Drilling Brickwork

[hussar]

Hi how do i drill brickwork to fit extractor fan.Do i start inside
our out ? How do i line the 2 holes up Thanks in anticipation

 

[Softus]

Use a diamond core bit and a power drill with a suitable clutch to avoid injury if the drill snatches - hire it/them if necessary.

Start by drilling a pilot hole all the way through. When drilling with the core bit, start from one side and then move to the other side when the pilot shaft emerges - that way you'll get a clean hole, and one that lines up.

 

[noseall]

Softus's way is most commonly used, particularly by tradesmen, but not the only way.

you should always first drill a pilot hole all the way through both leaves of masonry, as said earlier.

you can then draw round a piece of 100mm drain pipe using the pilot hole as a centre.

then drill a series of holes following the line, about 25mm apart.

then chisel out the hole.

we then cement in a piece of pipe as a sleeve for the extractor unit.

p.s. only use a decent s.d.s. drill.

 

[Softus]

That's all good, and will save money on tooling at the expense of labour and of quality of finish, but you still have the problem of keeping the perimeter of hole neat, so for this method I would do the stitch drilling half-way through from each side and then chisel out the less visible parts (if/where necessary).

 

[JohnD]

Speaking as an ignorant amateur, in my early years i used to make holes in walls with rings of holes, hammer and chisel.

From the first time I hired a core drill, I would never go back. It's so easy I found myself going round the house looking for suitable places to make big holes (extractor fans, tumble drier, cooker hood)

 

[Thermo]

It's so easy I found myself going round the house looking for suitable places to make big holes

and now hes renamed the house to swiss cheese cottage!