Why Won't The Drill Go Through Brick

 Why won’t your drill go through brick

 

1. The drill is on the wrong setting

One of the most frustrating things that can happen when you’re using a drill, is that your drill won’t go through the brick.  Sometimes this can happen if you have the drill on the wrong setting for the job you are doing.  Most drills have a few different settings on them that you can change by turning a dial or flicking a switch, and there are commonly three different settings.

 

The first is the drill setting which is used for drilling through wood, plastic, or other similar materials - nothing too hard or solid.

 

The drive setting is generally used for driving screws in with, often into many different types of material.

 

Finally, there is the hammer setting, which is where the drill gets its name from.  This setting is used for drilling into much harder materials and it’s called a hammer setting because it uses a backward and forwards actions, similar to that of someone using a hammer, to drive the drill into the brick wall or other solid material.

 

2. Drill is in reverse

Although this seems like a pretty obvious thing, it’s a mistake that is often made - even by professionals.  Most drills have a reverse switch on them where the drill will rotate the opposite way to what it usually does.  This is so that you can use the drill to remove screws or nuts instead of having to do it manually.  It can also be useful for removing the drill bit from a hard piece of wood - putting the drill in reverse will help you to remove it if it has got stuck.

 

So if your drill is set in the reverse (anti-clockwise) mode then the drill bit probably won’t go into the brick as most drill bits are designed to only drive in when they are rotating clockwise.

 

3. Wrong drill speed

One of the main problems you will encounter when trying to drill into brick is your drill bit overheating, and this usually occurs when you are using too much speed on the drill.  Most hammer drills have a speed setting on them, which will be indicated by a dial with numbers or bars on it.

 

It’s always best to go slowly when drilling into brick so that your drill bit doesn’t overheat.  Going slowly will also help you to drill holes that are straight.

 

4. Incorrect pressure

It can be easy to use too much or too little pressure when drilling, and too much pressure usually ends up with either your drill bit snapping or the motor in your drill burning out.  Too little pressure can cause the drill bit to move around instead of going exactly where you want it to, which can cause the surface you’re drilling into to end up chipped or damaged.

 

The easiest way for you to find the right amount of pressure when drilling is to start steadily with a small amount of pressure and gradually increase it until the drill bit begins to drive into the brick.  Then, as the drill bit begins to drive into the brick, gently remove some of the pressure.

 

5. Incorrect drill bit

If you find that your drill isn’t going into the brick, then one of the most common reasons why is that you are probably using the wrong drill bit.  If your drill bit is too small then there is a chance that it could snap, and if it’s too big then the drill will struggle to create enough power to rotate it and drive it into the brick.

 

Not only that, but the material that the drill bit is made from can make a difference too.  Carbon or diamond tipped drill bits are the best for drilling into brick with as they will generally stay cooler than standard ones.

 

 

How to drill through brick with a hammer drill

1.  First of all, it’s important to make sure that you have all the appropriate safety gear on.  There is always a risk of dust and debris getting into your eyes so goggles are a must, and as drills can be loud when going through brick then you should also use ear defenders.  A dust mask will also prevent you from inhaling any of the dust that is produced while drilling.

 

Not only should you make sure that you are wearing safety gear, but if your drill is electric then you should ensure that the cord is not going to be a trip hazard, and if you are using a ladder then it should be properly stabilized so it’s safe to use.

 

2. Next, you need to mark where you are going to be drilling each hole.  This is important so that you always get your hole exactly where you’ve planned to put it, after all, there’s nothing worse than making a hole and then realising it was nowhere near where it should have been!  Not only that, but if you are mounting something onto the wall, then you should make sure your holes are level or it could end up hanging a bit crooked.

 

It’s a good idea to use a spirit level or a laser level to check that your holes are 

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