The construction of vernacular housing with bamboo culms is typical of the warm climates of Ecuador. To join bamboo culms of Guadua angustifolia Kunth (GaK), threaded steel rods are frequently used. The Ecuadorian standard NEC-SE-GUADUA establishes the use of a diameter of 10 mm for the steel threaded rod in perpendicular connections, but no local study has been found in the literature to support this indication. In the present research, an experimental analysis is carried out through tests of bamboo Guadua connections using 10 mm and 12 mm diameter steel threaded rods, which are then compared with a finite element model. The material used is a bamboo species called Guadua angustifolia Kunth obtained from a canton of Ecuador. Perpendicular connections were assembled with Guadua bamboo culms, the culms that are joined have similar diameters. Then a system consisting of a threaded steel rod, washer and nut is coupled. Nine connections were subjected to a monotonic test using a vertical load until failure. The results show that the moment transmission reached 600N.m, with rotation up to 8 degrees. The 10 mm and 12 mm steel threaded rods exceed the yield stress of 200 MPa and 350 MPa, respectively. At the end of the test, the threaded rod develops plastic behavior but does not reach failure. In addition, the results show that the injection of mortar into the connection increases the moment transmission by 6%.