# Drilling one hole into a cement-brick wall... **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 24, 2013, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drilling-one-hole-into-a-cement-brick-wall/653847 "2013-03-24T20:48:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![JohnGalt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johngalt/32/184_2.png) [@JohnGalt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnGalt)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2013, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drilling-one-hole-into-a-cement-brick-wall/653847/21 "2013-03-25T15:57:21Z")
FWIW - This is one of the most useful questions asked here lately - something that’s not easily answered on Wikipedia, so I think it’s appropriate to ask. What I did last year was use my regular (3/8") B&D drill with a masonry bit and just kept at it. Depending on your bolt size, either get a masonry-compatible anchor, or a bolt/screw that’s meant to secure into masonry. I don’t recall the brand name, but it’s blue! ---
**Author:** ![Crafter\_Man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crafter_man/32/458_2.png) [@Crafter\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crafter_Man)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2013, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drilling-one-hole-into-a-cement-brick-wall/653847/22 "2013-03-25T15:59:17Z")
Last year I had to drill a 1.5 inch diameter hole through the concrete slab of my barn. I went down to the tool rental company and rented a hammer drill and masonry bit. This thing was _ **big and heavy** _. So heavy, in fact, that I didn’t even have to apply any downward force to the drill – the weight of the drill was enough to push the bit through the slab. It took about 10 minutes to make the hole. It was really pretty simple… all I had to do was keep the drill upright and squeeze the switch. I would suggest wearing ear protection and eye protection. You may also want to wear a dusk mask. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2013, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drilling-one-hole-into-a-cement-brick-wall/653847/23 "2013-03-25T16:09:33Z")
Thats been my experience too. Those big hammer drills are worth the rental. The savings in my time and perspiration are worth the cost. I used one building my deck. I needed to secure a post and railing to my house’s concrete foundation. I’ve had really good luck renting from Home Depot. I rented a small concrete mixer last summer for a shed I assembled in my backyard. Half day rental because I was only doing a 4x8 slab. Back in 2010 I rented a vinyl tile cutter and tiled my kitchen floor. I couldn’t do my home projects without access to the proper tools. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2013, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drilling-one-hole-into-a-cement-brick-wall/653847/24 "2013-03-25T16:13:12Z")
> [@Crafter\_Man](#): > > Last year I had to drill a 1.5 inch diameter hole through the concrete slab of my barn. > > I went down to the tool rental company and rented a hammer drill and masonry bit. This thing was _ **big and heavy** _. So heavy, in fact, that I didn’t even have to apply any downward force to the drill – the weight of the drill was enough to push the bit through the slab. > > It took about 10 minutes to make the hole. It was really pretty simple… all I had to do was keep the drill upright and squeeze the switch. > > I would suggest wearing ear protection and eye protection. You may also want to wear a dusk mask. From the vague description in the OP, I’m pretty sure we’re talking about a CMU wall and probably something on the order of a 5/8" anchor, so all of that is most likely unnecessary. CMU is very porous and drills easily unless you’re trying to drill on a mortar joint, but even then it’s no biggie. Concrete is another animal altogether, of course. ---
**Author:** ![Rocketeer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rocketeer/32/4437_2.png) [@Rocketeer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rocketeer)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2013, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drilling-one-hole-into-a-cement-brick-wall/653847/25 "2013-03-25T16:30:06Z")
Yeah, I’m with **Chefguy**. I’ve drilled holes in my concrete-block walls using a masonry bit in my old Black and Decker conventional drill. No problem. ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2013, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drilling-one-hole-into-a-cement-brick-wall/653847/26 "2013-03-25T17:28:41Z")
> [@HoneyBadgerDC](#): > > Stoid, you don’t need a hammer drill for a cement block wall. A masonry bit and any drill will do it. I recently had about 20 bolts to mount on my fence with 1/2" anchors and my 3/8 black and decker worked fine. Block walls drill much easier than poured concrete. This is my experience as well. I wanted to hang vinyl cosmetic shutters on a brick house. Just stuck a masonry bit on the old Black and Decker and made holes–no big deal. Now if I wanted to poke a hole in a driveway pad I might have to rethink the tools and go for the hammer drill. But bricks & mortar or cinder block? Masonry bit on a regular drill motor. ISTR getting about a dozen holes before having to change out the bit. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drilling-one-hole-into-a-cement-brick-wall/653847.md?page=1)