Application
Anchor Bolt Coring & Drilling
Coring and drilling precise holes for anchor bolts, baseplates, and structural fasteners into concrete.
Steel columns, equipment baseplates, guardrails, and structural connections all rely on anchor bolts set into concrete. Anchor bolt coring puts the holes exactly where the baseplate template says they go, at the depth the anchor requires, so the plate drops over the bolts without field-fitting or slotting.
Crews we route work to lay out anchor holes from the baseplate template, then core or drill to the anchor's embedment. Precision here saves the steel and equipment erectors hours — misaligned holes mean grinding out slots or re-coring, both of which weaken the connection.
Coring method
Anchor holes are made with concrete core drilling sized to the anchor and adhesive. This work overlaps with dowel drilling for structural ties and with equipment pad cutting when new machinery is being set. Machine base cutting often pairs with anchor coring on the same base.
Concrete scanning locates rebar and post-tension so anchor holes don't sever reinforcement or a tendon.
Practical considerations
- Holes are laid out from the baseplate template and cored to the anchor's embedment depth.
- Holes are cleaned so adhesive anchors bond to full capacity.
- Dust-collected or wet drilling controls silica per OSHA 1926.1153.
- Edge distance and anchor spacing are checked against the anchor design and scan results.
Template first
Coring anchor holes to the actual baseplate template — not just the drawing dimensions — avoids field re-drilling and slotting.
Anchor bolt coring FAQs
- How accurate is anchor bolt coring?
- Holes are laid out from the baseplate template so the pattern matches the plate. This precision avoids field slotting and keeps the connection strong.
- Can you core anchors near a slab edge?
- Yes, respecting the edge distance the anchor design requires. Scanning confirms rebar and tendon locations near the edge.
- Do the holes need cleaning?
- Yes. Adhesive anchors only develop full capacity in clean holes, so hole prep is part of the work.
- Can you core anchors for equipment baseplates?
- Yes. Anchor coring is routinely paired with equipment pad and machine base work so machinery sets on a correct bolt pattern.
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