How to Drill into Concrete Wall – Tips & Caution

More than likely a drill is one of the first home DIY power tools you will purchase for your home. Nowadays air powered drills are also available on the market. Compressed air from an air compressor makes the drill rotate at high speed. They are comparatively cheap in price and very light in weight.

However, it doesn't take a rocket science to drill a hole but perhaps I might be able to offer a few handy tips to help you with the job. It is easy to operate and handy for doing many jobs around the house.

How to Drill into Concrete Wall

I normally keep a big bag of screws for multiple jobs around the house. I usually prefer to screw wall nails as they are much neater and do not wreck the plaster when you remove them at a later stage. Before drilling into wall, please take note of the size of the screw. This will help you choose the correct drill bit before the job. If you do not know the size of the screw, start with a smaller bit as you can always increase the size of the hole later on little by little to accommodate for the screw.

How to Drill into Concrete Wall

I commonly use a stone or masonry bits. They have chisel tip. You will get different bits for drilling into steel wood and stone. A shop that makes a job easier. I learnt the hard way but it's advisable to unplug the electric drill when changing the bit. Then slide the bit into the front of the drill and tighten the chuck by hand till the teeth all evenly grab the end. Now take the drill key and tighten properly making sure that the bit is secure and straight.

How to Drill into Concrete Wall
How to Drill into Concrete Wall

There is a tool called center point usually used to mark the center of a point. It helps me to create an initial marking to start the drill hole. You don't need to have this exact tool. A screwdriver or tool with a sharp point will also work as well. Make an indentation on the plaster and it will give you a crater that ensures that the drill bit will not slip off the mark when you start to drill the hole.

I don't like having a big mess to clean up off to simple drill job. Take a shopping bag and some masking tape. Apply the tape to the edge of the bag and stick it just below the place where you are going to drill.  This one now will catch the debris whilst you're drilling.

You'll notice you have one most setting for hammer or normal drilling action. Some drill might have an adjustable speed control. But most importantly, check if you have a directional control. If yes, set to drill in forward not reverse.

When drilling, I set the unit at normal drilling position to begin with. I like to get directly behind the drill. This will allow me sufficient grip and power on the drill. It also gives me a clear line of sight to the hole ensuring accuracy in a straight pop.

If I'm having difficulty and find the material to be hard, tilt the drill in different angle to give extra kick. I also bring the bit out to help remove any debris that may be clogging up the hole.

You can see the wall plug has ridges on it to help anchor it into the hole that you have just made. It is also designed to expand to fill the hole. Once it happened the screw is ensuring a tight secure grip on the side walls of the hole, now you're ready for the wall plug and screw. Remove the bag and hang your picture.

Caution

When drilling in the bathroom, You risk damaging pipes inside the walls.

Don’t drill just below the electric outlet to avoid damaging electric wires.

Leave a Comment