Hanging anything heavy on masonry means boring a clean, correctly sized hole. Drilling into brick, concrete block and poured concrete each behave a little differently, and knowing how to approach them makes anchors hold and bits last.
Know Your Material
Brick is fired clay, fairly hard but drillable with a good carbide bit. Concrete block (breeze or cinder block) is softer and hollow-cored, so bits pass through the face shell easily but then hit an air gap. Poured concrete is the hardest and densest and may hide steel reinforcing bar. Mortar joints are softer than the brick itself, which is why fixings often go into the brick face rather than the joint for strength. Knowing which of these you are facing tells you what bit, what drill and what kind of anchor to reach for before you make a single hole.
The Right Bit and Drill
Use a carbide-tipped masonry bit for all three materials. A standard hammer drill copes with brick and block; for structural concrete, an SDS rotary hammer removes material faster with far less effort. Match the bit diameter exactly to the anchor you are setting — the packaging for a wall plug or sleeve anchor always specifies the hole size.
- Brick: drill the brick face, not the softer mortar, for a strong fixing.
- Block: use a longer anchor to reach past the hollow core.
- Concrete: an SDS hammer and quality carbide bit save time and wrists.
Technique for Clean Holes
Mark your spot and start slowly without the hammer engaged to keep the bit from wandering. Once the hole is established, switch on hammer action and apply firm, steady pressure — let the tool pound while you simply guide it. Keep the bit square to the surface so the hole stays straight and the anchor seats properly. If you hit rebar in concrete, stop; move the hole or switch to a rebar-cutting bit rather than forcing through and burning your masonry tip.
Depth and Dust
Drill slightly deeper than the anchor length so debris at the bottom does not stop it seating. Wrap tape around the bit or use a depth stop to gauge it, and check the anchor packaging for the recommended embedment depth. Pull the bit out repeatedly to clear dust from the flutes and the hole; packed dust slows cutting and prevents anchors from gripping. Blow or vacuum the hole clean before inserting a plug or adhesive anchor — a dusty hole dramatically weakens the hold, and it is the most common reason a fixing pulls loose later.
Safety and Bit Care
Masonry drilling throws sharp grit, so wear eye protection and a dust mask; silica dust is a real hazard. Let the carbide tip cool rather than overheating it under heavy pressure, and keep tips sharp. Well-made American-made carbide bits stay keen through many holes and give you the crisp, correctly sized results that anchors depend on.