Drilling into concrete is nothing like working on wood or plaster. If you want to know how to drill a two-inch hole into concrete properly, you can’t just grab any old power drill. Sure, you can certainly poke some holes into the concrete with most drills. However, a standard or hammer drill will likely do more damage than good for larger, smooth holes. Instead, it would be best if you had a more specialized tool for the job. After doing this wrong a couple of times, I did a deep dive into concrete tools. Luckily, I’ll share everything I learned, so you don’t have to make the same mistakes. Getting a nice, non-jagged hole in concrete is surprisingly easy when you have the expertise. Doing the job right the first time will save you a lot of headaches. Plus, it would help if you didn’t have to fill in any ragged holes or start over.
How do you drill a 2-inch hole in concrete? To drill a two-inch hole in the concrete, you need a core drill bit. Using this style is easier on your hands. Wear proper safety goggles to avoid eye damage. Then, make sure you’ve marked the exact location you need to drill. Carefully line up your bit and drill.
Steps to Drill A 2 Inch Hole in Concrete
Drilling a smooth two-inch hole in concrete is easier than you think. You will need a marker or piece of chalk, a core drill, and a two-inch carbide masonry bit. It is also a good idea to wear protective goggles, a mask for dust, and clothing you don’t mind getting messy.
You can use a hammer drill for this process, but I recommend a core drill as they leave a smoother finished result. Plus, core drills are a little easier to work with. Follow the steps below to make that hole.
- Check for infrastructure before you drill. You don’t want to hit the waterlines, electrical conduits, or anything else vital. In most places, the city or county will come out and mark where utilities are if you’re drilling on the ground. Meanwhile, your home plans should show you where power and pipes are located.
- Collect your materials and don your safety gear.
- Mark the exact spot where you want to drill.
- Set the depth stop for a quarter-inch longer than the hole you want or mark the side of your bit.
- Drill a guide hole using a masonry screw.
- Place your drill on the guide hole and brace it, keeping it at a ninety-degree angle to the walkway, floor, or wall where you are working.
- Start on the lowest setting for better control. Remember that steady but not forceful pressure is fine, and you don’t need to push the drill to do its job.
- When you have the hole you want, and blow or sweep the mess away.
A high-quality BlueRock Z-1Core Drill from Amazon comes with one, two, three, and four-inch drill bits. You will love the new and improved water hose for easy, low-dust drilling. Not only is this core drill easy to use, but it makes superb, clean holes with a steady hand to guide it. To have Amazon deliver to your door, click here.
How to Drill A Six-Inch Hole in Concrete?
Drilling a six-inch hole is remarkably like drilling a two-inch hole. The biggest difference here is the bit you will use. You will want a coring drill for this project.
Follow the steps outlined above with one difference. Choose a tubular, diamond-edged bit in place of the carbide masonry bit. A larger hole needs a different tip to get that smoother, finished look you want because it’s removing more material.
Can You Use A Regular Drill To Drill Into Concrete
You can use a regular drill to drill into concrete, but it’s not a great idea. Knowing how to drill a two-inch hole in concrete will give you some idea as to why. Both hammer drills and coring drills are made to eat through incredibly dense material like rock and concrete. Your basic, tool-box accessory drill simply doesn’t have the same power.
When you use a standard drill on concrete, it takes a lot more force to push the bit into the material. You can’t use large coring bits the same way. More importantly, you must use more physical force to push the tip into the concrete.
A household drill will likely start to heat up from the overexertion. This can cause burnout, and in extreme cases, it could start a fire. Additionally, the heat on the end can also cause the bit to break off. Not only is this dangerous, but it can leave half a drill bit inside your hole.
Check out this excellent Coring Drill by BlueRock Tools for your concrete holes. The dual speed, 2100rpm/950rpm drill can handle the toughest concrete. With a maximum drilling diameter of four inches, you’ll find plenty of compatible BlueRock bits for your two-inch hole needs. Moreover, the arbor size is 1 1/4″ 7UNC, which is the industry-standard coring bit mounting type. Read the outstanding Amazon reviews by clicking right here.
What Is The Best Drill Bit For Boring A Hole In Concrete
Whether you’re learning how to drill a two-inch hole or a ten-inch hole in the concrete, having a good bit helps. Just as you need the right drill, the right bit will make the whole project go smoothly. More importantly, the wrong bit might not do the job at all.
Tungsten carbide is a combination of cobalt and tungsten. The material was created in Germany during the nineteen twenties. The process for making it involves high heat and pressure to compact powders together into a solid. Thus, you get a sturdy material that can hold up against extreme pressure.
A high-quality tungsten carbide bit is designed to handle this type of pressure. Its durability may surprise you. According to Azom Tungsten Carbide is also known as Hard Metal because of its hardness. At sixteen hundred HV, this tough metal is quite literally harder than most other metals. For example, mild steel is rated around a hundred and sixty HV or about ten percent of the hardness of Tungsten Carbide.
Alternately, you can use a diamond-edged bit. However, unless your project calls for it specifically, choose the tungsten carbide bit first for masonry work. A diamond bit is great, but in this case, it’s only second place.
The Happybuy Core Drilling Machine from Amazon is ideal for making large diameter, six-inch holes in concrete. With 1600 watts of power, this drill will make quick, clean work of your cored holes. A steel-forged output shaft and copper-made inlet are compatible with water so that you can work dust-free. Plus, the non-water seal cage design reduces maintenance costs. To learn more about this durable tool, click here.
How Do You Drill A Small Hole In Concrete
Drilling a small hole isn’t the same as drilling a two-inch hole in the concrete. Typically, when you want a smaller hole, it is for fasteners or something similar. Anchoring small objects in, for example, a concrete wall or block doesn’t require the larger boring-type bits that remove a chunk of material.
It is important to note that you will always want to drill the hole at least a quarter-inch deeper than the object you intend to insert. A hammer drill is good for this type of work. Look for a model with an adjustable depth stop. This is easier than marking your depth.
Unfortunately, you can pass the necessary depth all too easily without this feature. More importantly, with smaller holes, you are also likely dealing with a thinner slab of concrete. Rather than risk punching through to the other side, a depth stop will physically halt the drill from going deeper.
A standard masonry bit that looks like a long drill bit rather than a cylinder bit is the tool of choice. The 5/32 bit is good for many masonry screws but always double-check before you make a hole. Additionally, it is imperative that you use proper masonry screws as other types of screws will not work as well in your holes.
Pro-Tips: Once you have the hole, make sure to clean it out before inserting your screw. A small can of air, such as you might use to clean a keyboard, is ideal for blowing out small holes. If your concrete is crumbly, which it should not be, you may need a deeper hole and longer screw to anchor properly.
Final Thoughts
There is a significant difference between putting a small hole in the concrete and drilling a two-inch space out neatly. While many standard power tools and hammer drills have their place, you need a coring drill for large holes. Using a different tool may eventually work, but it will damage your drill, bits, or concrete in the process.
Concrete can be tough to work with. Luckily, it’s supposed to be that way, and the solidness has many fine uses. If it were too easy to poke holes in, then the concrete would be useless for most things we need, like creating a stable base for homes and sheds. You want durable concrete, but to get through it that means having tough tools.
Skip the unnecessary problems and patches and use the right tool for the job instead. Some things are fine with DIY solutions but getting a large diameter smooth hole in concrete is not one of those things.