Denver Decorative Concrete & Custom MasonryWhat type of masonary drill bit should I buy?
We have brick walls and borrowed a black&decker from my FIL – Now I have to get drill bits first so I went on ebay because our local hardware store only sells big sets of really expensive ones…I only need to drill a few holes and do not want to spend too much on the other hand I want to make sure that they’re not completely rubbish..I am not that skilled so I have no clue what brand I should buy? you get really cheap ones to really expensive ones..can anyone help?
http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_nkw=masonry+drill+bit+set&_frs=1&_sop=15&_trksid=p3286.c0.m359
thanks the drill has a hammer option..
Do not go for the really cheap ones – the tip of the drill bit can fall out quite easily when you use them. Decide what size hole you need to drill and then pop to screwfix or B&Q (other DIY stores are available) and get a mid priced branded drill bit.
here is an example
http://www.screwfix.com/p/dewalt-6-x-100mm-extreme-2-masonry-drill-bit/73770
eBay is the last place to buy from. And any DIY store sells the individually.
Even your local Wilkinson’s.
Please make sure the drill is a hammer drill. Drilling into concrete or masonry is not like drilling wood, metal, or plastic. Those bits are designed to cut their way through, where as going into concrete, brick, or rock is more like chipping its way through. The mason bits will have a flat butterfly tip that does the actual cutting and the spiral part is there to pull out the pieces. If you only have a few holes to drill, the cheap ones should do ok. If for some reason the drill does not have the hammer function, you might be better off using a star chisel and hammer, but after the first hole, you would hate me for suggesting it.
The ones I chose are in the link below and there’s five bits there so depending on the size of the hole they should do the job for you ok,good luck.
Bricks are very soft and easy to drill and you have to be careful not to round out the hole by letting the drill wobble around. In the electrical department at Lowe’s/Home Depot you will find a kit from Greenlee that contains a 1/4 masonry bit and one hundred plastic anchors with screws for about $6.00. There are no instructions so be sure you drill a deep enough hole to accommodate the anchor, which you tap in with a hammer, and the screw. (Greenlee make a lot of tools for electricians) These work really well in brick, concrete, stucco, mortar, etc., but not in plaster or sheetrock. We always called these K-9 kits, but I do not know why.
Buy some at wal-mart. Your not a contractor and bricks are soft. Even the expensive ones wear out way to fast.
BTW: do not use the hamer option when drilling brick. Remember your safety glasses
you only get what you pay for ..most on ebay are chinese ..they will do the job but won’t last long time ..get a size five for red plugs and seven for brown ..these will give a nice tight plug
I have used these masonry bits for a couple of years now and find them to be the best.
5.5mm for red rawl plugs and 6mm for brown. Red plugs will take a No eight (4mm) screw and brown plugs will take a No ten (5mm) screw. All depends what you are fixing. Remember when you are drilling in brick or concrete you must clean the hole regularly by pulling the drill bit from the wall while it is still turning, this will save you from burning the drill bit and possibly ruining the bit also. Good luck.