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How to drill a hole in a wall: how to properly drill concrete, tiles and porcelain stoneware. We drill concrete walls with a drill with our own hands How to drill a hole in a concrete wall

The process of repairing an apartment includes many works related to the creation of holes in the walls: for this, a tool of various designs and power can be used. Many craftsmen and those who are going to carry out repairs on their own want to know how to drill a concrete wall with an ordinary drill, and if this is possible at all. For such work, a perforator is usually used, but it is not always suitable for this, besides, if the tool is to be bought, then its cost is much higher than that of a drill.

Features of the choice of tool

In most cases, it is better to use a hammer drill for it: it has increased power, is designed for punching hard surfaces, and allows you to make large holes in diameter. The use of the tool is impractical in the following cases:

  • the need to drill the wall to a depth of 10-12 mm;
  • work with, which crumbles when processing with a perforator;
  • in the work it is required to make no more than 10-15 holes.

Before drilling a wall, it is important to choose the drill itself: it should not be hammerless, since this type is ineffective when drilling concrete, the nozzle and cartridge become unusable almost immediately. The nozzles themselves must be victorious, intended for concrete work, the tip must be hard-alloyed.

In some cases, a good solution would be to purchase a hammer drill: the device is more expensive than the classic model, but it has a higher power that can be adjusted.

Which attachments to choose?

Before drilling a hole in a concrete wall, you need to select a nozzle of the appropriate design. The following varieties are used for work:

  1. Impact-type tooth crowns for drilling. When working with concrete, it is recommended to use a variety of separate soldering teeth, made from the most durable metal alloys. Many bits are equipped with SDS shanks for installation in keyless drills. The drills are well suited for concrete walls, however, when in contact with metal, they can begin to collapse, therefore, before drilling a reinforced concrete wall, you need to check that there is no reinforcement in the place of work.
  2. Diamond core bits, which are designed for hammerless drilling of holes. Such nozzles are more modern, with their help it is easier to make a hole in a concrete wall. The edge of the crowns has an abrasive structure and special cutouts; during production, it is processed by spraying diamond chips or corundum. Before making a hole in the wall, you just need to select the desired length of the nozzle: in everyday life, varieties with a diameter of up to 100-120 mm are used, in professional work, larger crowns are used. A distinctive feature is the ability to drill without the risk of damaging the fixture with fittings.
  3. KS-bits, which have a cutting edge with crystalline diamond particles. These attachments are used for most solid walls, including drilling into concrete slabs, exterior walls, and stone structures.

Before drilling or a partition, you need to make sure that during the work the wires or cables, if they are laid inside, will not be touched.

How to properly drill concrete with a drill?

Typically, such work is performed in the following cases:

  • rough finishing of premises;
  • installation of built-in furniture and appliances;
  • installation of wiring and plumbing when communications are required to be concreted.

When using a victorious nozzle in the course of work, it is required from time to time to use a metal punch, which is selected to the size of the hole being formed. Such a tool allows the drill not to jam when the drill is deeply immersed: the punch is placed in concrete and deepened by hammer blows to make a hole in the wall, destroying the seal.

This process is quite long, an alternative can be the use of diamond core bits: a drill equipped with such nozzles will not get stuck in concrete.


Algorithm of actions:

  1. Before drilling a hole in the wall, you need to install the desired nozzle, after making sure that the tool is in good working order and the drill is intact.
  2. It is required to drill the concrete carefully; when using low-power equipment, the duration of the continuous operation of the drill should not be more than 10-12 minutes. If the drilling is delayed, it is required to take breaks so that the motor of the device cools down.
  3. After drilling a concrete wall, it became clear, then in addition it is worth considering that for each new hole it is required to process a nozzle. You can moisten the surface with water to facilitate the procedure and save the metal from deformation.

The whole process of work can be seen in the video:

If you encounter a jammed drill, do not pull it out by force: this will break off the fixture, leaving the tip in the concrete. The nozzle needs to be disconnected, select a crown with a reduced diameter and use it to pull out the stuck element.

Before deciding how to drill concrete walls and getting started, you should pay attention to the following recommendations:

  • if the hole diameter exceeds 12 mm and the depth is 10-11 cm, it is better to use a hammer drill or a hybrid device (drill-hammer drill);
  • if holes are made for plastic dowels, the depth should be 7-10 mm greater than the size of the fastening element, since concrete dust and small particles of stone remain inside;
  • it is recommended to start work at low speeds so that the nozzle does not move due to the increased torque, and the impact mode is turned on when the drill goes 2-4 mm in depth;
  • the dust generated during the drilling process can be removed with a vacuum cleaner, it is advisable to do this in the process, periodically stopping the drill and cleaning the hole from concrete particles;
  • it is imperative to observe safety precautions during work: it is required to wear gloves to eliminate the risk of sliding of the handle and goggles so that the crumb does not get into the eyes and does not damage the mucous membrane.

In most cases, a concrete wall is drilled with a perforator, dispensing with a drill. If, as part of the repair, you need to make no more than 15-20 holes or the wall is made of foam concrete, using a drill is the best choice that will save time and money.

Before punching a hole, you need to make sure that there is no wiring in this place, and check whether the nozzle is suitable for such work (the duration and efficiency of work depends on which drill the drill is equipped with). When deciding how to drill the wall, you should pay attention to the victorious crowns: with such a drill using a drill, you can easily punch a hole up to 10-12 cm deep.

Almost all modern buildings are built of concrete slabs, so very often craftsmen doing repairs and craftsmen are faced with the problem of drilling a concrete wall. Punching a wall made of this material, even with a victorious drill, is not an easy task, since its construction includes reinforcement and stones.

Diagram of a laser electric drill: 1 - Vertical level, 2 - Angular level, 3 - Horizontal level, 4 - Electric drill.

To do this, you need to understand the tool used and have step-by-step instructions, which will greatly facilitate the process of drilling holes in concrete.

Tools for the job

Concrete is an excellent building material with increased strength and durability, but the presence of such properties causes certain difficulties in working with it. The need to mount a false ceiling or a socket in a room requires drilling a concrete wall, which is fraught with certain difficulties. Before drilling the wall, you will need to decide on the size of the desired hole and only then begin to select the tool. The depth and diameter of the hole, as well as the presence of reinforcement in the concrete wall, determines the method of drilling.

Cutting Bits

The shape of the nozzle is designed with safety standards in mind and allows for easy drilling into autoclaved concrete.

You can punch a concrete wall with special nozzles, which differ in shape, size of the working part and type of shank. Drills and drill bits are used to drill small and medium diameter holes. The shaft of such nozzles has a screw shape and a carbide tip. For impact drills, the drill shanks are cylindrical with a smooth surface. And in rock drills, they can be made in accordance with the SDS standard. In the process of use, the cutting tool requires sharpening. But it should be borne in mind that overheating drills do not tolerate overheating well and very often break. Therefore, this process is always accompanied by cooling the drill with a special liquid.

To make a large hole in the concrete, crowns are used. This cutting tool is a hollow cylinder, into which the cut material (core) moves. Its working part can be equipped with carbide cutting segments or diamond cutting edges.

For hammer drilling using a hammer drill, a carbide-tipped bit is used. The diamond-coated working part is mainly used for non-hammer drilling with coolant. This tool is quite durable, but in any case, after a while, it requires restoration. If the integrity of the body is not compromised, then a carbide or diamond segment is soldered onto the working surface of the bit. If you want to drill a hole of a relatively small diameter, the tool can be held in your hands. But for drilling large holes, the professional installation is fixed to the wall with anchors.

Drilling tool

You can use a hammer drill to drill a hole in the concrete. But a puncher is best suited for such purposes. Such a tool will be effective when drilling holes with a diameter of about 100 mm. However, it must be borne in mind that the reinforcing metal encountered on the path of the cutting tool can jam it and break the teeth. Serrated crowns are especially susceptible to this moment. Therefore, before work, you will need to study the characteristics of the drilling tool and, in accordance with the properties of the material, select it. If it is not possible to work with a hammer drill, it can be replaced with an impact drill. It is, of course, less efficient and has some drilling features. But if there is a small amount of work, then you can limit yourself to it.

To drill a hole in concrete with a large diameter and with common reinforcement, the method of diamond drilling is used with a special non-impact power tool that has a water supply to the drilling zone.

Drilling process

Drill or hammer drill

There are two ways to make a hole in a concrete wall: use a hammer drill or a hammer drill. The first is used when it is supposed to drill a hole to a shallow depth. As for the hammer drill, it is a more powerful tool and its drilling speed is much higher. In this case, there is no need to use pressure while drilling. The methods of working with a drill and a hammer drill are similar.

It is necessary to drill a concrete wall in the following sequence:

  1. First of all, you need to determine the location of the wiring. If this condition is not met, the master may receive an electric shock.
  2. Mark drilling locations. In this case, the master must have a comfortable and stable position. The drilling process is accompanied by a large amount of dust, therefore, when working, the eyes must be protected with special glasses.
  3. Prepare the tool and make a mark on the wall with a drill with a standard sharpening. Such a nuance will help make the right start.
  4. Break the stones with a punch. This is a drill that is not difficult to find in a construction kit and its price is much lower than for a cutting one.
  5. The technician needs to monitor the temperature of the drill and cool it with water every 10 minutes.
  6. During the drilling process, the tool may bump into reinforcement or stones. This can be understood by the characteristic whistle and ringing (fittings). In addition, the drilling speed may drop significantly (stone). A punch is used to break the stone. To cut reinforcing metal, it is necessary to change the victorious drill to a conventional one designed for cutting metal.
  7. In the process of work, every 1.5 cm the drill must be pulled out a little from the hole without turning off the tool itself. This will allow the accumulated concrete chips to come out and carefully approach the reinforcement.
  8. To reduce dust formation, you can make a funnel from a transparent plastic wrap, which is worn directly on the drill or hammer drill.

There are several ways to drill a large hole in the wall for an outlet, a junction box, or make a ventilation duct. The first is to make several small-diameter holes along the marked contour, then knock out the concrete with a chisel. But the work in this case will be sloppy, since the edges will not be even enough.

Therefore, it is better to punch a hole in the concrete with a crown, which must be selected in accordance with the desired size. To extend its service life, you can first use the first method, and then walk over the slotted hole with a crown.

Diamond drilling

Diamond drilling has a serious advantage over other methods. High precision of execution, efficiency, low level of noise and vibration allow this technology to be made quite popular.

The process of making holes can be carried out in different directions: in horizontal, vertical planes, as well as at an angle. The maximum drilling depth can be up to 2 meters, and the hole diameter is up to 500 mm. In this case, the drilling speed ranges from 1 ... 6 cm / min.

Diamond drilling technology is carried out with special equipment using diamond ring bits. To do this, a diamond drilling machine, located on a special bed, is fixed to the working surface with an anchoring system or a vacuum plate. This mounting method greatly facilitates the drilling process and improves the accuracy of the cut holes.

The operation of the installation begins with the unwinding of the ring crown at a high speed, while water is supplied with the help of a pump to the working area. The fluid is needed to cool and remove drilling products from the cutting tool. At the end of the process, the hole is smooth, with neat edges.

I would also like to note that the cost of new equipment or its rental is quite high. But with the professional use of a special diamond installation, the costs are paid off by the accuracy of the work performed, high speed and silence. In addition, the absence of additional processing of the hole and exhausting cleaning of the room are a significant plus for its application.

Drilling concrete is quite difficult due to its high strength and the presence of reinforcement. The ideal solution would be to use a puncher, but it is impractical to purchase an expensive tool for small volumes, and there is a drill in almost every home.

To make a hole in a concrete wall no more than 12 cm thick, you can use a drill, preferably with an impact function. For other surfaces, choose a perforator.

The quality of the work performed also depends on the crown; a conventional drill will not work. You need to use the following types of products:

1. Toothed impact type. For a solid wall, varieties made from strong metal alloys are used. SDS tails can be selected. They have one drawback: on contact with steel, they quickly break down. Therefore, it is advisable to check the presence of fittings in the wall the day before.

2. Diamond - for hammerless drilling in concrete. They have increased strength. The edge has a non-uniform structure and notches; during their manufacture, corundum or diamond chips are sprayed onto the surface.

For household work, crowns are selected for a drill 10-12 cm long; for professional equipment, larger equipment is required. The main advantage of diamond elements is that they are not afraid of contact with the reinforcement. You will find a description of the technology in the article.

3. KS-nozzles with a cutting edge coated with crystalline diamond powder. They are used to make holes in walls, including external ones.

Criteria for choosing a crown

For each type of work, different products are produced. They are not cheap, so it is important to buy a part suitable for the purpose:

  1. at the time of purchase, it is necessary to clarify whether it is suitable for concrete. There are analogues that are intended only for wooden surfaces;
  2. when choosing a gear type, you should carefully study how the teeth are fixed. The service life depends on the planting depth;
  3. are selected based on the power of the equipment: up to 1,000 W, an option is purchased with a cross section of up to 25 mm.

To drill a concrete wall, you can first use a triangular punch. It is a high strength rod with a pointed end. Before starting, it is put to the marked place and hit with a hammer several times, periodically turned. You will get a small funnel, which continues to deepen with a drill.

If you feel that the drill has stopped advancing, you should return to the punch. Next, install it in the deepening and hit it several times with a hammer, then again make a hole with a drill. In this sequence, the processes are performed until the required depth is reached.

Drill Algorithm

  1. First, you need to make sure that the device is in good working order and the drill is without visible damage. They work with a concrete wall very carefully, the duration of the actions performed should not exceed 12 minutes. If more time is required, allow the drill to cool down periodically.
  2. To make a depression with less force, it is recommended to moisten the surfaces with water, this will protect the metal from deformation and will greatly facilitate the process. It is categorically impossible to cool the equipment in a glass of liquid.
  3. Pre-determine the laying of electrical wires to prevent damage.
  4. A conventional electric drill should be installed perpendicular to the wall, otherwise there is a high probability of breakage.
  5. When using an instrument that has a beat function, periodically switch the beat mode to beat.
  6. If the drill is stuck in concrete, it must not be loosened. To do this, disconnect it, insert a nozzle of a larger diameter and carefully release the tip.

Professional advice

1. To make a recess with a length of more than 110 mm and a diameter of 12 mm or more, choose a powerful tool, for example, a hammer drill.

2. To install plastic dowels, you need to drill 1 cm more, since drill dust and small concrete crumbs remain inside.

3. Begin to work at low speeds. This is to prevent the tip from dislodging. Impact mode can only be switched on when a depth of about 2 mm has been passed.

Concrete is a durable and reliable material. Many, if not most, buildings are constructed of monolithic or precast concrete. As a rule, holes for the laying of utilities, pipelines, as well as recesses for the installation of electrical and low-current fittings are provided in the process of forming concrete structures. But their location often does not suit the owner of the premises, and it is necessary to drill holes in new points. Let's try to figure out how best to do this.

Choosing a tool

Initially, you should determine which tool is better and more efficient to drill a concrete wall. In a global sense, the choice is small - an impact drill or a hammer drill. But there can be many nuances, since the power tool can be of different power and functionality, there are also many attachments for it. Therefore, you should define goals and objectives, and then decide what tool you might need. So:

  • In order to screw a small screw into the wall for a picture, a lot of effort is not needed. In this case, you can drill a concrete wall with a conventional drill, equipped with a drill with a victorious tip.
  • When a small amount of work is expected, and the diameter of the punched holes does not exceed 12 mm, then an impact drill should be chosen.
  • The hammer drill is used to drill holes of large diameters in concrete, as well as of any size, but in significant quantities.

The advantage of a hammer drill over a drill, even with an impact function, is not only more power and endurance. This tool uses not only drills of various sizes and qualities, but also drill bits as a working bit. This is the main device than you can drill a hole in concrete for a pipe.

Professional installers, punching large-diameter holes in concrete, use special units, which include:

  • high power electric motor;
  • sturdy bracket with guide structure;
  • drilling drive;
  • drill bits with diamond working area.

Such equipment allows you to make a hole or recess in a concrete wall with a diameter of up to 40 cm.

Which will win more effectively or the diamond?

When you need to make only a few holes for the construction dowel, and there is no perforator at hand, then using a conventional drill with a victorious drill is quite realistic. Also, this option is best suited if the work surface is concrete, but made of cellular material. The puncher will destroy it. But when working with a victorious drill, remember that it is short-lived and requires periodic replacement. In addition, such a drill can be "drilled" in concrete. Then he needs to be helped by hand with a punch and a hammer.

Drilling a concrete wall with an impact drill equipped with a diamond drill is much more effective. Diamond drills are slightly more expensive than victorious ones, but they also last longer. And another important point. In contrast to the victorious drill, the diamond drill punches holes not only in concrete and stone, but also in ceramic tiles, porcelain stoneware and metal. When working with a diamond tool, it is not scary to stumble upon a reinforcing cage in the wall. It is better to purchase drills in a set, which includes drills of various diameters. It is more profitable than buying them one by one.

When a hole with a diameter of 35 to 120 mm is drilled in the wall, diamond bits are used as a cutting device. They are carbide-tipped steel rings on a diamond-coated work area. For household purposes, crowns with a diameter of 6.8 cm are usually used; holes of this diameter are needed to install electrical outlets and switches.

How to properly drill concrete

Hole punching work, like any other, requires preparation. In addition to tools and accessories, you should stock up on water to cool drills and crowns. Before drilling concrete with a drill or hammer drill, inspect the wall for:

  • hidden heating pipelines, water supply;
  • electrical wires, cables.

The search is carried out with a metal detector, identify the identified communications along their entire length. It is better to turn off the electrical wiring on the work surface. Further:

  • Mark the locations of future aisles. If holes of large diameter are assumed, then the designation is made along the contour and axes.
  • The depth of the hole for the construction dowel is made 8-10mm longer than its length.
  • For a more accurate result, the concrete must be drilled correctly. This means that the start of drilling should be done at low engine speed.
  • After a small depression is obtained, the revolutions are increased and the instrument is transferred to the impact mode.
  • If possible, provide a water supply to the drilling site. In the absence of such an option, periodically moisten the drill with water in a previously prepared container.
  • If drilling with a drill is carried out in one position of the tool, then when drilling with a crown, the perforator must be slightly wiggled. This way, waste will be easily removed from the resulting hole and the crown will not jam.

The most difficult obstacle that has to be overcome when drilling a concrete wall is the reinforcement cage. The diamond bit cuts steel rods of small diameter on its own. When drilling with a hammer drill, metal drills should be used to counter the reinforcement.

Wear protective goggles and a respirator. It is convenient to vacuum the resulting dust. After every 15 minutes of drilling, give the tool a break for about the same amount of time. To continue working, moisten the drill with water.

Sometimes repairs need to be done. Craftsmen use a puncher, but not everyone has one on the farm. If you know how to drill a concrete wall with an ordinary drill, then they can cope with the task with a simple tool.

How concrete walls are drilled

It is difficult to drill concrete walls and ceilings - rubble comes across, which complicates the process.

Several tools are used to solve this problem:

  • hammer drill;
  • ordinary electric drill;
  • powerful screwdriver;
  • diamond drilling machine.

For large-scale repairs, a hammer drill is more suitable, which is designed for drilling holes in solid building materials: brick, concrete.

It does this job thanks to its capabilities:

  • increased engine power;
  • different chisels can be used;
  • the use of drills of large sizes is available.

But it is not always advisable to use a perforator.

It doesn't fit:

  • if you want to make holes of small depth - about 10 mm;
  • for foam blocks - the material crumbles;
  • if many holes are required, the hammer drill overheats.

An electric drill is suitable for home use. If it is bought for drilling walls, it is taken into account that shock is better. in a hammerless drill with prolonged use under such conditions, the cartridge quickly deteriorates. You can buy a hammer drill - a powerful tool.

You can make a few holes with an ordinary drill, while using special nozzles and devices that help in the work. Instead of a drill, a high power screwdriver is also used.

For professional designs, diamond drilling is used. Special expensive equipment is used, which makes no sense to buy for home use. If the hole is difficult, it is better to entrust the job to specialists.

Diamond drills and other accessories

Types of diamond drills for drills.

Concrete rods are brazed along the entire length, which impart special strength. Even when working with hard materials, they retain their technical properties.

Outwardly, they are also different, which does not allow them to be confused with others:

  • blunt end made of soldered pobedit, which is almost as hard as diamond;
  • products are white, in contrast to black for metal and light for wood;
  • the tip is wider than the shaft.

Drill bits are relatively small, with cylinder or polyhedron shanks. For hammer drills - large, with the SDS mark, they are often called not drills, but drills.

By design, they are distinguished:

  • screw - for drilling deep holes;
  • spiral - for large diameter holes;
  • shallow - they make small holes.

The drills have a thicker shank, they snap into the chuck.

If it is necessary to drill a wide hole, but the punch was not there, a special nozzle will help out. It is called a crown and has teeth that fit around drilling in hard surfaces. They are made with diamond plating or from pobedit.

The section of the nozzles is 35-120 mm. The special demand for the 68 mm crown is the size of the socket. Drill to a maximum depth of 150 mm, if more is required, lengthen. Crowns for hammer drills have soldered teeth, while those intended for drills have carbide spraying instead.

This has some advantages: such a nozzle drills concrete and tiles equally well, and highly specialized rock drill nozzles have to be changed. The crown can be used with an electric drill with a power of more than 1 kW.

Various types of attachments are suitable for drilling:

  1. Impact crowns with soldered teeth.
  2. Diamond - for hammerless drilling without a hammer drill. They are abrasive on the edge, they work faster than percussion ones.
  3. KS crowns - with dusting on the edges.

High-quality products are offered by Bosh, Makita, Metabo, among domestic ones - Interskol, Zubr. Chinese products can also be of high quality if their price is high.

It is important to use tools and devices correctly. A set of drills with different performance characteristics is prepared. Concrete walls are faced with wood, tiles, stone, which will require different drills. Before work, make sure that there is no wiring under the plaster in the place of drilling.

If, when drilling, the walls bump into reinforcement, insert a drill for metal. Professionals sharpen their tools to cut through concrete, metal and other materials, but it takes a lot of experience.

Before drilling, pay attention to important points:

  • for holes deeper than 10 cm and with a diameter greater than 12 mm, use a puncher;
  • work begins at a reduced speed, the impact function is turned on when the rod deepens by 5 mm;
  • holes for dowels are drilled 10 mm longer than the plastic case.

If the drill bit of the drill, going deeper, gets stuck, it is taken out and a hole is developed with a punch in order to break the encountered stone and move further.

Diamond drills are more expensive than victorious ones and are used only without turning on the percussion mechanism. They need to be cooled every 10 minutes; this must be done without water, only in air.

A few nuances of how to drill a concrete wall

If you need to drill into concrete, a conventional drill will only work for a few small holes. For larger volume, use a punch or impact drill.

The best devices are diamond ones, which are easier to drill with if the electric drill is without a percussion mechanism. They are used intermittently to avoid overheating of the drill. Drilling in reinforced concrete - excessive load on the motor, gearbox, bearings, the drill is not designed for such work, so it is used with caution.

Holes in ceramic material, which are often used for wall cladding, can be drilled with a concrete drill, pressing lightly to avoid splitting the tiles. Wood and plastic do not lend themselves to it, therefore, first they pass through a drill for the appropriate material.