Asphalt Anchor Installation Guide

Asphalt Anchors are specifically designed for anchoring structures to asphalt using adhesive bonding rather than mechanical pressure.

Anchor Specifications

Model	Rated Pull	Drill Depth	Drill Diameter	Bolt Torque	Adhesive per Anchor
SP10/AM625	1,500 lbs	6”	7/8”	200 lb-in	60 mL
SP12	2,000 lbs	12”	7/8”	200 lb-in	120 mL
SP18	2,500 lbs	12”	1”	280 lb-in	150 mL
SP58	5,000 lbs	10”	1.5”	720 lb-in	290 mL

Spacing requirements: Ratings assume 12” minimum between anchors. For closer spacing, derate all but the first anchor by 6% for every inch less than 12”.

Asphalt thickness: Ratings based on 2.5” thickness. For thicker asphalt, increase capacity proportionally (e.g., 3” asphalt = 1.2x rating).

Installation Overview

1. Drill - Create hole to specified depth and diameter
2. Brush - Thoroughly clean hole with nylon tube brush
3. Pour - Fill hole with adhesive (EPX2 or EPX3)
4. Hammer - Insert anchor with up/down motion until flush
5. Top Up - Ensure adhesive reaches surface around anchor head
6. Flush - Clean excess adhesive immediately

Required Supplies

• Drilling: SDS+ or SDS MAX masonry drill bit, hammer drill
• Cleaning: Nylon tube brush (P/N 46-3001), compressed air or blower
• Adhesive: EPX2 (cement) or EPX3 (epoxy)
• Installation: Mallet, wrench, Permatex anti-seize paste (#80078 for steel, #77124 for stainless)

Adhesive Selection

EPX2 - Expanding Cement

• Packaging: 12oz bags (6-pack) or 10 lb tubs
• Temperature: Cannot be applied below 50°F
• Work time: <10 minutes at 75°F
• Cure time: 15 min initial, 1 hour full cure, wait 2 hours before loading
• Cost: Most economical option

EPX3 - Epoxy Cartridge

• Packaging: Cartridge for caulk gun (requires 40:1 high-thrust gun)
• Temperature: Can apply as low as 14°F (cartridge must be 50°F+)
• Work time: 4-6 minutes at 68-86°F
• Cure time: 45 min to 24 hours depending on temperature
• Advantage: Works in cold weather, no mixing required

Critical Installation Steps

Drilling

• Use only SDS+ or SDS MAX drills - standard chucks will fail
• Don’t apply excessive force; this prevents jamming
• Clean drill bit flutes after each hole
• If holes fill with water, use EPX3 instead of EPX2

Hole Cleaning (Most Important Step)

1. Blow debris from around hole
2. Use nylon tube brush with aggressive up/down motion for first 4-6”
3. Tap brush frequently to clear dust
4. Make 5+ passes until all dust is removed and walls are roughened
5. Final blow-out to clear remaining debris

This step is critical for bond strength - do not skip or rush.

EPX2 Mixing

Mix for 4 anchors at minimum (smaller batches are hard to measure):

Anchor	Water (4 anchors)	EPX2 Powder (4 anchors)
SP10/AM625	0.4 cup (2.9 oz)	1.6 cups (12.4 oz)
SP12	0.5 cup (3.7 oz)	2.0 cups (16.3 oz)
SP18	0.6 cup (4.9 oz)	2.6 cups (21.2 oz)
SP58	1.4 cups (11 oz)	6.0 cups (47.6 oz)

Mixing technique:

1. Pour water into container first
2. Slowly add powder while stirring continuously
3. Target consistency: syrup-like (not too thin, not lumpy)
4. Add more water 1 tablespoon at a time if needed

EPX3 Application

1. Attach mixing nozzle to cartridge
2. Pump full nozzle length and discard (ensures uniform gray mix)
3. Insert nozzle deep into hole
4. Slowly retract while filling to eliminate air pockets

Anchor Insertion

1. Push anchor with slow up/down motion to coat entire length
2. When anchor head is 2” from surface, check adhesive level and top up if needed
3. Push anchor flush with surface (use mallet if needed)
4. Success indicator: Adhesive squeezed out around anchor head
5. Immediately clean excess adhesive with water or scrape away

Attaching Objects

1. Wait 2 hours before loading (24 hours for pull testing)
2. Remove bolt and washer
3. Apply Permatex anti-seize to bolt threads (if using your own bolts)
4. Ensure mounting surface is flat and contacts anchor head
5. Tighten to specified torque - never use impact wrench
6. Minimum thread engagement: 5 turns or 0.75”, whichever is more

Loading Guidelines

Dynamic loading (wind/snow/ice on stable structure): Use 80% of rated pull capacity

Static loading (continuous pull on anchors): Limit to 20% of rated pull capacity

Asphalt flows under continuous stress but is resilient under short-duration forces. The adhesive creates a stress-free bond that holds for years, unlike expansion anchors which loosen in asphalt.

Temperature Considerations

Cold weather (<50°F):

• EPX2 may not cure - use EPX3 instead
• EPX3 cartridge must be at least 50°F for fast installation
• Frozen asphalt is less porous, reducing bond strength
• If EPX2 won’t cure, gently heat anchor with blow torch

Hot weather (>85°F):

• Pot life becomes very short (single minutes)
• For direct sun exposure in tropical climates, use white 8x8 acrylic shade plate

Common Errors to Avoid

• Insufficient hole cleaning (causes weak bond)
• Not filling hole to the top (severely reduces strength)
• Using wrong drill type (standard chuck instead of SDS)
• Applying EPX2 below 50°F
• Over-torquing bolts or using impact wrench
• Mounting to convex surface (pulls anchor during tightening)

Anchor Removal

Before adhesive cures (15-60 minutes):

1. Over-tighten bolt with wrench to break adhesive bond
2. Rotate anchor counterclockwise to thread out
3. If needed, use flat screwdrivers or nail puller under anchor head
4. Hole can be reused after removal

After adhesive cures:

• Over-tightening may break anchor head off body
• Drill out remaining body with metal drill bit

---

Safety Warnings

• EPX2 is caustic before curing - can burn eyes and skin
• Keep aluminum away from cured EPX2 (not an issue with EPX3)
• Do not use EPX2 with Dacromet or aluminum-containing coatings
• Have 20% overage of materials on site due to variability in soil conditions