Drilling holes into brick can be a difficult and problematic task if you don’t know how to do it correctly. If you drill your hole in an incorrect way, then the brick will end up cracking.
This article will explore some of the common problems that you might face when you are drilling into brick, as well as provide a step-by-step guide to drilling holes in brick.
Table of Contents
Step-by-step guide to drilling into brick
Gather tools
The first step to drilling into brick is to gather together all the tools that you will need. This step may sound easy, but it is actually the most important step in this guide.
This is because, if you end up choosing the wrong tools, then you will be left with rough edges and cracks in your brick. Either this or you will end up with no hole at all.
You will need the following tools to drill into the brick:
- Hammer drill
- Masonry drill bit
- Goggles
- Pencil
- Safety equipment
Mark the drill area
Before you start drilling, you need to make sure that you know exactly where you want to put your hole. In order to choose the right spot, you need to make sure that there are no pipes or wiring behind the brick to make sure that you won’t cause any major damage by drilling through the wall.
If you are not sure, it is important to double-check. Drilling through live wires and pipes can be very dangerous.
Once you have done this, you can choose your spot and mark where you are going to put your holes. You can place this mark on the wall using a marker or a pencil. Ensure that it is marked clearly enough so that you can see it.
Mark your drill
The next stage is to determine the depth that you want your hole to be. In order to prevent cracking, you will need to drill your holes to the correct depth. Some drills will do this for you if you select the depth on your drill, as it will stop your drill once you reach the depth you need.
If your drill does not have this feature, then you can opt to use masking tape instead. You can do this by wrapping some tape around the drill bit at the depth that you want the hole to be.
Select drill size
Drill size is very important when it comes to drilling a hole into a brick. You should use a wall plug to attach something to a brick wall, so you need to make sure that the drill bit that you are planning to use will fit this wall plug.
You don’t want to end up drilling a hole that is too big. If you drill a hole that is too small, this can be easily fixed, however, a hole that is too big can be problematic.
Drill a pilot hole
When you are drilling into brick, it is a good idea to have a pilot hole in order to prevent the material from cracking or breaking. You can do this by creating a small guide in the brick.
Use a hammer and a nail punch in order to do this, and then drill the hole using a smaller drill bit.
When you start drilling, you should start with low speed and low pressure. Keep going until you reach the target depth.
Drill the main hole
Next, you will need to use a larger drill bit in order to install the screw. You should allow the drill to do its work, rather than forcing it into the brick. You should try to not overwork the drill as this can cause overheating.
You should slowly increase the speed of the drill as you go, and move the drill back and forth to remove any debris from the hole.
Add the wall plug
Next, you should insert the wall plug into the wall. All you need to do here is push the wall plug into the hole. You can use a hammer if you think it is needed.
It is very important that you choose the right wall plug, as you need it to fit securely on the wall and easily hold the weight of whatever you are hoping to put up on the wall.
Insert the screw
The final stage is to insert the screw. Start this off by twisting it into the wall plug with your fingers.
It is important that the screw is the same size as the hole on the wall because if you use a screw that is too large, you might end up with too much pressure on the brick wall. This can cause the wall to crack, or the screw to break.
Frequently Asked Questions
How can I make drilling into brick easier?
When you are using your drill, make sure that it is not overheating. Overheating can cause your drill to damage the wall, and it will make the process a lot more difficult.
As well as this, ensure that you are using a new drill bit, as older drill bits will be much harder to drill into the wall.
How long will it take to drill into brick?
Once you have collected all of the tools you need, it should only take around 10 minutes to drill a hole into a brick wall.
It becomes much easier once you know what you are doing, so taking the time to read up about it and learn the ropes is your best bet at making the process quicker. The more you do it, the quicker you will get at the process.
Final thoughts
If you follow this step-by-step guide on how to drill into a brick wall, then you should have no problems. It can be a difficult task, but when it is done correctly, it isn’t as difficult as you would have first thought.
Jake is a tool guy – think Tim Allen from Home Improvement but with a much drier sense of humor. He lives in the great state of Ohio and plays the guitar on his downtime. He also spends his time writing on all things tools and DIY-related as this is his passion.
