How to Drill into Concrete Without a Hammer Drill?

You’ve got two problems! One, you need to make a hole in your concrete wall. Two, you don’t have a hammer drill. Oh wow! You don’t have enough money in your pocket to buy one. Your days couldn’t get worse.

WAIT! No need to pull your hair right away. Even if you don’t have a hammer drill, you can make a hole through your concrete wall if you know some simple hacks.

However, there’s a catch. You need a regular drill to get the job done. I prefer drills from DeWalt, Bosch, Makita, and Black+Decker. Make sure your drill has at least the following three features.

Head that comes with changeable drill bits
The speed settings should be variable
The torque settings should be variable.

Got all these things already? Cool. Here’s how to drill into concrete without a hammer drill.

Why the Head Should Have Changeable Drill Bits?

Nice question. You see, even concretes have their types as well. Who knows? It might be too strong to drill through in the first place. If the head of your drill comes with changeable drill bit settings, it means you can experiment with different drill bit types.

Besides, you can also carry out other drilling tasks, like, drilling bricks, wood, mortar, and even metal. Now, concrete walls always need heavy-duty hammer drills.

It’s because they have these strong drill bits, which are specially made to make a hole through concrete. However, if the regular drill is the only option you’re left with, you better change the drill bits as the standard ones won’t do you any good.

Why You Need Adjustable Speed and Torque Settings?

Since dealing with concrete walls is a bit complicated, you might have to change the speed and torque some time. A combination of both lower speed and higher speed is necessary depending on the condition of your wall.

Besides, variable torque and speed settings allow you to have secure control over the drill and you can complete your task with ultimate accuracy and precision.

How to Drill into Concrete Without a Hammer Drill?

Below I’ve talked about all the made-easy steps that can help you create a hole into the wall without using a hammer drill.

Read: How To: Drill Into Concrete

Start with a Small Masonry Drill Bit

Let me tell you a myth: Diameter drill bits can make holes through concrete fast. WRONG! You might end up damaging your concrete wall using a powerful diameter drill bit.

Rather, go slow with baby steps. Choose the tiniest masonry drill bit you have and start creating a small pilot hole. This will make the concrete pretty weak. This will be a plus for your ‘regular drill’ to work.

Change Your Drill Bit

Now that you’ve already made pilot hole, the surface of the concrete must’ve been broken. Plus, this should’ve removed debris and material leftovers. This will make your second drilling process much easier.

You can change your drill bit and choose a more significant one. Choose the drill bit that goes with the size and depth of the hole. This should get the job done.

Use Hammer and Nail

If you feel like something’s blocking you and you’re not being able to drill through, using a hammer and a nail can be pretty handy here.

Take a long pin and place it into the hole in such a way that it protrudes.
Now hit the nail using the hammer. This will break the blockage. If there’s any debris or dirt, it will be loose as well.
Whatever you do, don’t hammer it too much. You can have the holes distorted.

Use Water If It Needs

Regular drills can overheat as you keep on drilling. The reason? Like I’ve said, it’s not powerful like the hammer drill. If you notice your drill is overheating, you can add a little amount of water to the drill. This will decrease the friction and the temperature, allowing the drill to cool down. Besides, you’ll get more efficiency as well.

Focus On Efficiency Rather than Speed

The whole process may give you a sloth-like experience since you’re not using a hammer drill here. So be patient. Don’t use too much speed, or you may end up wearing the drill bit down. Keep the speed and torque medium and make sure the force and pressure you put are gentle. You’ll be good to go.

Final Words

Now that you know how to drill into concrete without a hammer drill, all you need to do is follow the steps as per guidelines. Just make sure to keep your cool.

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