How to drill reinforcement in concrete with a hammer drill

When drilling, you run into a piece of wood

Sometimes, oddly enough, but inside the concrete walls you can find wooden bars. If, when drilling a concrete wall, you ran into a piece of wood, then the situation is similar to the situation when you ran into a reinforcement. Just change the drill bit from a concrete drill to a wood drill.

Here the case is simpler, since the wood is soft and you will drill a block very quickly. How to understand that this is a piece of wood? First, the drill will also stop going fast into the concrete. Secondly, there will be a specific sound, different from the sound of the concrete being drilled and the clanking sound in the case of rebar. Thirdly, with intensive drilling, as they say, in one place, you can smell the burning smell (the piece of wood will get very hot from the drill).

Drilling Concrete with Rebar with this Special Bit.

To get acquainted with this sound and these sensations, just try to drill a wooden block with a punch and you will understand everything.

How to choose a drill for drilling reinforcement in concrete?

The initial characteristic is the diameter of the hole, as well as the form of execution of the seat. In this case, the drill is always designed for one-sided drilling, since for concrete surfaces it is almost impossible to align the axes of two holes that are drilled from opposite sides of a slab, wall or block.

How to drill reinforcement in concrete? In one pass, it is usually possible to obtain holes in the reinforcement if the maximum cavity diameter does not exceed 10. 12 mm, in all other cases, first preliminary drilling is performed, and then reaming.

The choice of the size of the hammer drill decides a lot. The downside of the hammer drill is that it dramatically increases the vibration level, and this will negatively affect the accuracy of the resulting hole. Considering that reinforced concrete has no plasticity, this circumstance “will help” to break a hole or chip off a piece of concrete together with under-drilled reinforcement.

Tutorial: How to drill into reinforced concrete #hellertv #Trijet #hammerdrillbit

Do I need to use a core or bit? Experts believe that yes. In addition, the impact drill with a drill on the reinforcement must be installed on a massive stand (or a tripod. when making vertical holes in the ceiling).

The best quality is given by hollow drill cores for reinforced concrete. They penetrate into the foundation only along the perimeter of the bit, leaving a cylindrical volume of concrete inside the tool. After drilling, this piece is removed or periodically broken into pieces to ensure the smooth operation of the drill. Drilling reinforcement in this way can be dry or wet (the latter is preferable).

Specialized drilling tools

Exclusively for the needs of drilling reinforced concrete, the German company Bosch has developed tooling designs. ProDiager (reinforced concrete drill) and RebarCutter (reinforcement drill).

Features of the ProDiager line:

• Bit diameter, mm. up to 20.
• Resistance to regrinding. up to 1000 holes.
• The number of bits in the clip. up to 10.

The massive compact monoblock head from ULTIMAX is made of carbide, similar to BK3, which makes it possible to drill at the highest possible speed. Compatible with all types of powerful impact drills. Suitable for making holes and cavities in reinforced concrete, stone, granite and other materials.

Rebar Cutter RebarCutter SDS plus-9 provides cutting of reinforced concrete and reinforcement embedded in reinforced concrete products. With the SDS-plus holder, the torch can also be installed in conventional rotary hammers.

• Diameters of the holes obtained, mm. 16. 32.
• Hole depth, mm. 120. 300.
• Maximum tool runout, mm. up to 1.

Stationary rebar torch models are also available with a latching trigger switch. This cutter can be operated with a foot pedal, which improves the operator’s working conditions.

Our experienced team of editors and researchers contributed to this article and reviewed it for accuracy and completeness.

Number of sources used in this article: 18. You will find a list of them at the bottom of the page.

The wikiHow content management team closely monitors the work of the editors to ensure that each article meets our high quality standards.

The ability to drill holes in concrete is a useful and convenient skill. With it, you can easily hang shelves, hang pictures, install lights and do a lot more housework quickly and safely. The process of drilling concrete is quite simple, but with the right selection of tools and understanding of the principles of work, you will save yourself a huge amount of time.

In the video tutorial of the article What is a dowel, we learned how to install dowels in a concrete wall, and at the same time drill it. However, there are situations that cause you difficulties when starting and during wall drilling work. In this article, I would like to talk about such situations, and what to do in these cases.

Can drill a hole nearby

If it is not essential to make a hole exactly in the place where you are drilling, just make a hole next to it in another place. The main thing is not to hit the armature again. In this case, you will need to look for a place a third time. Immediately I want to reassure you that hitting the armature is an infrequent phenomenon. This is the exception rather than a permanent rule.

When drilling, you hit the reinforcement

Reinforcement is an iron bar that runs inside the concrete and makes the wall structure much stronger. If, during the drilling process, you feel that the drill does not go further, and instead of the usual sound, a metallic clang is heard, then you have rested against the reinforcement. There is no need to further try to drill the reinforcement with the same drill. you will not succeed, and you will break the drill for concrete. 2 options are possible here:

You almost drilled to the desired depth and it does not work further

If the self-tapping screw on which you are going to hang the structure does not have strict load requirements, then try to take the same self-tapping screw, but 5 mm shorter, and the dowel, which has not entered the hole completely and protrudes outward with a small end, just trim it with a construction knife, as shown in the picture:

Next, just take a self-tapping screw, which is 5 mm shorter and screw it into the trimmed dowel. This is not a very good practice, but sometimes there are situations when nothing else can be done and then this is a way out.!

Danger of damaging hidden electrical wiring

Very often, when it is required to drill holes in concrete, we cannot start doing this in any way, because we are afraid to damage the internal hidden electrical wiring of the apartment. This fear is not in vain, and it is very good that you think about it.

The only way to determine if an electrical wire is passing underneath the concrete is to use a special non-contact electrical probe, which looks like this:

The main feature of this probe is that you do not need to touch the bare wires with it, as we did in the Live Wires article, but simply bring it to the concrete wall, and if the indicator on the probe lights up, then a wire passes nearby. and you need to drill very carefully.

Watch a video on working with such a probe, it is also called the “Hidden Wiring Detector”:

How to drill reinforcement in concrete with a hammer drill

Drilling in reinforced concrete is a specific operation, very difficult for high-quality performance. This is due to the sharp heterogeneity of reinforced concrete, as well as the uncertainty of the passage of reinforcing rods through the thickness of the material. In this regard, the use of a diamond drill can cause cracking in the tool, and a HSS drill will have low durability.

How to drill reinforcement in concrete? We select the equipment

How to drill a concrete wall with a conventional drill

A perforator is intended for drilling concrete, but in its absence, in many cases, a hand-held electric drill will cope with the work. You can achieve success if you choose the right drill or crown. To figure out how to drill a concrete wall with an ordinary drill, you need to know a clear algorithm of actions, take into account a number of important nuances of drilling.

How to drill reinforcement in concrete? We select the equipment

Drilling in reinforced concrete is a specific operation, very difficult for high-quality performance. This is due to the sharp heterogeneity of reinforced concrete, as well as the uncertainty of the passage of reinforcing rods through the thickness of the material. In this regard, the use of a diamond drill can cause cracking in the tool, and a HSS drill will have low durability.

Diamond drilling

The most effective way to drill holes in a concrete wall is through diamond drilling. The peculiarity of these works is that you can move even at an angle. You can immediately start installing socket boxes or other appliances. Very little dust is generated. The main disadvantage of such drilling is the sometimes prohibitive price of equipment and the impressive cost of the work itself.

The nuances of correct drilling in concrete

In order for the drilling of concrete to be successful, a number of important nuances are taken into account:

• Punching holes with a diameter of more than 12 mm and a depth of 100 mm is best done with a hybrid power drill-hammer drill.
• For plastic dowels, the depth of the hole is made 7 mm more than the length of the fastener. The stock will be clogged with concrete dust when the dowel is inserted.
• Work begins at medium speed of the drill without impact mode. The speed is increased when the drill is 4 mm deep. At the same time, the drummer mode is turned on. Such a measure is necessary to prevent the drill from moving along the wall from strong vibrations.
• The drilling process is accompanied by a lot of dust. If you turn on the vacuum cleaner, flying concrete particles will be immediately sucked up and not litter the room.
• While clamping the drill in the chuck, check that the shank enters all the way.
• Work with a low-power drill for a maximum of 15 minutes. 10 minutes is enough for rest. Before starting work, the drill is dipped in water. A little trick to reduce wear on the cutting solder.
• When punching a through hole at high RPM, a piece of concrete may chip off the back of the wall. Reducing RPM helps to avoid damage.

If the drill is stuck in concrete, do not try to remove it with hammer blows or loosening with pliers. The shank will break off from such actions, and the screw part will remain inside the wall. It will be possible to remove the stuck element only if holes are drilled around it with a small diameter drill.

Drilling in concrete can be considered successful if the ultimate goal is achieved and the tool is not broken.

The most suitable way

You must decide what is the best way to drill the concrete walls. A conventional drill is often used. It is convenient if it is two-handed, which will facilitate the process, because the master will need to make a lot of effort.

If large-scale work is planned in the apartment, then you can drill the wall using a puncher. To make holes of impressive diameter, you should take a motor-drill. Its power should start from 5 kW. There are no such household models, so such a device cannot be powered from a single-phase network.

Drilling technology

When analyzing the topic of how to drill a concrete wall with an ordinary drill, it should be understood that certain nuances must be taken into account for successful drilling:

• If you need to get a deep hole with a large diameter, it is better to drill it with a hybrid drill with a hammer drill.
• When making a hole for the dowel, you need to drill to a depth greater than the fastener. Then this stock will be clogged with dust when driving the dowel.
• It is recommended to start drilling without turning on the percussion mode, setting the average tool speed. After deepening the drill, the RPM is sharply increased while simultaneously adding the hammer mode. Doing so eliminates the possibility of drill displacement due to vibration.
• A lot of dust invariably appears during operation. It is advisable to turn on the vacuum cleaner, then the flying particles will be sucked in by it.
• Clamping the drill, it is required to insert its shank all the way.
• They work with a low-power drill no longer than a quarter of an hour. Then take a ten minute break.
• If you wet the nozzle before drilling, the wear of its cutting solder will decrease.
• If a through hole is made, reducing the speed at the final stage will help prevent concrete spalling from the opposite side.

When the drill is jammed in the monolith, you cannot remove it by hitting with a hammer, trying to loosen it with pliers. The jammed part can be removed by drilling a small hole nearby.

The procedure is successfully completed, when the final goal is reached, the instrument remains intact.

Chisel

This tool can be of various shapes and purposes. The pointed chisel looks like a pyramid with a sharp end or a cone. They dismantle the old finish and punch holes in the concrete floors. The spatula chisel has a curved shape and resembles a screwdriver, only its cutting edge is thin and wide. It is recommended to use it before drilling holes, as the chisel cleans the surface of old concrete layers.

There is also a flat chisel, it differs from the previous types with a pointed tip. A flat chisel is considered the most common in construction work, its cutting edge can be from 1 to 4 cm in size. over, the smaller it is, the more effort will have to be made when drilling. To punch channels in a concrete wall, use chisels of a special shape, which are called a strober. This nozzle is equipped with special wings, they rest on the surface and allow you to adjust the depth of the hole when drilling.

Which hammer drill to choose?

It is difficult to drill holes in concrete slabs, as they have increased strength and often have a heterogeneous structure, including crushed stone, metal reinforcement and other fillers. A hammer drill helps to cope with such a task; it can perform drilling both with a blow and without a blow. Therefore, when it is necessary to carry out such construction work as the installation of plumbing, air conditioners, removal of old finishes, installation of electrical wiring, you cannot do without this tool. This device is multifunctional and is designed for drilling wide and deep holes.

Before you start drilling concrete, you need to choose the right perforator, since it is available in several types, each of which is characterized by its own technical capabilities.

Now on sale you can find simple household and advanced professional models of a hammer drill. Household ones, as a rule, are used for drilling holes in houses and apartments, they have a power of up to 900 W and are equipped with an SDS-plus cartridge. The devices of this type are represented by the trade marks Black Deker, Bosch, Hundai, Skil, Enkor and Caliber. As for professional models, they are suitable for all socket outlets, have additional vibration protection and can work for a long time without interruption. Professional devices from manufacturers such as Dewalt, Makita, Hitachi and Metabo have also proven themselves well.

In addition, when purchasing a perforator for working with concrete, you should pay special attention to several indicators.

• The number of operating modes. Single-mode devices for working with a concrete slab are not suitable, since they are simple and have the functions of an ordinary drill. Dual-mode devices are capable of drilling (drilling with impact force), it is recommended to choose them when it is necessary to make through and blind holes in concrete. These types of rock drills can simultaneously hit and rotate the drill, they are produced from durable metal. Three-mode devices are also considered ideal for working with concrete surfaces. They are versatile, impact without rotating the nozzles and quickly drill through concrete, exposing its solid structure.

• The weight. Impact devices, depending on their weight, can be light, medium and heavy. Lightweight models are electric tools with a capacity of up to 800 W, their weight does not exceed 4 kg. They are most often purchased for processing simple floors. For work with natural stone and concrete, it is best to give preference to middle-class devices that weigh up to 8 kg and have a power of up to 1200 watts. It is possible to drill a hole in concrete with a diameter of more than 40 mm using heavy devices, their weight is more than 8 kg, and the impact energy exceeds 13 J.
• Engine location. Today, manufacturers produce devices with horizontal and vertical motor placement. Horizontal rock drills are of a simple class, they are easy to use, but they cannot cope with concrete surfaces.

They can only drill small holes. Therefore, if you plan to chisel large and deep holes, then you must choose a tool with a vertical type of engine placement. It can work for a long time, since the motor is better cooled in this position.

How to work properly?

It is difficult to drill a concrete wall, but with a quality tool and certain skills, anyone can cope with this task. The main thing is to follow all the precautions and rules for operating the punch. Novice masters should take into account a number of points in their work.

• Holes can only be drilled on pre-prepared concrete surfaces. They must be free of dirt, loose layers and oil stains. In loose concrete, you should first expand the point for the future hole. This is necessary so that the drill does not move in different directions and does not slip. Expansion is usually done with a self-tapping screw or a large nail.
• Work with the device in a perpendicular position to the concrete floor. Otherwise, the drill may break when drilling holes.
• With hammer drilling, it is necessary to switch the operating modes in a timely manner. For drilling, enable the “drilling” option, and for “hitting” concrete. “impact”.

• In the process of work, the perforator and nozzles need to be given a short time to cool. Therefore, it is recommended to take short breaks of 15 minutes. In addition, periodic cooling with water will help protect the drills from overheating.
• For drilling concrete, you must also have a hammer or triangular punch on hand. This is useful if there are rubble and reinforcement in the concrete floor. Metal elements are most often processed with a drill for metal, but crushed stone can only be removed with a punch.
• Drilling holes in a solid concrete wall is easy using a simple hammer drill without impact mode. To do this, in the process of work, you will have to periodically insert the punch, hit it with a hammer and gently turn it in the hole, then continue drilling.

For this kind of work, it is important to have a drill made of carbide.

• The workplace should be kept clean, therefore dust and concrete chips should be removed from the hole after each drilling. If this is not done, then the contamination will interfere with the drill, and the process will be delayed. Dust can be removed with both a brush and a vacuum cleaner.
• Sometimes the drill can get stuck. In this case, it must not be shaken. The bit is carefully detached from the hammer, then the largest drill is taken and the tip that is stuck is released. In this case, you must try not to touch it.
• In concrete surfaces, holes should be made 10 mm larger than the intended dowels. Thanks to this, they will better fit into the ceiling.

Types of attachments

Construction work on the processing of concrete slabs or walls is carried out, as a rule, using a perforator, which is often called a drill by craftsmen. This multifunctional tool is sold fully equipped with attachments. Their sizes vary. The main drill bits include a chisel, drill, bit, diamond drill and lance. Longest drill bit.

The drill is characterized by a spiral shape and is used to drill cylindrical holes. The chisel allows for dismantling, it removes old tiles, plaster and other finishes. The pike has a large diameter and, unlike a drill, is capable of quickly punching holes in concrete floors. The channel drill is designed to create grooves in concrete during the installation of communication systems. The crown is used when it is necessary to drill holes of a certain diameter for switches and sockets.

This type of attachment differs from conventional drills in that it has the shape of a “tail”. Drills are classified as disposable tools, since after long-term use they are practically not subject to renewal and sharpening. The main advantage of the drill is that it is able to clean concrete chips from the holes when drilling. It is recommended to choose this nozzle for drilling deep holes; for drilling through and blind holes in concrete, a drill with a diameter of 6 to 32 mm is suitable.

If it is necessary to drill concrete, the structure of which includes reinforcement, then it is advisable to give preference to diamond-coated nozzles.

Milling cutter

It is a special type of nozzle, with which you can easily make a hole of any complexity and size, including for socket outlets. If work is carried out on reinforced concrete, then you need to purchase cutters with a diameter of 68 mm or more. However, it is important to consider the surface density and the desired hole depth while drilling. For large and deep holes, cutters with a diameter of 100 to 150 mm are often used.

The length of the cutter also plays a huge role, as standard it is 60 mm, but if you want to make deep holes, then you need to use a tool up to 550 mm long.

How to drill a concrete wall with a hammer drill?

• Which hammer drill to choose?
• Types of attachments
• Boer
• Drill
• Chisel
• Milling cutter
• Drilling steps
• How to work properly?
• Recommendations

Concrete is considered the most durable material, so it is difficult to drill. There are many technical ways to create holes in a concrete surface, but the most popular and effective is drilling with a hammer drill. Thanks to this device, work is done efficiently and quickly.

Drilling steps

Before you start drilling a concrete slab, you need to prepare not only the cutting tool, but also the workplace itself. The area where work is planned must be completely free of unnecessary items, tools, unauthorized persons and provided with good lighting. Additionally, it is also worth checking with the detector if there are any communication pipes or electrical wiring in the overlap. The drilling site must be thoroughly cleaned. If the concrete surface is loose, mark and expand the point where the future hole is planned before drilling.

Then the puncher itself is prepared. The control of the cartridge is done, a special lubricant is applied to its inner surface. After that, the cartridge is installed and secured well. Since drilling in concrete is a difficult and time-consuming process, you will have to periodically monitor it during operation so that the machine does not overheat.

To reduce the risk of overheating, you should also make sure that the tips are sharpened.

Further, all operating modes in the equipment are monitored. For this, it is connected to the network and the operation is monitored at idle speed. This check usually takes no more than one or two minutes. If there is no vibration and extraneous noise in the device, then you can proceed to direct drilling. If there is a smell of burning and smoke, you will have to carry out additional diagnostics of the device, finding out the causes of the malfunction.

Then the drill or drill is installed in the intended place of drilling, and the device is connected to the electrical network. It is recommended to start drilling with low nozzle RPM, then the rotation speed should be gradually increased. The tool must be held during operation in the correct position, avoiding distortions. When the hole is filled with concrete particles, the drill is removed and the workplace is cleaned. In the event that during drilling it is necessary to use several nozzles, then they are installed and removed in the off state of the rock drill.

Drill

When choosing drills, it is important to look at their “tail”. This is due to the fact that the design of the chuck and the apparatus often does not correspond to the tail of the drill. The Speed ​​X SDS-max drills work well on concrete surfaces. They are durable, equipped with additional cutting elements and guarantee fast drilling. Most drills also have special channels for removing dust, they are located in the head of the nozzle, they provide accurate direction of shock waves and evenly distribute the impact force.

To quickly and efficiently drill concrete, use drills with a diameter of 12 to 52 mm. Their length is different and ranges from 200 to 1200 mm. The choice of this or that drill size depends on the complexity of the work and the depth of the holes. The main feature of the drills is that their spiral part is placed at a certain angle. This allows the attachments to quickly form holes and remove waste material from them.

Drill selection

To carry out the work, a drill or a drill for concrete is used. Many users who want to save money have a question whether it is possible to drill a concrete wall with a metal drill. When trying to start drilling, the working edge is worn out, the tool becomes unsuitable for further operation.

Diamond drilling

To cut holes in concrete reinforced with metal reinforcement, a diamond core bit is used, installed in special equipment. The tool supplies water to the working area, which cools the bit and flushes out the resulting dust. The installation allows you to make a hole with a large diameter, there are no damages and chips on the edge of the channel.

Power selection

To make holes in concrete surfaces, a tool with a power of at least 600 W is required. The rotational speed is selected depending on the diameter of the drill and the characteristics of the processed material. The employee independently selects the speed, reducing the emission of dust into the air and reducing the likelihood of chipping off wall fragments when drilling a hole.

Drilling a hole

The user needs to know how to properly drill a concrete wall. The tool with the installed drill or drill is installed against the pre-marked wall. The equipment is held by the main handle with the right hand, the left hand is holding the drill body.

The drill rests against the surface of the wall, then the motor turns on at low speeds. If the speed control is not provided, the operator gives several switching impulses for 1-2 seconds, ensuring the deepening of the cutting edge of the drill into the concrete surface.

At the same time, the perpendicularity of the tool and concrete wall axes is monitored. Then drilling is performed with the hammer mode turned on, the cutting speed is determined by the force of pressing the drill and the rotational speed of the drill or drill.

When drilling deep holes, it is recommended to remove the drill from the channel to remove dust and debris. When meeting with metal reinforcement, it is allowed to use a drill for metal, in most cases the impact force of a drill in a perforator is enough to destroy a bar made of mild structural steel.

Surface preparation

The surface of the wall is marked, crosses are applied in the place of the proposed holes with a soft pencil. Some users use a core that makes holes. If drilling is carried out in a residential area, then a plastic wrap is laid on the floor. Collected concrete chips are disposed of together with household waste.

Perforator

Drilling a hole in concrete is done with a hammer drill or hammer drill, the tool allows you to drill channels up to 500 mm deep. The disadvantages of using the equipment are increased noise during operation and the risk of wall destruction due to vibration loads.

Drilling holes in concrete, simple,,,w/the right tools!

Drill device and drill installation

The drill uses an AC brushed electric motor. The design of the motor provides a speed controller, which is displayed on the power button. To reduce the speed and increase the torque, a gearbox is used, a tool with a 2-stage gearbox is found.

A cam chuck is attached to the output shaft of the gearbox; a latch chuck is used in rotary hammers. The perforator gearbox is equipped with a separate unit that ensures the formation of the translational-rotational movement of the drill.

Before drilling the concrete surface, the drill must be secured. The tool is placed in the chuck, the jaws ensure the alignment of the drill and the axis of the chuck. The drill is placed inside the chuck for the entire length of the shank; it is prohibited to lengthen the working part of the tool by pulling the shank out of the chuck. Use a wrench to tighten the chuck (included with the drill).

Preparation for work

Before starting work, the drill is installed in the tool. The centralized electrical supply is turned off in the room. Extension cords are used to supply current, which are connected to the junction box. The operator wears goggles and a mask to protect the eyes and respiratory system from dust.