Help: Drilling through concrete block and hitting resistance!

[Mark Duncan]

I'm a rewbie to all this. I need to drill a hole in a brieze block wall from my kitchen through to my garage, but when I get about 4cm into the brick, I hit something that I can't get any further through. I know that I'm nowhere near any piping or cabling (I've tried several different locations on the wall too), and I can't think what might be stopping me.

For info, my drill has hammer action and is 500W (I know this may be slightly und3er-powered for the job). any advice would be gratefully appreciated.

Thanks

Mark

[alex.shaw]

Alex.

[David]

I wouldn't that personally, not without having a fair idea what the obstruction is... eg the end of a steel-reinforced lintel isn't going to do the masonry bit or the drill a lot of good!

What exactly is the wall made of? You mention separately 'concrete block', 'breeze block' and 'brick', which are quite different in hardness. Your drill should certainly go through breeze block like a hot knife through butter (and the others should be no problem either).

Is the kitchen wall plastered? Is it possible you've just drilled through the plaster layer - very soft - and have just hit the solid brick?

How far apart have your test holes been? Could there be a steel-reinforced lintel in the wall (eg above/immediately to the side of a doorway or window?)

Probably a daft question; but you did admit to being a rewbie (sic) - I take it you are using a suitable masonry bit on the drill?

HTH

David

[Andrew McKay]

What I'd be tempted to do in this case would be to drill a small hole (maybe a couple of small holes - the other can flash some torchlight in there whilst you are peeking thru the other) in the side of the window or door frame on that wall, so that you can take a peek at what is between the cavities at the point where you are drilling.

It is possible that you are trying to drill thru something rather substantial that won't be easily recognisable from the outside, and you might seriously regret trying to force the drill through after the event.

Your 500w drill with masonry bit isn't ideal for the job BTW. As I recently remarked on this forum, I bought myself an SDS drill recently and suddenly realised what I'd been missing all these years. I had been trying to use a 650w drill beforehand, and it just couldn't cut the mustard as far as hard brick was concerned - SDS just pushed its way thru no problem.

Andrew

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[Simon]

Or use a Cobalt bit in an old 9.6 volt cordless .. i was astounded!!! ... it went through brick that my hitachi hammer drill was struggling with, like it was butter!

[Niel A. Farrow]

If you are drilling close to a door or window you may have hit a metal lintel or window fixing etc. Once happened to me when drilling a hole for an ariel wire. Neil

[Mark Duncan]

Thanks to everyone for all the useful advice so far. To respond to various helpful comments in the onbe place:

- I am not drilling near a door or window.

- My test holes are around 20 cm apart, both vertically and horizontally

- I am using a masonry drill bit that should certainly be up to the job (sorry, don't have spec to hand at the moment)

- I'm drilling into a brieze block from my garage. On the garage side, I am about 3-4 feet above ground level. Since my kitchen is slightly elevated, this should bring me out about 15cm above the kitchen floor level.

In the same region, there is already a pipe coming thorugh from the kitchen radiator, so I guess I'm probably looking at a more powerful drill. Failing that, I might just bite the bullet and get someone in that knows what they're doing :o)

Cheers

Mark