Masonry bits are designed for drilling brick, stone, ceramic tiles, concrete and concrete blocks. The cutting tip is often made from tungsten carbide which is bonded to a spiralled steel shaft.
Used in conjunction with a wall plug you can fix a painting, shelving etc. to a masonry wall.
Masonry drill bits come in different sizes to accommodate various screw and wall plugs. For further information please refer to A Quick Guide to Using Wall Plugs.
Used with the impact or hammer action available on many drills, masonry bits make short work of drilling the hardest materials
The following step by step guide takes you through the process of drilling a hole through plaster into internal brick to fit a wall plug and screw.
Step 1 – Once you have selected the appropriate screw, wall plug and drill bit size, you are ready to begin. Mark the wall where you want to drill the hole.
Note: Before drilling into plaster place a small piece of sticky tape over the mark you made, this will help prevent plaster coming away from the wall when you start drilling.
Step 2 – Wrap some tape around your drill bit as a guide to the depth of the hole you wish to drill. This will be determined by the length of the screw or wall plug to be used minus the thickness of whatever is being fixed to the wall (if any).
Step 3 – Drill the hole. Do not use too much pressure, let the drill will do the work for you. Make sure you keep the drill level. Note: For large holes, start with a small diameter bit then move to a larger one, you will find the job faster and easier.
Do not drill too deep as the plug will slide further in and possibly become less effective.
Always use a slow rotational speed for drilling into harder materials to avoid overheating the tip of the masonry drill bit, and frequently withdraw the bit to remove dust
Step 4 – Carefully remove the sticky tape and remove any dust or material by blowing (with safety glasses on) or vacuuming the hole. If the wall plug is longer than the screw you can cut it to size before placing it in the drilled hole or off at the wall once inserted.
Step 5 - Insert the wall plug into the hole and push flush with the wall surface.
Step 6 – Tighten the screw into the wall plug with a screwdriver.
It is best to drill a larger hole then the fastener for a depth of 4-5mm and recess the fastener by the same amount, to prevent the expanding fastener from cracking the surface plaster when you insert the screw, as is evident in the last photograph.
For larger holes I find it best to drill a smaller hole on the hammer setting then use non-hammer to enlarge with the final drill size.
Use a piece of plastic tuing and a vacuum cleaner to clear the debris from the hole before inserting the fastener.
Thanks for the tip Geoff!