatch, and our applicator teams handle baseplate and bearing-plate grouting where supervised placement is required.
The technical insight
The reason ordinary sand-cement grout fails under a baseplate is simple: as water bleeds upward and the mix dries, the grout settles away from the steel, leaving the plate bearing on a few high spots instead of its full area. MasterFlow 718 is engineered against exactly that failure mode. Its controlled water demand of about 16% and dense particle packing (wet density around 2.1 kg/L) mean the placed grout hardens free of bleeding, settlement and drying shrinkage at flowable consistency — a claim verified by the simulated bedplate technique, which measures contact under a plate rather than in a cube mould. The hardened grout is stiff as well as strong: a 28-day elastic modulus above 30 GPa transfers column loads into the foundation without soft-layer squash, while pull-out bond above 17 MPa at 7 days locks anchor bolts in. In fatigue testing, specimens cycled between 5 and 25 MPa at 300 cycles per minute for two million cycles emerged undamaged, with compressive strength slightly higher than before — useful reassurance where bedplates see repetitive loading. Being chloride-free, the dense, impermeable grout also shields embedded holding-down bolts from corrosion rather than accelerating it.
Where it is used
- Grouting stanchion baseplates and steel column bases in PEB sheds and industrial structures
- Bedding bridge bearing plates on piers and abutments
- Anchor bolt, holding-down bolt and reinforcement bar grouting
- Jointing and bedding prefabricated concrete panels and beams
- Underpinning of existing foundations and structures
- Patch repair of damaged concrete in general civil works
- Filling pockets, voids and intricate gaps where a pourable, non-shrink fill is specified
Key advantages
- High early strength — 20 N/mm² at 1 day allows quick return to service and faster erection cycles
- 65 N/mm² at 28 days gives long-term load capacity well beyond typical foundation concrete
- Genuinely non-shrink at flowable consistency — no bleed, settlement or drying shrinkage, so the plate bears on its full area
- Up to one hour of placeability even at high ambient temperature — a real advantage on North Indian summer pours
- Free-flowing consistency fills intricate voids, usually without pumping or strapping
- Dense, impermeable and chloride-free — forms a watertight cover that protects embedded steel
- No special equipment — small batches mix in a pail with a drill and paddle in 3 to 5 minutes
- Adjustable from flowable to trowelable, so one product handles pours, shoulders and small patches
Limitations & considerations
- The non-shrink guarantee applies at flowable consistency; drier trowelable mixes do not carry the same assurance
- Best used within 30 minutes of mixing even though it remains placeable for up to an hour
- Water dosage must be disciplined at about 16% — extra water causes bleed, segregation and strength loss, so site trials are recommended
- As a cementitious grout it is not the right choice for machine bases under heavy vibration or chemical spillage, where an epoxy grout such as MasterFlow 648 is specified
- Drum-type mixers may not shear the mix adequately; use a paddle or purpose-made grout mixer
- Shelf life is approximately 6 months in unopened bags, so avoid over-ordering for slow-moving sites
Selection & best practice
Preparation decides the result. Break out laitance and loose material, and saturate the substrate with water 2–3 hours before grouting — then blow all free-standing water out of the void just before the pour. Rigid, watertight formwork with a pouring head on one side helps the grout travel under the plate in a single direction, avoiding trapped air. Charge the mixer with the measured water first (about 4.0 litres per 25 kg bag for flowable consistency), add the powder, and mix 3–5 minutes to a smooth, lump-free grout; a drill and paddle handles up to two bags at a time. Pour continuously from one side only and place within 30 minutes. If a shoulder is needed, strip the forms once the grout is self-supporting and cut it back to a 45° angle before final set to limit edge stresses. Cure like any cementitious material — curing compound, polythene, wet hessian or ponding — and wash tools with water before the grout hardens. In peak summer, use cool water and shaded bag storage, and confirm water demand with a trial mix.
Specifications
| Compressive strength (flowable) | 20 / 35 / 55 / 65 N/mm² at 1 / 3 / 7 / 28 days |
| Flexural strength (ASTM C78, 28 days) | 9 MPa |
| Water addition | Approx. 16% — about 4.0 litres per 25 kg bag (flowable) |
| Yield | Approx. 13.2 litres per 25 kg bag (flowable) |
| Wet density | 2.1 kg/L |
| Modulus of elasticity (28 days) | >30 GPa |
| Pull-out bond strength (7 days) | >17 MPa |
| Bond strength to concrete (28 days) | >2 MPa |
| Packaging and shelf life | 25 kg moisture-resistant bags; approx. 6 months in cool, dry, unopened storage |
Industry use cases
Infrastructure & Bridges
Bedding bearing plates on flyover piers and abutments, where full contact under the plate and fatigue resistance under repetitive traffic loading are non-negotiable.
Industrial & PEB Construction
Grouting stanchion baseplates and holding-down bolts on pre-engineered building sites — the 1-day strength of 20 N/mm² keeps erection sequences on programme.
Precast Construction
Jointing and bedding prefabricated panels and beams, where a flowable, non-shrink fill closes tolerance gaps without settlement cracking at the interface.
Repair & Rehabilitation
Underpinning existing foundations and executing patch repairs, mixed to trowelable consistency for small confined works and flowable for pours.
Power & Utilities
Grouting static equipment bases, skid frames and anchor pockets in substations and plant rooms where a chloride-free, impermeable grout protects embedded steel.
Frequently asked questions
How much water goes into a bag, and how much grout do I get?
How many bags do I need per cubic metre of grout?
Is MasterFlow 718 the same product as Masterflow 918?
How soon can the structure be loaded after grouting?
Will it work in Delhi’s summer heat?
When should I choose MasterFlow 928 or an epoxy grout instead?
How we position Master Builders Solutions MasterFlow 718
Within the Master Builders Solutions family, MasterFlow 718 sits as the general-purpose non-shrink grout — the default for baseplates, bearing plates, anchors and precast work. When the specification tightens to precision machine-base grouting or higher grades, move up to MasterFlow 928; where dynamic loads, impact or chemical exposure rule out cementitious grout altogether, MasterFlow 648 epoxy grout is the answer. If grouting is part of a wider concrete repair scope, the MasterEmaco repair mortar range pairs naturally with it. Space Arc also stocks comparable general-purpose grouts from our other principals — notably Fosroc Conbextra GP2 — so if your BOQ or consultant names a different brand, we can supply to the specification rather than force a substitution. Call us with the gap thickness, plate size and loading, and we will recommend the right grout and quantity.
Related Grouts & Anchors products
Source Master Builders Solutions MasterFlow 718 for your project
Authorised distribution, technical advice & professional application across Delhi NCR and Pan-India.