How to Drill into Brick without a Hammer Drill

Drilling into brick without a hammer drill is a daunting task. Thankfully, there are ways of drilling into brick using only power tools and materials you may already have on hand. Though it sounds like a daunting task, it’s not that difficult to accomplish. This article will outline how to drill into brick without a hammer drill.

Content Summary

1. Drilling Into Brick Without a Hammer Drill

Hammer drills are becoming more and more durable equipment that perform the roles of both a hammer and a drill together. These tools, which include masonry bits at the end of the drill, can spin these sharp pieces of metal into hard objects while pushing them ahead with a hammering movement.

These tools are the best suitable for drilling into solid surfaces such as masonry. However, it is understood that not everyone will have access to a hammer drill, particularly those who do not perform these sorts of construction chores regularly.

There are a number of alternative methods for drilling into brick without the use of a hammer drill. You’ll find an outline of some of the items and methods you can utilize to complete this work in the list below.

2. You’ll Need These Tools

Drill Bits for Masonry (sharp points, assorted)
Drilling using Power (use with tungsten carbide masonry bits)
Drilling using Impact (best option)
Attempting to cut through brick materials without a hammer drill will need the use of another power drill of some type that can include the drill bits you’ll need.

3. Steps of Drilling Into Brick Without a Hammer Drill:

Step 1 — Follow the appropriate safety instruction

Safety glasses provide eye protection, which shields your eyes from flying brick and mortar particles. Wear goggles, protective earmuffs, gloves, and a respirator on the job to avoid injury.

The following are some safety equipment and other considerations:

Apply the right pressure: When using a hammer drill, provide the proper pressure and let the power tool perform most of the job. You don’t want to use too much or too little effort since this can cause the drill to slide. Select a medium pressure setting.
Don’t wear saggy clothing: Wearing droopy clothes is not a good idea: When using a power tool, things like long hair, loose cloth, hanging straps, and jewelry may be dangerous. The drill might become tangled up in loose things. To be safe, use short sleeves and other workwear gear.
Use a center punch: best to drill pilot holes: Making them simpler to install a bigger bit and improving straight drill accuracy. You won’t need to apply as much pressure after the pilot hole is in place, lowering the risks of a slipped drill bit.
Set the drill bit as follows: Make sure the drill bit is snug inside the chuck key before inserting it into the chuck.
Use a center punch: Make an indentation with a center punch to provide yourself with a target to drill into.
Working with a drill stand: When drilling hard materials like brick or mortar, a stand may help you drill straight holes. It also ensures that the drill does not slide.
Working with secured material: Clamp the brick or secure it with a vice if necessary before drilling to prevent it from shifting.
Wear safety equipment: Eye protection is provided by safety glasses, which shield your eyes from flying brick and mortar particles. Earmuffs protect your ears from loud sounds, while snug gloves keep you from scuffing your bricks. A respirator lets you breathe clean air instead of inhaling brick and mortar particles.

Silica, which is found in brick and mortar, may be harmful to your health. When you inhale silica particles of a diameter of 0.5mm to 5mm, they do not evacuate from your lungs. Lung fibrosis might develop as a result of the accumulation over time. When wearing your protective gear, be cautious.

It’s also important to examine and maintain your hammer drill on a regular basis. The core spring, joints, core case, sure lock and balls, bearings, latch pins, and other components should all be checked. To extend the life of the drill and drill bit, clean and oil the components as required, and replace any worn or bent drill bits.

Step 2 — Deciding whether to drill in brick or mortar

Drilling through brick or mortar is a difficult decision that is affected by a number of factors. Understanding the differences between the two materials and how they react to drilling is crucial. Brick is a masonry construction material that is used to build walls and other masonry structures, with mortar acting as a bonding agent between the blocks.

The kind of brick, diameter and depth of the planned hole, age of the brick, type of anchor, and amount of weight exerted on the fasteners are all aspects to consider when drilling into brick vs. mortar. When faced with mortar, brick frequently retains greater weight and provides superior stability.

It may not be the greatest solution for deep holes, hefty items, or expansion-style anchors if you’re working with old and delicate masonry. Drilling through brick or mortar is a difficult decision that is affected by a number of factors.

Understanding the differences between the two materials and how they react to drilling is crucial. Brick is a masonry construction material that is used to build walls and other masonry structures, with mortar acting as a bonding agent between the blocks.

It may not be the greatest solution for deep holes, hefty items, or expansion-style anchors if you’re working with old and delicate masonry. Drilling into the mortar will be preferable if the brick displays symptoms of age such as spalling and defects. When fixing holes, it’s also difficult to match the color of your brick.

Step 3 — Select the appropriate drill and bit size

Any material may be protected against cracking or damage by using the correct drill and drill bit. A standard drill and bit are required for most woodworking projects. Cutting into a brick wall with a standard, lightweight drill, on the other hand, will not pierce the block or oppose the force of drilling in masonry.

For brick and mortar tasks, especially those requiring larger cuts, a hammer drill is appropriate. The instrument uses hammer-like actions to drill holes. Hammer drills are designed to pierce holes in brick, mortar, concrete, and cinder block.

The instrument performs two functions: hammering, which breaks down the aggregate, and drilling, which removes the waste. Rotary hammering drills and conventional hammering drills are two different kinds of hammering drills.

A regular drill is ideal for producing holes that are half-inch or smaller. For holes bigger than half an inch, use a rotary hammer drill. Knowing how to use a hammer drill to drill into brick will produce efficient, safe, precise, and smooth holes.

It’s also crucial to use the appropriate drill bit. Masonry bits, such as hammer and rotary, are the most used for drilling brick or mortar. Consider the size of the masonry bit you’ll need for your project and if it’ll work with your hammer drill.

Masonry bits can break apart masonry and feature harder-cutting tips composed of rougher materials than normal bits. To cut through thick materials, they also feature an arrow-like design with bigger tips than the remainder of the bit.

Step 4 — Use a pilot drill

Drilling holes into brick without a hammer drill is much easier with a pilot drill since the drill’s cutting face is smaller and requires less effort to cut through the masonry. I usually start drilling holes in brick using a pilot drill instead of my hammer drill since it prevents the drill from moving about and makes beginning the hole in the center much simpler.

Step 5 — Take your time.

It’s critical to know how to drill into brick without shattering it if you want to make functional holes. Drilling too quickly may damage the surface and pose a serious safety risk. Align your hammer drill to the designated place at the start of each new hole.

Keep a tight grip on the instrument to avoid it skipping or jolting back. If you don’t hang on, the drill bit will drift out of position and make a cut that isn’t the right size. Drill a few seconds at a time at first to make a good size hole. After that, you may increase your speed.

You’ll need to provide enough pressure to hold the drill bit in position while allowing the drill to perform the heavy lifting. Drill bits may be fractured or deformed if they are used with too much power. The more pressure and speed you apply to the bit, the more it will heat up.

Drilling slowly and steadily reduces stress on the bit and tool and the number of pullouts. When digging deep holes, patience is essential since errors become more noticeable and costly as the hole’s length and breadth grow.

Step 6 — Use water to keep the heat down.

Drilling into a brick with a tungsten carbide drill creates much heat, which may cause the tips to burn off and become blunt if the temperature rises too high. To prevent burning out the drill bits too rapidly, use water to assist in lowering the temperature. You may do this in a few ways:

The ideal method is to provide a steady cold water flow to the drilling surface through a pipe and water supply. This is the greatest method, but it is sometimes impractical since the project site may be far from any water source or impossible to lay pipe there.

The second approach, which needs a small container of water and frequently pulling the drill from the hole and putting the tip in the container to cool off, is simpler but less successful.

Step 7 — Remove all dirt and dust from the hole

Like any other drilling or machining activity, drilling a hole through brick will produce debris and dust.
Drilling holes into brick without using a hammer drill is made simpler by constantly withdrawing the drill bit from the hole to clean the pieces of brick and dust.

This is especially crucial when drilling holes into brick without using a hammer drill. Using a vacuum cleaner with a small hose attachment makes this simple; I used an old spare nozzle to which I taped a piece of flexible 10mm diameter tubing, which you can then push down into the hole to remove any dust.

Placing the vacuum cleaner hose over the hole works nicely for tiny holes. Always use a dust mask and protective goggles while drilling holes in brick to avoid inhaling brick dust, which may harm your lungs.

Step 8 — Be careful not to go too deep when drilling

In any material, drilling too deep may pose issues. When it comes to masonry or mortar, though, a too-deep hole might compromise the screw’s anchor and integrity. If you make a mistake or want to remove whatever is dangling, deeper holes are also more difficult to fill.

If the drill bit becomes caught in a larger hole, extracting it will require more time and effort. Depth constraints also play a role. You want to be sure there’s nothing behind the wall before drilling through masonry, mortar, or another substance.

If so, how far can you drill before hitting something? Electrical cables, pipelines, conduits, and plumbing should all be avoided. When drilling deep holes, using higher crowns helps extend the bit’s life and minimize the number of pullouts.

Drilling fluid additives may also be used to lubricate your tool and reduce hole vibrations. For square cutting, use straight drill rods and deep hole threads. There is a greater probability of deviation when drilling deep holes. Avoid deviation at all costs to avoid costly, expensive, and arduous corrections.

Measuring the width of the wall, the length of the anchor and screw, and making sure nothing is in the way is the easiest approach to figure out how far to drill into brick or mortar. Set the depth gauge on the hammer drill after knowing how deep you want the hole to be.

Measure the length of the drill bit and apply tape around the region where you need to stop if you’re not using a hammer drill.

Step 9 — Use putty to seal holes

You may use ready-to-use putty or cement to fill holes after drilling, insert an anchor, and attach a screw. Patching up any minor holes can assist the item you’re hanging on the brick wall stay in place.

4. Conclusion

Drilling into brick without the correct instrument, such as a hammer drill, may be difficult, particularly for novice DIYers. But, ideally, you’ve learned how to drill into brick without a hammer drill in a more efficient and straightforward manner.

So, keep the safety parameters in mind, be patient, and carefully follow the procedures. Finally, but certainly not least, you will find your desired hole in the rack without the need for a hammer drill.