Drill bit measured against plug

What Size Drill Bit For Wall Plug?

So I take it you are putting up some wall plugs but you aren’t sure which drill bit size to use. Well let me help you out, I have got all the info for lots of different wall plugs for you.

The images below and corresponding drill sizes are based on Rawlplugs. This is a brand of wall plugs and actually is the brand of wall plugs. A lot of the other brands follow the same colouring and drill bit sizes for this will be true for most wall plugs.

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Get A Drill Bit Set

Before I start I just want to say how important it is to get a set of drill bits so you have some choices when it comes to what drill bit to use.

I use these Bosch Professional multi-material drill bits and they really are some of the best bits about, I highly recommend them!

This set also covers all the drill bits you will need for most regular-sized plugs from the little yellows up to the big blues.

What I Use Everyday!
Bosch Professional Multi Construction Drill Bit Set
£14.58 (£2.92 / count)
  • Up to 5x more precise than a standard drill bit
  • Accurate drilling is easy with patented Bosch Centering Geometry
  • Hex shank for maximum power transfer in standard three-jaw drills and hexagonal drill driver chucks
  • Ideal for drilling holes into multiple materials Can be used in impact mode on concrete and stone, and on rotary setting for brick, tile, sheet metal, wood and plastic


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03/16/2024 12:14 am GMT

What Size Drill Bit For Yellow Wall Plugs?

For all Rawlplugs the size of drill bit you should use is given on the back of the cardboard on the packaging. I have highlighted it so you can see it easier. But it tells you the size of the wall plug, the size of the drill bit needed and the size of the screw you should also use.

Yellow Wall Plugs
Yellow Wall Plugs

Yellow wall plugs are some of the smallest wall plugs you can easily buy. These are for lightweight applications.

The drill bit for yellow wall plugs is 5mm.

What Size Drill Bit For Red Wall Plugs?

Red Wall Plugs
Red Wall Plugs

Red wall plugs are medium wall plugs, they are still a bit lightweight for me and I don’t really use them for much other than really lightweight uses.

The drill bit you should use for red wall plugs is 6mm.

What Size Drill Bit For Brown Wall Plugs?

Brown Wall Plugs
Brown Wall Plugs

Now we are getting towards the heavier duty wall plugs. I use either the brown or blue wall plugs for most applications, I don’t see why you would use the smaller ones unless you need something as discreet as possible.

The drill bit you should use for brown wall plugs is 7mm.

What Size Drill Bit For Blue Wall Plugs?

Blue Wall Plugs
Blue Wall Plugs

One of the bigger wall plugs commonly available, the blue wall plug is a heavy-duty plug.

The drill bit you should use for blue wall plugs is 8mm.

How to Find Out Without Packaging

So how can you find out what size drill bit to use if you have lost the packaging? Well, manufacturers have thought of this and there is quite often a mark on the plug itself. You can see an example in the image below. You want to use the same drill bit size as the width of the plug.

Size on the Actual Plug
Size on the Actual Plug

On Rawlplugs the connector bit holding all the plugs together also has the information on it for the size of the drill bit to use as well as the size of screw to use.

Drill Size on the Connector
Drill Size on the Connector

Measuring The Wall Plug

You can also measure the wall plug against the drill bit. You want the same size drill bit as the plug. If you are unsure always go a little bit smaller as you can always make the drilled hole bigger. You cant make it smaller.

Drill bit measured against plug
Drill bit measured against plug

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Sam Wood

Wood by name, wood by nature. I am a fully qualified, time-served, award-winning joiner with an NVQ Level 3 in Carpentry and Joinery as well as an HNC in Construction. Beyond my joinery qualifications, I have also earned a degree in building surveying. I believe these qualifications make me perfectly positioned to provide expert advice on many different areas of DIY as well as share all of the tips I have picked up in over a decade working on building sites!

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3 Comments

  • Great information thanks
    The min and max on the screws I take is the diameter
    Of the screw

    • Yes mate, too small and it wont expand the plug enough and too large and it will just rip it to shreds.

  • I’m sure this is extremely helpful to those with conforming coloured plugs but pretty useless info if the plugs dont follow your brand colour coding which many other brands don’t.

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