Sika SikaGrout 212
A factory-blended, flowable non-shrink cementitious grout that fills the gap under base plates completely and holds its volume as it sets.
What is it?
A single-component, cement-based precision grout that mixes with water into a self-levelling fluid and cures with controlled expansion rather than shrinkage.
Where is it used?
Under machine base plates, structural steel column plates, precast column pockets, bridge bearings, crane rails and anchor bolt pockets.
Why use it?
It removes the settlement voids that ordinary cement mortar leaves, so load transfers fully and evenly into the foundation.
How is it applied?
Prepared surface is pre-soaked to SSD, the powder is mixed with 3.5 to 4.0 litres of water per 25 kg bag, then poured from one side to flow across the gap without rodding.
About Sika SikaGrout 212
SikaGrout 212 is Sika’s general-purpose precision grout, built for the everyday job of bedding equipment and structural steel onto concrete. It arrives as a ready-blended powder in 25 kg bags, so the cement, graded fillers and expansion system are already proportioned at the factory. On site the crew only adds clean water, which takes the guesswork out of the mix and keeps results consistent from one pour to the next. At a flowable water dosage of roughly 3.5 to 4.0 litres per bag it turns into a fluid that self-levels under a base plate and finds its own way into corners, giving close to full contact between plate and foundation.
What sets a proper grout apart from site mortar is what happens after placing. Plain cementitious mixes shrink slightly as they cure, and that shrinkage opens a hairline gap exactly where you need solid bearing. SikaGrout 212 is formulated to expand a controlled amount while it is still plastic and setting, offsetting that shrinkage so the hardened grout stays in firm contact with both surfaces. The result is a dense bed that carries static and dynamic loads without the drumminess or edge-lifting that void-prone grouts develop. For most rotating equipment, columns and bearings across Delhi NCR and our Pan-India projects, it is the sensible default choice.
The technical insight
The grout works on two linked mechanisms. First, an expansive additive generates a small, controlled volume increase during the plastic and early-hardening phase, which counteracts the chemical shrinkage of Portland cement. Because that expansion happens while the grout is still workable and lightly restrained under the plate, it translates into positive contact pressure at the bearing interface instead of internal cracking. Second, the aggregate is graded and the mix designed for high flow at a low water demand, so the paste stays cohesive and does not bleed or segregate as it travels across the gap. Low bleed matters: bleed water rising to the top of a pour is what normally forms the thin void directly beneath a base plate. Keep the water within the 3.5 to 4.0 litre band per 25 kg bag and you get a fluid that flows yet sets dense, reaching in the region of 40 MPa at 28 days on 50 mm cubes (ASTM C109), with useful early strength for quick return to service.
Where it is used
- Bedding machine and pump base plates where full, void-free contact is critical for alignment
- Grouting structural steel column base plates onto foundations and pedestals
- Filling precast concrete column base cups and pocket connections
- Seating bridge bearings and bearing plates
- Grouting crane rail and gantry base plates subject to dynamic loading
- Filling anchor bolt pockets and holding-down bolt sleeves after final alignment
- General non-shrink grouting of small structural gaps from 10 mm to 100 mm
- Re-grouting and remedial bedding of equipment where old mortar has drummed or cracked
Key advantages
- Single-component powder; only clean water is added on site, so the mix stays consistent
- Controlled expansion compensates for cement shrinkage and keeps the grout in contact with the plate
- Flowable, self-levelling consistency reaches under plates without rodding or vibration
- Good early strength allows machinery to be commissioned sooner
- Low bleed and segregation, which prevents the void that usually forms beneath base plates
- Handles a wide section from 10 mm up to 100 mm in a single pour
- Widely specified and readily available, making approvals and repeat ordering straightforward
- Backed by Space Arc as an authorised Sika distributor with application support in Delhi NCR and Pan-India
Limitations & considerations
- It is a general-purpose grout; for very high early strength or heavy dynamic machinery a higher-grade grout may be specified instead
- Section thickness is limited to roughly 100 mm per pour, so deep pockets need staged lifts or an aggregate extension per the data sheet
- Being cementitious, it is not the choice where chemical, acid or heavy oil attack is expected; an epoxy grout suits those cases
- Performance depends heavily on surface prep and pre-soaking; a dry or laitance-covered substrate will compromise bond
- Placing outside a moderate temperature window affects flow and set, so hot- or cold-weather precautions are needed
- Over-watering to gain flow drops strength and causes bleed, so the water dosage must be measured, not judged by eye
Selection & best practice
Start by cutting back the concrete to a sound, roughened surface, removing all laitance by bush-hammering or grit-blasting, and stripping oil, grease and release agent from the plate underside. Pre-soak the foundation for several hours so it reaches a saturated surface-dry condition with no standing water, otherwise the dry substrate will pull water out of the grout. Build watertight formwork with sealed joints and a head box on the pouring side, leaving a clear escape path for air on the far side. Mix mechanically with a slow-speed paddle, adding the measured water first and then the powder, and keep to 3.5 to 4.0 litres per 25 kg bag. Pour continuously from one side only so the grout pushes air ahead of it and never traps a pocket. Do not vibrate a flowable grout. Cure the exposed edges immediately with wet hessian or a curing membrane, especially in hot or windy conditions.
Specifications
| Product type | Flowable non-shrink cementitious precision grout |
| Base | Portland cement with graded fillers and expansion system |
| Volume behaviour | Non-shrink; controlled expansion on setting |
| Water demand (flowable) | Approx. 3.5 to 4.0 litres per 25 kg bag |
| Compressive strength | Typically above 40 MPa at 28 days (50 mm cubes, ASTM C109) |
| Section thickness | 10 mm to 100 mm in a single pour |
| Approx. yield | About 13 litres of fluid grout per 25 kg bag |
| Consistency | Flowable to fluid, self-levelling |
| Packaging | 25 kg bags |
Industry use cases
Manufacturing and process plants
Bedding pumps, compressors, motors and skid-mounted equipment so alignment holds and vibration transfers cleanly into the foundation.
Industrial and commercial buildings
Grouting steel column base plates and stanchion bases during structural erection for uniform load transfer.
Bridges and infrastructure
Seating bearings and bearing plates where a void-free, dimensionally stable bed is essential to the load path.
Ports, steel and heavy engineering
Bedding crane rails and gantry base plates that see repeated dynamic loading over their service life.
Precast and modular construction
Filling column base cups, pocket foundations and holding-down bolt sleeves after final alignment on site.
Frequently asked questions
How much water do I add per bag of SikaGrout 212?
What compressive strength does it reach?
What thickness can I pour in one go?
Do I need to vibrate it under the base plate?
Why pre-soak the foundation before grouting?
When should I choose an epoxy grout instead?
How we position Sika SikaGrout 212
SikaGrout 212 is the workhorse of Sika’s grout range and the right default for most machine and column bedding. Within the same Sika family, pair it with SikaAnchorFix for chemical anchoring of rebar and threaded studs before you grout the plate, use Sika Intraplast NN as a grouting aid where you are extending or site-batching, and step up to a SikaRokkon high-performance grout when a job demands higher early or dynamic strength than this general-purpose grade offers. Because we also stock Fosroc, MC-Bauchemie, Dr. Fixit and other brands, we can match to whatever a specifier has named rather than push a single line. If your concrete is contaminated or acid-exposed, we would steer you to an epoxy grout instead of any cementitious option.
Fosroc Conbextra GP2 — Specify the Fosroc equivalent when the project calls out Conbextra by name or wants a higher 28-day strength than this general-purpose Sika grade, as Conbextra GP2 reaches around 65 N/mm².
Related Grouts & Anchors products
Source Sika SikaGrout 212 for your project
Authorised distribution, technical advice & professional application across Delhi NCR and Pan-India.