Home Improvement

How to Drill a Hole in a Wall

Trying to do DIY things at home for the first time is quite an exhausting task. Speaking from my own experience. I was trying to hang a picture frame on my wall, and drilling a hole felt like a milestone.

But then I started experimenting with my drills and this is how Power Tool like a Drilling machine has helped me in this case.

image - How to Drill a Hole in a Wall
How to Drill a Hole in a Wall

So, to drill a hole in a wall, you first have to check what kind of wall it is. After that, you can easily select the suitable drill and drill bits for drilling the hole. All you have to do is to follow my instructions and then you can easily drill a hole in the wall.

How Do You Know If It’s Safe to Drill into A Wall?

Whether you are using a mechanical tool or an electric tool, safety is the first thing that comes before using a tool. So, to know that the point in the wall you are drilling into is safe, you should check for kind of cables, pipes, or any metallic things.

For this purpose, you can use a multi-purpose detector or a stud finder. Both of these tools help in detecting any kind of cable or object. Moreover, there is another tip for this safety purpose. You should not drill near any type of electric switch, electric board, water pipeline, or metallic object in the wall.


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A Drill Bit Guide for Drilling a Hole in A Wall

Before drilling, you should choose the right drill bit for the wall hole. Different drill bits are designed for different materials. So, you should use the right one. Otherwise, you will end up creating a mess. The following is a drill bit guide for different kinds of walls:

  • For House Walls

House walls are usually made of bricks or plasterboard/sheetrock. So, first, inspect your house’s exterior wall. If it’s made of bricks, then you should use masonry drill bits. These drill bits are designed for strong materials like brick, stone, and block.

You can identify them by their arrow-shaped heads. An example of the masonry drill bit is the MP500 bit from Bosch.

However, if the wall is made of plasterboard or sheetrock, you should use a drywall drill bit. You can identify them by their pointed ends.

  • For Concrete Walls

Concrete walls are hard, so they require sharp drill bits. So, you can use masonry drill bits to drill holes in concrete walls. These drill bits have a tip that is smaller in diameter than the head so that it easily fits into the concrete wall.

  • For Wooden Walls

Wooden walls require extra care while drilling a hole. For this purpose, you should use wood twist drill bits. These drill bits possess a central point that helps in drilling a hole more precisely. An example of this kind of drill bit is the spur point bit. Moreover, you can also use tapered drill bits to prevent any kind of ripping.

How To Drill a Hole in A House Wall?

Here is a step-by-step guide for drilling a hole in a house wall:

  • Identifying The Type of Wall

Drilling a hole in a house wall seems like a tough task until you know what kind of house wall it is. Identifying the type of wall saves half your drilling time. House walls are mostly made of bricks or plasterboards.

  • Choosing The Right Drill Bit

Choose a drill bit for drilling a hole in your wall. Moreover, choose the right drill bit size. If you want to drill a small hole, select a small drill bit and vice versa. Moreover, keep the size of the drill bit smaller than the nail head so that it easily fits into its place.

  • Selecting The Spot and Checking It

Select the spot where you want to drill a hole. Then check it with the help of a stud finder to avoid any kind of a mess.

  • Marking The Spot

Mark the drilling spot with the help of a marker. After this, take a nail and a hammer. Then, put the nail on the spot and strike it with a hammer. This will help with more precise drilling.

  • Drilling The Hole

Put the drill bit on the marked spot and start drilling slowly by pressing the speed trigger on the drill. You can also set the speed ranges on the drill if you want to drill a deeper hole. And that’s it.

How to Drill a Hole in A Concrete Wall?

Drilling a hole in a concrete wall is as easy as drilling a hole in a brick wall. Although both brick and concrete have the same hardness, it requires some techniques to do this job:

  • Choosing The Right Drill

If you want to do small tasks, you can use a regular drill on a concrete wall. But you should choose a hammer drill or a rotary drill if you are going to drill a large hole.

  • Selecting Drill Bits

Here again, we are going to choose masonry drill bits for drilling holes in concrete walls. As masonry drill bits are hard, they can easily drill through the concrete. You can also choose SDS drill bits with sharp carbide tips if you want to drill small holes. However, if you want to drill a large hole, you should choose a larger bit.

  • Marking and Drilling

Mark the point where you want to drill a hole. Then put your drill on the marked point and start drilling slowly. You can drill the hole in the first turn, but if the hole is not reaching the required depth, you can take the drill out and then start drilling in the forwarding direction again. If you are going to drill a pass-through hole in the wall, then drill through the wall from inside and outside. This will help you create a smooth hole without disturbing anything inside the wall.

How To Drill a Hole in A Wooden Wall?

A wooden wall is more sensitive and lighter than a brick or concrete wall. Therefore, drilling a hole into a wooden wall requires more care so that you are not left with a worn-out wall.

  • Choosing The Bit

For wooden walls, you should choose spur point bits with pointed tips. These bits help with more secure drilling and prevent any kind of a mess.

  • Making A Mark on The Wall and Using a Drill Bit

Mark the point on the wall where you want to drill a hole. Mark it precisely so that you will get the hole at the exact point that you want. After that, take a piece of masking tape and point it at the drill bit to the point where you stop the drill.

  • Drilling Through the Wall

Now put the drill bit on the exact point and start drilling slowly. As wood is sensitive, we suggest slow drilling to prevent any destruction. Keep drilling until you reach the point where you have put the masking tape on the drill bit.

How to Drill A Hole In A Wall Without A Drill?

The drill is the modern tool for drilling a hole. However, two popular methods were used by people in the past. The following are the methods for drilling a hole in a wall without a drill:

  • Using A Hammer and an Awl

An awl can create a hole larger than a nail but smaller than a drill. For making a hole, take a hammer and precisely place the awl on the selected point of the material. After that, place the hammer on the awl and start stroking it until the awl is in the material. Now remove the awl slowly and that’s it.

  • Using A Hammer and a Nail

Like drill bits, nails are also available in different sizes. So, choose one of your choices. Now place the nail in the position. After that, take the hammer and strike it on the nail until a hole is formed in the material.

Conclusion

Drilling a hole might feel exhausting, but with the selection of the right drill, drill bits,  and by taking proper safety measures, you can easily find the answer to how to drill a hole in a wall.

No matter what kind of wall it is, you can easily drill a hole by following our techniques. However, if you don’t want to use a drill for it, you can also use our methods for this purpose.

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Published by
Perla Irish