Solid state sintering of cemented carbides is studied experimentally by means of dilatometry. Both an ordinary dilatometer and a dilatometer where an axial load was applied on the specimen were used. It is concluded that increased axial load, due to its hydrostatic component, gives larger volumetric shrinkage and that the decrease in the shrinkage rate at isothermal treatment is a result of a rapidly increasing rigidity of the powder compact at isothermal temperatures.