Drilling through concrete such as your basement wall or floor is not as difficult as you might assume, but it's good to have a bit of knowhow and the right tools to get the job done. Otherwise, you may waste time and damage tools that are not strong enough or not meant for the job and create a huge mess in the process. Before you start drilling away at any type of concrete at home, either inside or outside, note the following.
1. Use the right drill
To drill through concrete, it's good to invest in the right drill and bits. Note that the older concrete is, the tougher it gets, as the materials that are mixed to make up concrete will harden over time, so if your home is older, it's even more important to get the right tools for the job.
Choose a drill with a hammer action, as this will help to break up the concrete as it's drilled, rather than simply trying to push the drill through the concrete. Diamond-tipped concrete bits are the best choice. Masonry bits may not be strong enough to break through toughened concrete. Many masonry bits are meant for brick or mortar, and these material are much softer than concrete. To ensure you can do the job and not break drill bits, get a drill with a hammer action and invest in diamond-tipped concrete drill bits.
2. Score and start drilling
Score the area where you'll drill with a thick chisel or old screwdriver. This means to mark it off and then hammer the chisel into the area so that it makes a dent. This will allow you to start drilling into the concrete itself while keeping your drill steady. Once you've scored the area to be drilled, you want to start drilling at a slow speed with firm pressure against the drill. This will allow the drill to start breaking up the concrete without too much pressure being put back onto the drill.
3. Drilling
Once the drill bit has penetrated the concrete, now you can turn up the speed and let the drill do the work. Ease up on the pressure and allow the drill bit to cut through the concrete on its own. You'll be able to feel how easily it cuts or if you need to apply more pressure to push it through toughened concrete. If the material is softer, it may kick up more dust, so you may need to stop periodically and water down the area to check your depth.
For more tips, or if you'd like to leave the work to the professionals, contact a local concrete drilling company like Hardcut Concrete Sawing Drilling.
Share30 July 2015
Everything changes as time goes on including concrete. In the past, for example, decorative concrete was a luxury, while now it is a mainstream staple, and I anticipate that concrete will change even more as the future rolls around. Hi, my name is Nicole, and I own several investment properties including one commercial building full of clients. As owner, I often have to pay concrete contractors to do work around my properties and even on the buildings themselves because I have concrete balconies on my commercial buildings. Twenty years ago, I knew nothing about concrete, but now, I know a lot, and I'm eager to share. Please explore!