Set up a climbing route with glue in bolt
You want to set up a climbing route with glue in bolt set up a climbing route? Then you’ve come to the right place on our information page on this topic.
As the market leader for climbing infrastructure in the Alps, we want to provide comprehensive information on this topic. We divide the topic into two different areas.
Firstly, the general topic of the pros and cons of this type of hook. And secondly, the technical component of the installation.
Setting up a climbing route with glue in bolt – Why?
In principle, it must be stated that glue in bolt is preferable for many reasons. expansion bolt are preferable. There are many reasons for this, which we will examine in turn below.
Firstly, glue in bolt is a composite system. This means that it has no explosive effect like expansion bolt (friction system). In addition, the injection mortar completely encloses the shaft. This means that there is no corrosive water.
Secondly, we are dealing with a single component. Consequently, there can be no galvanic corrosion.
Thirdly, glue in bolt are maintenance-free if processed properly!
The following is a comparison of the two systems:
| glue in bolt | expansion bolt |
| 1 Component | 5 components (shaft, expansion element, washer, nut and lug) |
| Composite system = firmly connected to rock | Friction system = observe torque |
| maintenance-free | Maintenance-intensive (e.g. retightening, refitting nut, shim and lug if necessary) |
| No explosive effect | High explosive effect( notethe break-out cone!) |
| higher breaking loads | Lower breaking loads |
| No bending possible | Tab can bend |
| for all rock types | only “hard” rock types |
| No galvanic corrosion possible | Danger of galvanic corrosion (mixing steel grades) |
| Time-consuming installation | Installation is quick |
| Not immediately loadable | immediately loadable |
| Not suitable for roofs and very steep routes | Suitable for all types of terrain |
| Installation must be carried out very precisely and carefully | Installation relatively simple |
| More expensive to purchase and install | Purchase and installation cheaper |
| Cheaper in the long term | More expensive in the long term |
Interconnected system
When settingglue in bolt , the shank of the hook bonds with the adhesive. On the other hand, the adhesive bonds with the inside of the drilling hole. This is why this type of hook attachment is referred to as a “composite system”.
expansion bolt on the other hand, belong to the “friction systems”. So if you want to set up a climbing route with expansion bolt , you are dealing with a completely different technique.
Composite systems are far superior to friction systems in several areas.
Set up a climbing route with glue in bolt – in all types of rock
Composite systems have no blasting effect. This means that the force is transferred evenly to the entire rock environment. Consequently glue in bolt particularly suitable for all types of stone. Especially for soft or porous rocks such as sandstone .
- Sandstone: In this soft rock, glue in bolt is the only right solution. Firstly, they do not damage the rock. And secondly, they have extremely high tear-out values.
At bolting.eu we generally sell long 12mm glue in bolt in regions such as the Elbe sandstone.
- Conglomerate: The many cavities in this rock make it virtually unusable for expansion bolt. Consequently, glue in bolt is the only safe solution here.
Please note. You may need a relatively large amount of injection mortar. This is because it can seep into the cavities. This means that it must be topped up until the glue oozes out of the drilling hole.
As a rule, longer 10mm shafts are used for conglomerate glue in bolt. The shank length should be between 100-120mm.
Similar rock types can be tuff or marl.
- Limestone: This rock is a medium-hard rock. This means that we are mostly dealing with compact rock.
To set up a climbing route here with glue in bolt we recommend normal 10mm glue in bolt or double round steel pressed pitons such as the Austrialpin glue in bolt. We recommend a length of 75 or 80mm for good limestone .
The softer or more crumbly the lime , the longer the hooks should be 90-100mm long.
- Primary rock: Rock types such as granite and gneiss are very solid. Consequently, shorter or even thinner glue in bolt can be used here.
We recommend the 8x80mm and 10x80mm glue in bolt.
Set up climbing route with glue in bolt – 1 component
With the composite system, we only have to deal with one (!) single component. In addition, this is completely enclosed by the adhesive. This results in some desirable effects.
Firstly, there can be no galvanic corrosion. This is because different metals cannot mix.
Secondly, no standing water in the drilling hole can promote corrosion.
Thirdly, glue in bolt achieves much higher tear-out values than expansion bolt.
Fourthly, a well-set glue in bolt is maintenance-free!
Everything just super?
What’s the problem with setting up climbing routes with glue in bolt? Because if that’s just great, why aren’t all routes set up like that?
The answer is basically very simple.
On the one hand, setting glue in bolt is very labor-intensive and time-consuming. This is because the first step is to prepare all the holes for gluing. Cleaning is an extremely important part of this process. In addition, drilling the small vertical channel for the carabiner eyelet takes time. But more on this further down in the article.
And secondly, the sequence of work steps is quite complex. They require a great deal of attention and experience. We would like to single out the actual gluing in as an example. This is because you need to be sensitive and work cleanly when spreading the mortar around the shaft and the carabiner eyelet.
Setting up a climbing route with glue in bolt – the work steps
Once you have found a suitable massif, you should start with the preparatory work. This usually means clearing the upper rock edge or wall first. You can find all products for this in the“Rock cleaning” category.
Then you must first set up the stands. From experience, we can give you the following practical tips.
If the wall is not too high, you can use rappelling and glue the stands first. If this is not possible, there are two options.
Firstly, you can work with auxiliary bolts. You will be rappelling from them, but all the stands are already glued in place. The auxiliary bolts are sunk later. On the other hand, you can also set the stands with expansion bolt. This allows you to continue working straight away.
