Guides

How to Drill Into Concrete Without a Hammer Drill

Q: Can you drill into concrete without a hammer drill?

Yes, but only for small fixings and shallow holes. An ordinary combi drill with carbide-tipped masonry bits, a centre punch mark, steady pressure and frequent dust clearing will get through concrete, mortar and dense block for wall plugs up to 8mm. For large or deep holes, or poured reinforced concrete, a hammer drill or SDS rotary hammer is far faster and safer for the drill.

Q: What drill bit do you need for concrete without hammer action?

Use a masonry bit with a tungsten carbide tip and a wide flute, not a standard HSS metal bit. Match the bit diameter to the wall plug (for example 6mm bit for a red 5mm plug, 7mm for a brown plug) and choose a bit long enough to drill deeper than the plug by a few millimetres.

Q: Why does my drill bit get hot or stuck in concrete?

Heat means the tip is rubbing rather than cutting, usually from too much speed, too much pressure, a dull bit or packed dust in the flutes. Ease off the pressure, drop the speed, withdraw the bit to clear dust, and replace the bit if the carbide edge is chipped or rounded.

Q: Is it worth buying a hammer drill if I only drill concrete occasionally?

If you drill a handful of holes a year, an 18V combi drill with hammer mode already covers you and adding a compact hammer drill or SDS rotary hammer only makes sense once concrete work becomes routine. The time and bit life you save pays for the upgrade when you face lintels, engineering brick or repeated fixings.

Q: Do I need an SDS drill for concrete, or is a combi drill enough?

A combi drill with hammer mode handles light concrete fixings. An SDS rotary hammer drills faster, runs cooler, hammers with far more energy and transmits less shock to your hands. For anything above a few 6 to 8mm holes, or any hole above 10mm in concrete, SDS is the right tool.

By James Walker · 21 August 2026 · 8 min read

Concrete looks like one material, but the wall in front of you could be soft block, dense engineering brick, precast lintel, or poured reinforced slab, and each one drills completely differently. If you own an ordinary cordless combi drill and not a hammer drill or SDS rotary hammer, you can still put fixings into most of them. You just need the right bit, a starter mark that stops the skating, and a technique that clears dust instead of packing it. This guide explains when an ordinary drill is enough, what to actually buy, and the exact method that gets clean holes without cracked plaster or a burnt-out drill.

Before we go any further, one honest boundary: drilling without hammer action is slower, harder on bits, and only sensible for small fixings. If you need several holes above 10mm, any holes in reinforced concrete, or you are drilling into lintels and floor slabs, stop and use a proper hammer drill. The rest of this guide is for the common case where you need to hang a shelf, a TV bracket, or a curtain rail in a UK home that turns out to be harder than you expected. For the general approach to masonry, our companion guide to how to drill into brick covers plugs, bit choice and the full workflow, and our roundup of the best drill bit sets in the UK compares the sets worth keeping in the drawer. If you do want to upgrade later, battery hammer drills and the tool that makes drilling into concrete genuinely easy both have their own guides.

What hammer action actually does, and why concrete fights back

A hammer drill does not just spin. It hammers the bit forward thousands of times per minute while it rotates, cracking the aggregate and cement ahead of the carbide tip so the edge can shear material away. Concrete is cement paste, sand, and crushed stone, sometimes with steel reinforcement inside, and it is much harder and more abrasive than ordinary brick. Without that pounding, the tip has to grind its way through stone grain by grain, which is why the same drill and the same bit can go through a stock brick in twenty seconds and barely dent a concrete lintel.

That difference is exactly why advice like put more pressure on it is backwards. Leaning on the drill when there is no hammer action just rubs the carbide edge against stone at high pressure, which builds heat, dulls the tip in seconds, and packs dust into the flutes. What works instead is a slower speed, moderate pressure, and frequent withdrawal to clear debris, so the edge stays sharp and keeps cutting. You will not match the speed of a hammer drill, but you will get through a 6 to 8mm fixing hole if you let the bit cut rather than forcing it.

When an ordinary drill is enough, and when to stop and get the right tool

This method is reasonable for a couple of holes up to 8mm in blockwork, poured concrete block, or the concrete oversite in a garage or utility room. It is slow but it works, and the fixings hold just as well as any other hole once the plug sits flush. It is also fine for drilling through the mortar joints, which are almost always softer than the brick or stone they hold together. If you can move a fixing into a mortar course without affecting the layout, you often avoid concrete entirely.

Stop and use a hammer drill or SDS rotary hammer if any of these apply. You need holes of 10mm or above, you need holes deeper than about 50mm, the material is visibly reinforced with steel, or you are drilling a concrete lintel, floor slab, or retaining wall. You will also want hammer action for engineering brick, which is fired so hard and dense that it behaves much more like concrete than stock brick. You can force a hole into all of these with an ordinary drill and enough patience, but you will wreck bits, risk stalling the motor, and you may crack the surface because you are pushing too hard to compensate. At that point a Bosch GBH 18V-26 F SDS rotary hammer paired with proper SDS Plus masonry bits is not an extravagance, it is the cheapest hour you will ever buy.

Honest take: if 90% of your fixings are in brick, plasterboard and soft block, keep your ordinary drill and buy a handful of good carbide masonry bits. If concrete fixings are already a regular job, budget for a hammer drill now rather than replacing dead bits one hole at a time.

The bit matters more than the drill

The single most important purchase is a masonry bit with a tungsten carbide tip, not a plain twist bit. Look for the brazed carbide insert at the point and the wide dust flute. A standard HSS bit meant for steel or wood has no carbide and will lose its edge on the first few millimetres of concrete, which is exactly when people start pushing harder and things go wrong. Even a budget combi drill will out-drill an expensive one if only the cheap setup has a sharp masonry bit.

For an ordinary straight-shank drill, you want a ten-piece masonry bit set covering roughly 4mm to 10mm, because 5mm, 6mm and 7mm are the three sizes that actually match UK wall plugs, and a single snapped bit should not stop a job. Keep a mixed drilling and driving set in the drawer too for the pre-drill in softer material and for driving the screws once the plug is in, but do not put its high-speed twist bits anywhere near concrete. If you own an SDS machine and have been drilling without hammer out of habit, you need a set that fits the chuck. An SDS Plus set that covers 5mm to 10mm does the same job with far less effort because the hammer mechanism does the breaking for you.

Carbide is hard and therefore brittle. A bit that you dropped, jammed, or overheated may look fine but have a chipped edge that will not cut cleanly again. That is the moment to throw it away rather than leaning on it. Our guide to drill bit types explains the shapes and coatings so you can tell at a glance what you are actually holding, and the best drill bit sets piece compares the sets worth buying in the UK right now.

What else you actually need on the wall

Alongside the bit, three small things make the job dramatically easier. A centre punch gives the bit a crater to sit in so it does not skate across hard concrete and scratch the paint. An automatic centre punch is perfect because you press it like a pen and the spring fires the tip, no hammer needed. A short length of masking tape over the mark helps with visible plaster, and a vacuum nozzle held just under the hole keeps dust from grinding back into the cut. For lungs and eyes, a valved FFP3 dust mask and safety glasses are non-negotiable on concrete. The dust is finer and harder than brick and it will find your sinuses if you let it.

For fixings, match the plug to the wall. Nylon plugs hold in solid concrete, but in block with a hollow or in a skim of plaster over hard backing, a universal plug is more forgiving. Fischer DuoPower plugs expand, fold and knot depending on the substrate, so one box covers the ambiguity of an unknown wall. The rule stays the same as for brick: the plug packet tells you the bit size, not the screw. A red plug takes a 5mm bit and a 3.5 to 4mm screw, a brown plug takes a 7mm bit and a 4.5 to 5mm screw.

The method that works in concrete without hammer action

This is deliberately slower and more careful than drilling with hammer mode. Each step is doing a job that the hammer action would normally do for you.

Find out what you are drilling into. Tap the wall and look at the surface. A smooth grey face with visible aggregate and a very hard feel is concrete. A softer, more granular feel is dense block. If you see a steel lintel or feel a sudden stop with a clang, you have hit reinforcement or a metal beam and no ordinary drill will get through it cleanly. Move the fixing or fetch an SDS drill.
Mark and punch. Draw a pencil cross, put a short strip of masking tape over it, and fire the centre punch exactly on the cross. You want a visible dimple. On very hard concrete, two punches offset by half a millimetre create a slightly wider seat that holds the bit when it wants to wander.
Start without hammer, at low speed. Set the drill to drill mode, not hammer, with the clutch on the drill symbol. Seat the carbide tip in the dimple, hold the drill square to the wall with both hands, and start at the lowest speed that keeps the bit turning. You are looking for the carbide to bite and form a shallow seat before you add any speed.
Add moderate pressure and a modest speed. Once the seat forms, increase to a medium speed and push with a firm, even pressure through the forearms, not your whole body weight. If the drill squeals, judders, or the tip skates, back off immediately and resettle in the seat. A high speed just polishes the surface and overheats the tip, which kills it.
Clear the dust every few seconds. Every three to five seconds, pull the bit out while it is still spinning slowly and let the grey powder fall. Concrete dust packs tight in the flutes and jams the bit, which is the moment the drill tries to twist out of your hands. Hold a vacuum nozzle or a folded paper pocket under the hole to catch the worst of it. If you are drilling overhead, wear the FFP3 mask before you start, not after you taste the dust.
Drill deeper than the plug, then stop. Aim for the plug length plus three to five millimetres so the plug sits flush or slightly sub-flush, not proud. On concrete you are not looking for a fast breakthrough. A steady, cleared, cooled cut will be straighter than a forced one that cracked the surface on exit.
Test, vacuum, and fix. Blow or vacuum the hole clean, tap the Fischer DuoPower plug in until it sits flush, and drive the screw with the drill clutch set low. If the plug spins, the hole is oversize. Put a new plug in the next hole without enlarging it, or switch to a one-size-larger plug and a matching bit rather than packing the hole with filler.

Speed and battery tip: keep the speed moderate and the pressure even, and use a freshly charged battery. A sagging battery invites you to push harder to compensate, which is exactly how tips get dulled and wrists get twisted. A DeWalt DCD778S2T kit or a Bosch Professional GSB 18V-55 on a full charge has enough torque to do this job cleanly, while a tired drill tempts every bad habit at once.

Three ways to avoid drilling concrete at all

Sometimes the smartest hole is the one you do not drill. Before you commit to concrete, check whether you can avoid it entirely, because every alternative is faster and kinder to the building.

Move into the mortar. Mortar is dramatically softer than concrete or engineering brick. If the fixing position has even a few millimetres of play, shifting into a joint and using a universal plug can turn a ten-minute fight into a thirty-second job.
Use a fixing that does not need a deep hole. Light loads on concrete can be held with a frame fixing or a concrete screw that only needs a shallow pilot. For very light items, an adhesive fixing on a clean, dust-free face avoids the drill entirely.
Borrow or hire the right tool. Most Toolstation, Travis Perkins and hire shops will lend or rent an SDS rotary hammer for a day for less than the cost of a box of ruined bits. If you have more than four holes to make, that hire fee buys back your afternoon.

When it goes wrong: what the symptoms mean and what to do

Bit skates and will not bite. No punch mark, too much speed, or a glazed surface. Repunch the mark, start at the lowest speed, and keep the drill dead square to the wall.
Burning smell or hot bit. Too fast, too much pressure, or a dull edge. Stop, let the bit cool, drop the speed, ease the pressure, and if the edge is visibly rounded or chipped, replace the bit rather than forcing it.
Bit jams and drill kicks. Packed dust in the flutes or a hard aggregate grain. Reverse out, clear the hole, vacuum the dust, and resume gently. Brace the drill so a jam does not twist your wrist.
Hole is oval or oversized. Wobble or an off-square start. Repunch and restart with the correct size. Do not try to fix an oval hole with a larger plug forced in at an angle. Drill fresh nearby if alignment allows.
Concrete spalls or the face flakes. Too much pressure on a brittle skin, or the drill broke through a thin face into a hollow. Patch with filler, move a centimetre, and use a slower, lighter entry on the next hole. A sharp new bit spalls less than a blunt one.
You hit metal and the drill stops dead. Reinforcement or a steel lintel. Do not try to drill through rebar with a masonry bit. Move the fixing or switch to a dedicated metal bit and a pilot, or choose a different position entirely.

If you end up doing this often, upgrade once and save every job after

One afternoon of concrete drilling without hammer action is enough to understand why the right tool exists. A combi drill with hammer mode handles the occasional concrete fixing, and it already covers brick, block, wood and metal for everything else. For anyone who faces concrete, engineering brick, or repeated fixings in hard material, an SDS rotary hammer is a step change. It hits with far more energy per blow, the bit floats slightly in the chuck so each impact is absorbed by the tool and not your hands, and it drills cooler, which means bits last far longer.

Our pick for a cordless SDS upgrade is the Bosch GBH 18V-26 F paired with the Bosch SDS Plus bit set, and for a general hammer-capable combi drill the DeWalt DCD778S2T remains the kit we point first-timers at because it comes with batteries, charger and enough torque to do this job properly when the wall cooperates. Either way, keep those dedicated masonry and SDS bits separate from your general drill bits, and never let an HSS twist bit near concrete again.

For the rest of the workshop, our guides to the best 18V hammer drills and the different drill bit types go deeper, and our general brick drilling guide is worth bookmarking because the fixing logic is identical once the hole exists.

Products mentioned in this guide

10-Piece Masonry Drill Bit Set YG8 Tungsten Carbide - the cheap set that covers every UK plug size on an ordinary drill
Bosch 6-Piece SDS Plus Drill Bit Set 2607019448 - the SDS bits to pair with a rotary hammer
Eclipse Automatic Centre Punch - fires a starter crater with one hand, no hammer needed
Fischer DuoPower Universal Wall Plugs - one box that holds in concrete, block and plasterboard
JSP M632 FFP3 Valved Dust Mask - fine concrete dust is sharp, wear this before the first hole
DeWalt DCD778S2T 18V XR Brushless Hammer Drill Kit - the hammer-capable combi drill we recommend for first kits
Bosch Professional GSB 18V-55 Combi Drill - 55Nm, pro build, lighter in the hand
Bosch GBH 18V-26 F SDS Plus Rotary Hammer - the upgrade that makes concrete genuinely easy

Also read: How to Drill Into Brick, Drill Bit Types Explained and Best Drill Bit Sets UK 2026

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you drill into concrete without a hammer drill?

Yes, for small fixings and shallow holes. An ordinary combi drill with a sharp carbide masonry bit, a punched starter mark, steady pressure and regular dust clearing will get through block and concrete for 5 to 8mm wall plugs. For large holes, deep holes or reinforced concrete, use a hammer drill or SDS rotary hammer. It is faster, safer for the tool, and far less punishing on bits.

What drill bit do you need for concrete without hammer action?

A masonry bit with a brazed tungsten carbide tip and a wide flute. The carbide shears the cement and stone, and the flute clears the powder. Match the bit to the wall plug stated on the packet, not to the screw. A blunt or chipped tip will not cut concrete no matter how hard you push, so replace the bit rather than forcing it.

Why does my drill bit get hot or stuck in concrete?

Heat comes from rubbing instead of cutting, usually from too high a speed, too much pressure, a dull bit or dust jammed in the hole. Drop the speed, ease the pressure, withdraw the bit while spinning to clear the dust, and replace a dulled bit. Packed dust is the most common cause of a jammed bit in concrete.

Is it worth buying a hammer drill if I only drill concrete occasionally?

If you drill a few holes a year, an 18V combi drill with hammer mode already covers you and a dedicated hammer drill only earns its keep when concrete is routine. Where you face concrete lintels, engineering brick, or a run of fixings on the same job, the upgrade pays for itself in saved time and bit life.

Do I need an SDS drill for concrete, or is a combi drill enough?

A combi drill with hammer mode is enough for light concrete fixings up to about 8mm. An SDS rotary hammer is the right tool for anything bigger, deeper, or more frequent. It hammers with far more energy, transmits less shock to your hands, runs cooler, and the SDS Plus bits lock in for a straighter, faster hole.

The bottom line

You do not need a hammer drill to get a couple of fixings into concrete, but you do need respect for what makes concrete hard. A sharp carbide masonry bit, a punched starter dimple, a moderate speed, and a habit of clearing the dust will get you through a 6 to 8mm plug hole with an ordinary drill and no cracked plaster. Push those same holes in the wrong way, with a blunt bit, too much pressure and no dust clearing, and you will burn out bits and wonder why the wall is winning.

Buy the bits before you buy the drill. A ten-piece masonry set and a box of Fischer DuoPower plugs cover almost every fixing an ordinary drill should attempt, and an automatic centre punch is the five-pound tool that saves the most plaster. When concrete stops being occasional and becomes the job, step up to the Bosch GBH 18V-26 F with SDS bits and enjoy what hammer action feels like with the right bit in the right chuck.

James Walker

James writes about power tools, hand tools and workshop setup for MakerUK, helping makers buy the right thing the first time.

Disclosure: MakerUK is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. This comes at no extra cost to you and helps us keep providing free, independent advice. We never accept paid placements or sponsored reviews. Read our full affiliate disclosure.

As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.

Last reviewed: 21 August 2026 · Evidence-based content · Contains affiliate links