24
Jun
2018

What is Cementitious Grouting?

by Carleen Geisler | June 24th, 2018 | in Concrete Repair

Anyone who has ever tiled a bathroom or kitchen knows what grout is. It’s the mixture of liquid and solid to make a paste that fills the cracks in between the tiles and bonds them together, forming a watertight seal. It’s the most common way that home renovators use when working with tiling and it’s a great way to strengthen the surface and protect the floors or walls below.

Cementitous grout is a similar idea, with the big difference being the presence of cement in the grout. The cement used within this type of grout is ordinarily very fine, so that it can enter the cracks and fissures that the applier is trying to repair or fill. Cementitous grouts cure and harden and then create a high compressive strength. This makes it very useful when a long term solution is required (structures with a lifespan between 100 and 200 years).

Cracks in cement

Cementitous grouting is the act of applying the grout to the structure. It is commonly used in civil projects such as dams, levees, mines, tunnels, subways, and other below-ground structures. It is also often applied to concrete structures that require extensive repairs, such as buildings or support towers. Normally these jobs require large amounts of cementitous grout that is applied over large areas and fill very large cracks and fissures.

Vector Construction commonly uses cementitous grout on large projects. We pump the grout under pressure into the forms, voids, and cracks so that we can ensure that every space is filled and the structure has been safely repaired and restored. It’s a very low cost material which is very effective in large areas that will endure large temperature ranges. For example, one project we did was to repair and strengthen the Manitoba Legislative Building. Winnipeg sees temperature variances of over 60 degrees Centigrade, so cementitous grouting was the perfect solution.

For more information and to see just how Vector Construction can help with your concrete repair, contact us and we’ll show you how our experience and expertise can help your business.