Chemical Anchor Selector
Hole size, embedment depth and the exact stock code for every Hobson chemical stud anchor kit we carry, straight from the manufacturer's engineering data.
Select the stud diameter
Metric stud size, e.g. from a structural drawing, existing installation, or fastener grade table.
1. What are you fixing?
This is a starting point, not a load calculation — see the note below.
This one needs an engineer, not a web form
Structural, load-bearing and seismic-rated chemical anchoring has to be specified against AS 5216:2018 and the resin's own ETA datasheet — stud size, embedment depth and resin chemistry are all part of a real engineering calculation, not a rule of thumb.
Our full Chemical Anchor Guide covers the AS 5216 ETA options and failure modes in detail if you want the background. For the actual sizing, talk to our team or your structural engineer.
Cure time estimate
Ambient / substrate temperature at install:
Figures are typical for a vinyl ester resin (AIMS Industrial Chemical Anchor Guide) — AIMS has not yet confirmed the exact resin chemistry inside the Hobson/Bremick capsules stocked against this figure. Treat as an estimate and check the capsule's own packaging before a time-critical pour.
In stock at AIMS
Matching drill bits
Installing it
- Drill the hole to the diameter and embedment depth shown above. Don't use a diamond core bit — a rough, hammer-drilled wall is what the resin bonds to.
- Clean the hole — compressed air or hand pump, twice; correct-diameter wire brush, twice; compressed air again, twice. Dust left in the hole is the single biggest cause of anchor failure.
- Break and mix the capsule by driving the stud in with a hammer drill on rotary-hammer setting, rotating continuously to the bottom of the hole.
- Hold position — the stud should sit at the bottom of the hole with a little resin visible at the top. Don't disturb it while curing.
- Wait for full cure at the actual site temperature (see above) before loading the anchor.
Why chemical anchors actually fail
| Mode | Root cause | Prevention |
|---|---|---|
| Bond failure at the concrete | Dust left in the hole | Full air/brush/air cleaning cycle, twice each |
| Bond failure at the stud | Oil, mill scale or mould release on the stud | Use a clean stud; degrease if unsure |
| Concrete cone failure | Edge distance or spacing too tight, or overloaded | Respect the minimums above; relocate if needed |
| Incomplete cure | Loaded before full cure time at that temperature | Wait the full time — cold sites take much longer |
| Streaky, weak-looking resin | Capsule glass not fully mixed | Keep rotating 10–15s longer once at full depth |