Grout
It is necessary to understand that all constructions are prone to fractures of some sort. Cracks can appear at any moment in a structure, whether they are visible immediately away or grow over time. One of the products that can be used to fill cracks is grout.
What is Grout?
A grout is a viscous, packable substance that can be utilized to fill up gaps between two surfaces in order to bind them or form a leakproof seal.
Grout is a filling material made up of sand,cement, and water. Cement, sand mortar was utilized as a standard grout material for many years. Cementitious non shrink grouts has been widely practiced over the past three decades.
It is used to repair for
- concrete cracks,
- seal and fill gaps for waterproofing,
- fill tile seams and gaps,
- stabilizing soil
- to enhance strength of loadbearing construction’s foundations.
Here is some basic information on grout and its types, which give you brief understanding and awareness before attempting to repair cracks.
Grouts are used for a number of purposes, including cracks repair, water-stopping in submerged constructions like canals and tunnels, filling gaps between tiles, and soil stabilisation.
Types of Grout
The following are the main types of grouts used in building and restoration projects:
- Cementitious Grout:
Slurry grouting or hydraulic cement grouting are other terms for cement grouting. Wide gaps in concrete, especially in gravity dams, canal linings, foundations, and thick concrete walls are used to seal with Cementitious grout. It also used to add extra strength to machine foundations, baseplates, and anchor bolts for equipment or machines and othersareas where a gap between two different elements of structure exists.
Silkon’sLapkon series has the same inherent shrinkage properties as standard cement-based products.We offer a variety of grouts for repairing of cracks in concrete.
- Chemical Grout:
Polymers like epoxy,acrylic, polyurethane, sodium silicate, or any other appropriate polymer are used to make chemical grouts. Chemical grouts are a water-and-liquid-resin emulsion. Chemical grouting is done by injecting process. These specially designed chemical grouts easily inject into smaller gaps where cement grouts cannot reach. They can be used in moist conditions and can fill even the tiniest gaps.
Acrylic grouts have tensile and flexural characteristics. It permits less water penetration. Acrylic grouts are used to repair external wall fractures. Epoxy grout is a great material and always recommended where high-strength grouting applications is required. These are viscous and non-shrinkable, making them ideal for sealing cracks that are prone to shrinkage.
Silkon’sLapkon series offers epoxy grouting solutions.
- Our Low viscosity epoxy injection grout solution is recommended for structural crack repair.
- We also provide high flow, high early and ultimate strength epoxy which is suitable for grouting thickness up to 75 mm. Recommended for Machine base grouting of heavy-duty compressors and rail plates in ballast less track.
Chemical grouts are advised for industrial cracks, whereas cementitious grouts are most commonly used for general applications.