Drilling holes in walls

[Albannach]

Am I doing something wrong?

I live in a ~60 year old local authority house, so the build quality will never be brilliant, but it should be at least good? Anyway, any time I try to fit anything to one of the walls, it looks like I've used a blunt chisel and a big hammer to make the hole; as opposed to a good drill and a good bit.

Do any of you have any tips on drilling holes into walls, or tips on how to fix my inevitable mess, I never seem to get it right.

[BUSHWHACKER]

You need to use a rotary hammer drill, the type with the big body and take SDS type drill bits. DIY hammer (percussion) drills won't do it.

[Wolfracer]

What are drilling through?

Brick, wood, concrete or breeze block.
I assume its plastered?

What are you using to drill the hole?
Percussion drill ( little "standard" drill set to hammer) and a masonary bit - it is masonary isn't it?
Or like has been said an SDS drill?

Where is the mess? in the hole, or just the plaster blowing off?

[Rustinho]

It'll depend mainly on the surface that you're drilling into (concrete, brickwork, plasterboard, etc) as to what to do to get the best out of it but I'm sure you know that already.

One thing I remember working with crumbling masonry (can't remember where I picked the tip up from) but painting the area with PVA (diluted about 1 part PVA to 4 parts water) helps to hold porous materials like concrete, plaster, etc, together quite well if you do it a day (or few) beforehand.

The only thing I can add is that given the quality of some housing association places that have just been built near where I live - they'll be lucky to be alright in 6 years time, never mind 60.

Foundations? Whats the point in them? Just lay a plastic sheet on the ground and level it off with gravel...

[97T4R]

You must drill into a stud if you are hanging anything as plain sheetrock wont hold the weight.

To fix your current mess you can either use just spackle if its within an inch big, but if it is bigger i would suggest getting a piece of plywood and secureit to the backside of the sheetrock, i would then cut a new piece of drywall/sheetrock in as a shape conforming to the cole, to finish it you need to spackle the small gaps between the old and new sheetrock, you will also find that if when the spackle is dry and looks a bit rough you can sand it down.

The pic illustrates what i am explaining to do:




I have this set and highly reccomend it.

http://www.amazon.com/Makita-LCT300W.../dp/B000V2BRM2

[noobysurfer]

You probably have lath and plaster Walls which are a pig to get fixings in, I know as I'm a joiner and have had my fair share of plaster disintegrating!!! Depending on what you need to hang or fix to the wall it's best to get a fixing to the masonry behind the timber and lath. I have put a few plasma tv's on these types of walls and use a pad of mdf fixed to masonry as it spreads the surface area and there is little or no plaster damage! Plasterboard fixings are pish,toggle fixings are ok for light to medium weights, or if you are really lucky you'll strike the timber upright the lath is nailed to! If all else fails phone someone with a drill!!!

[Wolfracer]

Best stuff to fill holes with is
Knauf joint cement lite easy sand.
available at travis perkins.
Its a pre mixed filler for jointing tapes on drywall applications, but, is EXTREMELY useful as an all purpose filler, in wood, plaster or anywhere else where impact strenth is not important.
I've used it to overskim whole walls before. The finish is really fine, so can be sanded to a super smooth surface, very easily. Takes a day or 2 to dry properly, but will sand VERY easily.
Blummin good stuff.

[Albannach]

Sorry, I should have said, plastered walls into brickwork.

I am using (Dewalt) percussion drills, switched to hammer and usually B&D Pirhana bits.

Dodn't think an SDS drill was needed, but I have one so I'll give it a go next time!

[Albannach]

If all else fails phone someone with a drill!!!

I'm a bloke, I have many drills (7 at the last count)...

[Wolfracer]

If it's feasible, drill a pilot hole first, this will guide the bigger bit and stop it wandering.
A world of difference between percussive and SDS types. I now only use SDS, even for tiny holes, its just so much easier.

[BUSHWHACKER]

Sorry, I should have said, plastered walls into brickwork.

I am using (Dewalt) percussion drills, switched to hammer and usually B&D Pirhana bits.

Dodn't think an SDS drill was needed, but I have one so I'll give it a go next time!

SDS drills have a knocking action which punches through the hard stuff, rather than the fast hammer action of a percussion drill, that just burns the drill bit..

[Albannach]

I have a cheap SDS, maybe time to buy a good one. Any recommendations?

[BUSHWHACKER]

I have a cheap SDS, maybe time to buy a good one. Any recommendations?

Depends how often it'll get used really.
I bought a cheap £40 one from Argos about eight years ago and it's still going strong. Don't use it that much, only for drilling with core drills and into stone.

[Sancho]

Get a club hammer and smack the bejesus out of the back of the drill whilst you're drilling. Always works for me.

[Wolfracer]

Makita.


If you notice, they come in "weights" any 5kg model will blast its way through most surfaces, and you can also get ones that have a jack hammer (static chisel) setting. I got mine for about £50 from B&Q (own brand)and is holding up quite nicely. I got it mainly to bore 110mm holes for soil and vents. It has a mechanical clutch to stop you breaking your arms off when it grabs. This is very important!

But you get what you pay for. Depends how much you want to spend to drill a couple of holes!