Q&A for How to Drill Into Concrete

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What is the safest way to drill into concrete?

Gerber Ortiz-Vega
Masonry Specialist
Gerber Ortiz-Vega is a Masonry Specialist and the Founder of GO Masonry LLC, a masonry company based in Northern Virginia. Gerber specializes in providing brick and stone laying services, concrete installations, and masonry repairs. Gerber has over four years of experience running GO Masonry and over ten years of general masonry work experience. He earned a BA in Marketing from the University of Mary Washington in 2017.

Gerber Ortiz-Vega

Masonry Specialist

Expert Answer

Put on the appropriate safety gear, including glasses, a ventilator mask, safety glasses, gloves, and heavy pants. Also, cover any nearby doors or windows with plywood, and move any vehicles out of the area.

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Question

Do you need to water down the concrete when drilling through it?

Community Answer

Though you don't need to water down the concrete, the water will help to collect and remove the drilling dust, which can be hazardous to your health and "clog" the drill bit. The water can also help to keep your bit from overheating, which in turn helps keep the bit from shattering.

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Question

Does cold water and/or dish soap aid in drilling into concrete or help preserve the bit?

Community Answer

Yes, ice cubes would be the ideal thing to use. (That's what I've learned as a granite fabricator.)

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Question

How would I remove concrete dust from a deep-ish hole drilled down through concrete?

Community Answer

Use your shop vac, but don't just put it over the hole, use your hand on the end of the vacuum hose and let some air come through your fingers. This will suck up the dust and clean the hole.

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Question

What can I do if I need to drill concrete but I don't have a hammer drill?

Community Answer

Rent one. Don't even think of using a conventional drill. It will do nothing for you.

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Question

What can cause the hole to get bigger the more I drill?

Community Answer

Your drill bit might be slightly offset due to not being located in the chuck properly, or the drill bit is slightly bent. Over-enlarging the hole may also be caused by excess vibration.

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Question

How can I make sure there are no wires in the wall?

Community Answer

Get a stud tester with an electrical finder. Always check for electrical wires before you start drilling into any walls.

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Question

What can I do if I drilled my hole too big?

Community Answer

Option one would be to use a plastic or wooden hole plug before you screw in or just use a broader screw. If the hole is too big in depth, use a deeper/longer screw or fill it in with mixed concrete.

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Question

How do I know I'm not drilling through a water pipe or electrical conduit?

Community Answer

If you are drilling into concrete and not sure if there is a water line or electrical conduit, you can always call dig safe and have them locate the lines if you are drilling outside.

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What process should I use to remove old wiring and the mortar surrounding it?

Community Answer

Call a professional to assist you in this process.

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Question

How far apart should the holes be when drilling concrete?

Community Answer

As long as the slab isn't exceptionally thin, a couple inches is fine. Keep in mind drilling holes creates weak points in the concrete. Having too many in a small area greatly increases the chance of cracks.

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Question

How do I drill a hole in concrete without blowing out the back side?

Community Answer

The main trick I have found (manually, with a chisel or star drill) is to just go slowly - if you hit the drill as hard as you can, that will be likely to break out the back side, but if you go lightly, making the drill really serve as a drill, you can avoid that. If you know how thick the concrete is, you can probably go for speed until the last few inches.

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If drilling a hole larger than 1" in concrete, is it beneficial to start with a smaller bit and step up in bit size?

Community Answer

Yes it is. In my experience, it's always been faster to step-up then to try to immediately drill the largest hole size. Drilling a smaller hole first helps the bigger bits chip away at the concrete. One exception might be if you are using a core type of bit.

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Question

What can I do if my carbide bit on a hammer drill won't drill into very hard concrete?

Community Answer

A hammer drill is fine for creating a few smaller holes (both smaller in diameter and depth) in concrete, but if you are drilling a lot of holes, or if you are drilling holes which are either deep or wide (or both), leave the hammer drill in the tool box and get the proper tool––a rotary hammer. Think of a rotary hammer as a hammer drill that took steroids.

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