What Drill Bit To Use For Brick?
When drilling into something tough like brick it is important to make sure you have the right drill bit for the job. But what is the right drill bit to use for brick? Well, let’s have a look and find out.
What Drill Bit For Brick?
When drilling brick you want to use a masonry drill bit. Masonry drill bits have a tip, usually made from carbide, on the end of the bit. This super-hard tip helps the drill bit to penetrate hard materials such as brick and stone.
You can obviously try to use any drill bit you would like, and to be honest, it would probably work, the issue you would run into is that it would go blunt incredibly quickly.
This is why masonry drill bits exist. The hard carbide tip on the end of the drill bit takes most of the punishment, stopping the bit from blunting quickly.
My Recommended Drill Bit
So you now know what type of drill bit to use when drilling into brick. But what brand should you get, after all, there are tonnes of different choices out there. So which one to pick?
Well, these ones from DeWALT are my recommendation. That is not to say they are the best there is, there are without doubt better masonry drill bits available. But what makes these ones my recommended bits is that they are good but also well priced. The perfect combo.
You get five different drill bits in this set, 4mm, 5mm, 6mm, 8mm and finally 10mm. These are decent-quality drill bits that will last you a while, especially as a DIY user. Couple the quality with a great price and you have a winning product.
Watch The Video
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Drilling Into Brick
Drilling into brick can be a daunting task, especially for those who are new to DIY projects. However, with the right drill bit and a little bit of know-how, you can easily tackle this home improvement project and add a professional touch to your home.
You now know what drill bit you need for drilling into brick, a masonry drill bit, but that’s just the start, next you need to keep safe.
Before you get started, it’s essential to have all of the necessary safety equipment on hand. This includes safety glasses to protect your eyes from flying debris, earplugs to protect your hearing from the loud noises generated by the drill, and a dust mask to prevent inhaling the fine particles that are created when drilling into brick. It’s also a good idea to have a bucket of water nearby to cool the drill bit as you work.
That’s what you should do anyway, but I often find myself using my safety squints instead of goggles, what can I say, I’m too lazy to hunt through my toolbox to find my goggles!
To begin, mark the spot where you want to drill the hole and use a hammer and punch (if you have one) to create a small indentation in the brick. This will help guide the drill bit and prevent it from slipping as you work. If you don’t have a punch then an old screwdriver can work well too.
When you’re ready to start drilling, set your drill to the hammer drill setting and slowly begin drilling into the brick. Be sure to keep a firm grip on the drill and apply steady, even pressure to ensure that the hole is straight and even. As you drill, the brick dust will begin to accumulate, so it’s important to periodically clean out the hole to ensure that the drill bit stays cool and efficient.
It’s also a good idea to periodically dip the drill bit in the bucket of water to help keep it cool and prevent overheating. Overheating can cause the drill bit to become dull and ineffective, which will make it more difficult to drill through the brick.
Overall, drilling into brick can seem intimidating, but with the right tools and a little bit of practice, you’ll be a pro in no time. Just be sure to follow all safety precautions and take your time, and you’ll have no problem tackling any brick-drilling project that comes your way.
What are the different types of drill bits?
There are probably an almost unlimited amount of different drill bits if you get into the really specialist ones. However, I am just going to stick to the main types here and list the most popular types of drill bits.
Wood bits
These drill bits are specifically designed for drilling wood, they are normally incredibly sharp. This is because they don’t need to be as tough as other drill bits as they will only be going for wood. So they can afford to trade toughness for sharpness.
Auger bits
Commonly also a wood bit but can be multi-material. Auger bits are big drill bits designed to create large holes. The auger design of the bit allows for efficient material removal meaning you can drill deep holes.
Spade Bits
Again another drill bit for hole cutting. These are flat heated drills used for larger holes. Unlike the auger bit though they tend to struggle with deeper holes.
Metal Drill Bits
Usually made from HSS (high-speed steel) or titanium these drill bits are specifically designed for drilling into metals. They usually trade a little sharpness for toughness so may not be the best for other materials, even though they will work.
Multi-Material Bits
The jack of all trade drill bit, made to go through pretty much anything. Specialist bits will always be better but these will more often than not get the job done.
Related Posts
Planning on doing some heavy-duty drilling? You will want the right drill bit for the job, make sure to read these posts.