DRILLING A HOLE IN BRICK, CONCRETE OR TILE

Whenever you have to drill a hole in brickwork or concrete, whether its for a fixing or for a pipe / cable, etc to pass through, once you have marked the centre of the hole start drilling using a good quality masonry bit with the hammer or SDS action switched off so the drill bit creates an indentation, then you can continue drilling the hole with the hammer or SDS switched back on without the drill bit sliding all over the wall and removing your centre mark. If the hole you are drilling is larger than 8mm I would start off with smaller drill bits and increase the size, re-drilling the … [Read more...]

WHICH DRILL? HAMMER OR SDS

Which drill? Hammer or SDS

Safety tip :- Always use safety goggles/protective eyewear when drilling holes in masonry. To drill holes in masonry you obviously need some form of power/battery drill, which one you choose depends on the material you are drilling the hole in and how big a hole you wish to drill. Power/battery hammer drills are usually adequate enough for general domestic use, i.e. drilling fixings for screws and plugs, but if you have to drill a hole in excess of 8mm, I would use a power/battery SDS (Special Direct System) drill to do the job. If you have never used an SDS drill before I guarantee … [Read more...]

COMBINED METAL, VOLTAGE AND STUD DETECTORS

  These detectors are an invaluable addition to any DIYers toolbox, if you drill a wall for a fixing and hit a hidden pipe or live cable, it can be an expensive and frustrating mistake to make. They are simple to use, first read all the instructions so you fully understand how it works as there may be different settings for each material to be detected, they usually have solid or flashing leds to show a pipe, cable or stud has been detected, this is sometimes accompanied with an audible tone. It is good practice to use your new detector on a wall where you know a pipe, cable or wall … [Read more...]

WHICH SCREWS DO I USE 1 ?

Choose the appropriate length of screw for the job, if you are fixing a piece of timber to a wall there should be at least 2/3 of the screw in the wall. Does the screw need to have an anti-corrosive coating for exterior work. Will the screw be used as a fixing into hardwood, if so drill a pilot hole so the wood doesn't split and the screw head doesn't shear off (more common with brass screws). A popular screw with both DIYers and professionals is the Phillips or cross head screw. They are ideal for use with battery drill / drivers and if the screw is being driven in by hand there is … [Read more...]

WHICH SCREWS DO I USE 2 ?

If you are fixing something to a wall the first thing you must do is to ascertain how heavy it is and what is the wall made of, eg brick, plasterboard, thermal block etc. Experience does go a long way to help you decide what size / type of screw and plastic rawlplug you should need and the more DIY you do the better your judgement will … [Read more...]