Trouble drilling into walls

G

gingertimmins

Member
hi, on a number of occasions I have tried putting some shelves up and it has been a right old stress.
It’s only happening upstairs but off the top of my head, I think I have only tried putting up shelves upstairs.

The problem is that I can drill one hole fine and the next one will allow me to drill in so far but then I’ll hit something that’s impossible to get through. Once or twice it has made me slip off centre and end up gouging a chunk of plaster out.

I’m using a new masonry bit in a Bosch corded drill with hammer action.
The house is 1900ish terraced house and the wall seems to plaster on brick.

Does anyone have any tips as its driving me nuts!
 
don't apply too much pressure on the drill.

let it do its own work
 
Could be brick, very hard brick,a normal hammer drill won't touch it,need a sds rotary hammer drill,which has a more powerful more substantial hammer action.
 
Hi,

I definitely go with both Goldenboy and Kiab. What you're doing, with the available equipment is fine but when I've had similar problems I've reverted to a my SDS drill (slow and heavy). If you don't have access to SDS then you might try dropping down a size or two, as a pilot may go through easier - again, not too much pressure - e.g 6 mm for Rawlplug, try 4 mm to start.

To help, ensure you hit the right mark, try the Marxman pen (green chalk marker). They are excellent and now cost less than £5 at Screwfix, Toolstation, etc.

Good luck.
 
Roebuck said:
you might try dropping down a size or two, as a pilot may go through easier - again, not too much pressure - e.g 6 mm for Rawlplug, try 4 mm to start.
Click to expand...


Does make it harder to use hammer once there is a pilot hole(hammering into partial void).
 
Perversely, also a problem on old houses is that any hammer action can be too powerful and you end up with 2 inch holes. You just don't know until you drill, and it can vary from brick to brick.

Always try a drill bit a couple of sizes below the one you need and try without hammer action. Then work your way up from there.

Regain the OP, that sounds like something like engineering brick. I agree with the others, a small pilot hole would be easier, then widen out.
 
Roebuck said:
Hi,

I definitely go with both Goldenboy and Kiab. What you're doing, with the available equipment is fine but when I've had similar problems I've reverted to a my SDS drill (slow and heavy). If you don't have access to SDS then you might try dropping down a size or two, as a pilot may go through easier - again, not too much pressure - e.g 6 mm for Rawlplug, try 4 mm to start.

To help, ensure you hit the right mark, try the Marxman pen (green chalk marker). They are excellent and now cost less than £5 at Screwfix, Toolstation, etc.

Good luck.
Click to expand...

Heller Trijet are excellent bits to use on hard brick (from competitor) if you have a sds drill.
 
Thanks guys, I’ve tried letting the drill do the work but it just keeps me standing there forever until I apply some pressure. That’s when it all goes wrong.

Would there ever be some sort of steel reinforcement running through the brickwork?

I’ll try starting with a smaller bit.
 
Like already said you need a better drill an sds one, maybe hire one for the day you will notice a big difference in performance
 
Sparkielev said:
Do you know anyone who has one ? I have seen people drilling with a hammer drill, it painful to watch the drill screaming like a seal in a propeller
Click to expand...
Not that I can think of, I’m pretty new to bristol and any people I do know aren’t really hand/ diy inclined!

Now I have the perfect excuse no to put up a shelf when the GF asks me to!
 
I was wondering if there was flint or pebbles in the wall and that's what he was hitting?
 
gingertimmins said:
Not that I can think of, I’m pretty new to bristol and any people I do know aren’t really hand/ diy inclined!

Now I have the perfect excuse no to put up a shelf when the GF asks me to!
Click to expand...

Screwfix Titan SDS corded 240v hammer drill, usually about £65, really cannot go wrong, it's superb for the money.
 
chippie244 said:
I was wondering if there was flint or pebbles in the wall and that's what he was hitting?
Click to expand...

Could be stone, with brick quoins and render outside giving the assumption it's all brick, or could just be tough as a navvies jaw and his masonry bit isn't getting near.
 
Jord86 said:
Screwfix Titan SDS corded 240v hammer drill, usually about £65, really cannot go wrong, it's superb for the money.
Click to expand...
Jord86 said:
Screwfix Titan SDS corded 240v hammer drill, usually about £65, really cannot go wrong, it's superb for the money.
Click to expand...

Jord86 said:
Screwfix Titan SDS corded 240v hammer drill, usually about £65, really cannot go wrong, it's superb for the money.
Click to expand...


Gingertimmins,

You're welcome to borrow my SDS and bits but I'm in Everleigh (40-50 miles, I guess)
 
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