Pro tip: “The most important thing to do is to mark the spot with a pencil and start drilling slowly to create a stable guide hole,” says DiBara.

Second, the fastener. The typical go-to is often a blue screw that [sometimes works]. I need [one that works] all the time. For small holes, I choose a Spax #10 Multi-Material screw. It’s the same screw I use for wood-to-wood connections and it works all the time in brick. And, it’s rotary hammer all day for me.”

Method When preparing to drill into the steel a centre-punch must be used first to put a dimple into the metal. This is to to help prevent the tip from wandering, but even so some care must be exercised to keep the bit on the mark before it starts to cut and form its own hole.

From hanging interior artwork to mounting a garden hose reel on the exterior, there are many reasons you might want to drill into brick. Some projects may involve just one hole and others, like building a deck or mounting a floating shelf, can involve drilling multiple holes.

Vary the pushing force until you find the point where the bit bites into the brick. Then drill the pilot hole to the recommended depth using a steady pushing force. Let the tool do the work. Hold the tool firmly. Don’t force it.

Before you start drilling into brick, consider safety. Equip yourself with eye protection and gloves. Depending on the tool you plan to use, hearing protection can be a good idea. Also, an N95 respirator can help protect you from brick and mortar dust that contains crystalline silica, which will be airborne when you start to drill into brick. Inhaling just a small amount is enough to create a health hazard. Wearing an N95 respirator during the entire drilling and cleanup process can help prevent serious lung scarring and other damage, as this type of product will filter at least 95 percent of airborne particles.

Insert wall anchors or other fasteners designed to support the full weight of the item, and mount the wall hanging or exterior fixture with screws.

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With your eye protection and respirator still in place, clean up any large mortar or brick chips with a broom and dustpan. Suck up the remaining dust with your shop vacuum fitted with a pre-filter. Or, mop the floor and rinse the mop.

Rotary Hammerdrill

”Selecting the right tools for the task will enable you to drill effectively into bricks,” says Matt DiBara, fourth-generation mason contractor at DiBara Masonry in Los Angeles, California, and co-founder of The Contractor Consultants. He suggests using a hammer drill and a tungsten carbide masonry bit.

The terms “drill/hammer drill” and “rotary hammer” are often used interchangeably, even among industry pros. While both tools do, in fact, “hammer” and they both pulverize masonry and concrete while evacuating dust out of the hole being drilled by the flutes in the bit, they do it differently.

heavy-duty hammerdrill for concrete

These days they're commonly available in three finishes, bare steel, black oxide and "titanium-coated" (more accurately, coated in titanium nitride).

”If you are drilling into bricks, you must periodically wash the drill bit to clear away brick dust and prevent overheating,” says DiBara. “The speed should be increased gradually for a clean entry.”

Drill/hammer drill bits have carbide tips and a smooth shank that can be chucked into a typical three-jawed chuck. While rotary hammer bits are also carbide-tipped, they have a shank that is inserted into a bit holder called SDS max. Of the two tools, the drill/hammer drill is much louder and less powerful. It’s more for DIY applications. A rotary hammer is a more expensive and far more robust tool, and is typically for professional use.

“I’ve drilled enough holes into brick and masonry to have learned a few things that help me with future projects, namely whether to drill into mortar or brick. There are so many voids in mortar joints, I’ve sworn them off. Sure, it’s easier and works sometimes, but sometimes isn’t good enough.

As you position the object on the wall and lay out the required holes, your next decision will be whether to drill into the brick or the mortar. You’ll find lots of conflicting opinions on which option is better, but the correct answer really depends on a number of factors: the type and age of the brick, the depth and diameter of the holes, the type of anchor you use, and the weight you’re placing on the fasteners.

If you want to drill a larger hole with a drill/hammer drill, you need to drill a series of holes to prevent the bits from melting and to gradually make the hole larger. After drilling your pilot hole, swap in a larger bit. Again, check your drill/hammer drill to make sure it’s level and perpendicular, then place the drill bit into the pilot hole and continue drilling to the proper depth.

I am making beds for my garden and am using treated wood with steel bracket like things. I need to make holes in them and the wood. I am doing 12 of these beds, what bit will hold up and cut through both the wood and steel.

Best drill for brickwall

It's still possible to buy carbon-steel twist bits today, especially if they're very cheap. The durability of these bits when boring into steel can be low, especially if heat is allowed to build up during drilling (this can literally cause a bit to go blunt the first time it's used — if the tip goes blue it got too hot and will have 'lost temper', becoming little harder than the steel brackets you're drilling into).

Drilling into brick isn’t difficult with the right tools. After successfully creating a hole in a brick wall, you can use this technique to drill into concrete block or concrete, as well. This skill opens up the opportunity to create the backyard oasis that may have seemed impossible before. So mount that outdoor TV and create that water fountain feature wall you’ve been dreaming about.

If you’re using a ladder, make sure it’s level and the legs are on a solid surface. Then get into a position that’ll allow you to apply a significant pushing force to the end of the hammer drill while maintaining your stability.

Best drill for brick and concretereddit

A drill/hammer drill or rotary hammer are the right tools to drill into brick. Typically, a drill/hammer drill is for small holes and a rotary hammer is for larger holes that are more than ⅜- inch in diameter.

Personal protection Wearing eye protection is advisable, and especially if doing the drilling indoors ear protection too (common foam earplugs are fine for this level of noise).

As it was said in the comments you are going to need a HSS (High Speed Steel) drill bit which just means that the drill bit is extremely hard and resistant to heat. There are also titanium HSS bits which are just covered with a titanium oxide but then you wouldn't be able to sharpen them if you ever needed to do so.

If it’s an option, consider renting a rotary hammer and the carbide masonry drill bits instead of buying them. You’ll need two to drill larger holes: a smaller bit for drilling a pilot hole and a larger one that’s the recommended size to finish the job.

MasonryDrillBit

I thought I might as well convert my Comment above seeing as nobody else posted an Answer specifying the exact bit type.

Make sure to measure the depth that you need to achieve with the hole by measuring the fastener you intend to use. Refer to the product’s instruction sheet for recommended hole depth and set the stop guide on the hammer drill.

Most bare steel bits will be HSS, short for high-speed steel, a hard and durable alloy that is highly resistant to softening at high temperatures. Both of the other types can be HSS under their respective coatings too.

Insert the ⅛-inch drill bit into the hammer drill to drill a pilot hole. Set the drill on low speed and hold the drill with two hands, one on the pistol grip and the other on the auxiliary handle. Make sure the drill is level and perfectly perpendicular to the wall. (Drilling at an angle will cause mounting alignment issues and can greatly reduce holding power.)

Brick is the primary exterior wall material on 14 percent of the new 641,000 single-family homes sold in 2022, and decorative interior brick is often used to add warmth and beauty to a home. However, it’s not as easy to hang your artwork, curio cabinet, shelving, or a heavy flat-panel TV on a masonry wall as on a wood stud wall with drywall on top. Still, you don’t even have to call in a professional to hang your TV. You just need the proper tools and you need to know the right technique for how to drill into brick.

HammerDrill

Even though HSS is very heat-tolerant you may need to lubricate periodically during drilling (e.g. with 3-in-One or motor oil, fresh or unused) to prevent buildup of excess heat. The steel may drill much more slowly than you're used to but don't press hard to get the bit to pierce it, as always it's best to let the tool do the work at its own pace.

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Once the bit has gotten through the steel and enters the wood expect it to suddenly increase its boring speed, so be prepared for this as the drill may jerk which always comes with the risk of a snapped bit.

Brick usually holds better and supports more weight than mortar. However, if you have old, fragile brick and you’re mounting a heavy object that requires deep holes and expansion-style anchors, deep holes weaken the brick, and expansion anchors can create enough circular stress to crack the brick.

In addition to weighing which material makes the stronger bond, take a minute to consider how you’ll handle patching and hiding the holes if you drill in the wrong spot or remove the item later on. You can patch mortar holes with a tube of mortar repair, but it’s much harder to match brick color and texture when it comes time to fill those holes using mortar compound that you might have to mix yourself

While the reasons for drilling may be varied, the methods you use are essentially the same. The biggest variables have to do with the weight of the item that you plan to attach to the brick, and the condition of the mortar or brick into which you want to attach said item. Always make sure to choose a mounting method that is rated for the weight.

Best drill for concretewalls

Also, if there are plantings or other delicate areas underneath or around the area, lay down a drop cloth or tarp before you begin.

Drilling into brick starts with selecting the right tool, marking the proper locations, and working steadily and carefully. Follow these steps to drill into brick.

Besthammerdrill for concrete

After cleaning up the worksite, remove your shoes outside and use compressed air to blow off the dust. Then wash your clothes and shower to avoid spreading the silica dust through your house.

It’s generally easy to drill into mortar. The mortar joint is probably suitable for attaching lighter-duty items like lightweight wall art. However, keep in mind that there are often unknown or unpredictable voids in mortar that you can’t see, which can make it difficult for the fastener to attach.

Start drilling the pilot hole using just enough force to start the drill bit. If the pilot bit starts to “walk” away from the marked location, use a nail set or steel punch—a nail might even work—with a hammer to tap a dimple into the brick so you can re-start in the right location.

If your bricks show signs of cracks or spalling, find another brick that is sound or attempt to drill into the mortar so the anchor’s circular expansion forces push against fully intact bricks. Another strategy is to attach a French cleat to sound bricks that will allow you to distribute heavy weight across multiple bricks.

Remove all traces of brick or mortar dust from the hole using compressed air. Leaving dust in the hole will reduce the holding power of the wall anchors and screws you insert.

It sounds like for what you are doing the HSS bits would be fine for drilling through the metal and wood but depending on the materials you may want to look at a step bit such as this but I doubt that would be necessary.

Edit: To add on to what I said before, step bits are a good choice of drilling if you are only drilling sheet metal or metal that is relatively thin (1/8" -1/4"). Also when drilling metal at anytime to counter the extreme heat generated you are going to want to use a lubricant such as motor oil or just look up "metal drilling lubricants" into google and you will find many available for purchase that are more specific to metal drilling.

Measure and mark the locations of the holes you’ll drill into brick or mortar using a pencil. Then, hold the TV mounting brackets, artwork, shelving unit, or template for whatever it is you intend to hang directly over the marks to double-check the hole locations.