How to drill into concrete cordless
Updated: 22 October 2026
You have an SDS plus cordless rotary hammer, a box of rawl plugs, and a pencil mark on brick or block. The hole is for a bracket or a kitchen rail, and it fails if the bit wanders, the plaster cracks, or the plug sits in dust. How to drill into concrete cordless means four checks before you chase speed: the side handle on, hammer drilling selected, an SDS plus bit locked, and the dust dealt with. If a combi drill has already stalled, the [cordless rotary hammer comparison](/hub/drilling-and-accessories/cordless-rotary-hammer) shows whether an SDS plus tool is the next step. This was not a lab test.
You have an SDS plus cordless rotary hammer, a box of rawl plugs, and a pencil mark on brick or block.
You have an SDS plus cordless rotary hammer, a box of rawl plugs, and a pencil mark on brick or block. The hole is for a bracket or a kitchen rail, and it fails if the bit wanders, the plaster cracks, or the plug sits in dust. How to drill into concrete cordless means four checks before you chase speed: the side handle on, hammer drilling selected, an SDS plus bit locked, and the dust dealt with. If a combi drill has already stalled, the cordless rotary hammer comparison shows whether an SDS plus tool is the next step. This was not a lab test.
Our top picks
| Badge | Product | Bit holder | Chisel mode | In the box | Note | Price | Offer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best overall |  Ryobi Ryobi R18SDS-0 body | SDS plus bits only | Four modes listed | No battery, no charger | 9.0 | about £90.29 | View offer |
| Best value |  Dong Cheng Dong Cheng 2.1 J kit | SDS plus, four bits | Hammer-only listed | 4.0 Ah, charger, case | 8.5 | about £79.99 | View offer |
| Alternative |  Bosch GBH 18V-18 X body | ONECHUCK, SDS plus | Not stated on the listing | No battery | 6.4 | about £116.95 | View offer |
On this page
Set the mode before the trigger
An SDS plus rotary hammer has three modes, and they are not versions of one job. Rotary only spins the bit, for timber, metal, and the glaze of a tile. Hammer drilling spins and strikes, for brick, block, and concrete. Hammer only stops the rotation for a chisel. Change the collar only after the tool has stopped, because turning it under power chews the selector. On a hole of about 10 mm in engineering brick, where Homebuilding says an SDS belongs, rotary only polishes the face and hammer only cracks it. Hammer drilling is the match. A stalled combi is a different mechanism, so the SDS plus versus a combi drill page is the next decision.
Seat an SDS plus bit
This chuck takes SDS plus bits, not ordinary round shanks. Wipe the shank, push, and twist until it seats, then pull to test the lock. A small axial rattle is normal, because balls hold the shank in grooves rather than a rigid clamp. If a straight pull brings the bit out, it never locked. Pull the sleeve back to release it, with the tool stopped. A stuck shank is a real complaint on the Bosch GBH 18V-18 X, so if the sleeve will not move, stop rather than striking the bit or running the motor. The Bosch GBH 18V-22 X manual forbids hammer drilling and chiselling with cylindrical or hex bits, including on a ONECHUCK. Use a tungsten masonry bit with an SDS plus shank.
Drill the hole
Run a pipe and cable detector along the mark and a little either side before you drill. Homebuilding and HSE sheet CN3 both expect that check, because a socket chase or a radiator pipe can sit beside a tidy cross. Set the depth with tape on the bit or the rod on the side handle. As a rule of thumb, go a little deeper than the rawl plug so dust does not leave it proud. That spare is a workshop habit, not a British Standard. Keep a hand on the side handle and press lightly. Start slowly, and do not hammer the skim before the point has bitten. Withdraw while the bit is still turning so the flutes clear. Vacuum before the plug goes in, because a dusty plug spins.
Dust, noise, and when to stop
Concrete and mortar dust contain crystalline silica. CN3, written for employers, wants a slow start, the bit withdrawn while it turns, and class M or class H extraction where the job needs it. Short drilling on a site without extraction still calls for respiratory protection rated APF 20. You are not that dutyholder for a few plugs at home, but the dust is still silica and a household vacuum is not class M. Wear a mask you will keep on. Ryobi publishes 85.2 dB(A) sound pressure for a cordless rotary hammer in this class, so hearing protection is the sensible default. Stop once the job is a core, a slab, or a full day in concrete. If the tool cannot hold hammer drilling, the cordless rotary hammer buying guide matches the class of tool to the masonry.
Common questions
Which mode do I use for brick?
Hammer drilling, so the bit turns and strikes in brick, block, or concrete. Rotary only is for wood, metal, and tile glaze. Hammer only is for a chisel, with rotation stopped, and you move the collar only when the motor has stopped. Homebuilding points to an SDS for engineering brick or a hole of about 10 mm and up.
Should I hammer the first millimetre of plaster?
Not while the tip is skating on the skim. Start slowly and press lightly so the point bites through plaster instead of cratering the mark. Use hammer drilling once you are in the brick or block. SDS Drill UK says to leave the hammer off on a tile until the glaze is pierced, and the same caution keeps the plaster from starring.
Why will the SDS bit not come out?
Wipe the shank, push, and twist until it locks, then pull to test it. A little in-and-out rattle is normal, because the shank sits in grooves rather than a solid clamp. Pull the sleeve back with the tool stopped. If dust has jammed the sleeve, do not strike the shank or run the motor. Forcing one, a real complaint on the Bosch GBH 18V-18 X, bends the grooves for the next bit.
How deep should the hole be for a wall plug?
Drill deep enough for the whole plug, plus a little spare so dust cannot hold the plug proud of the wall. That spare is a rule of thumb, not a British Standard. Mark it with the depth rod or tape, then vacuum before the plug goes in. A plug in packed dust spins under the screw even when the diameter was right.
Do I need a mask for a few holes?
On a building site, CN3 still expects respiratory protection of APF 20 for short drilling without suitable extraction. At home you are not that dutyholder, and a domestic vacuum is not class M equipment. The dust is still silica. For a few plugs, wear a mask you will keep on and clear the hole without blowing. That is weaker than proper extraction, and it still matches a short job.
What if the tool only spins and does not hammer?
Stop, then select hammer drilling only after the motor has stopped. Rotary only polishes concrete and does little in hard brick. If that mode is set and there is still no strike, you are likely on a combi drill, not an SDS plus rotary hammer. More pressure will not add the mechanism, and you risk a burnt bit and cracked plaster.
Related pages
Sources
Public UK sources from the research digest, last checked on 19 October 2026. Shelf prices and star lines are the amazon.co.uk figures in the display file.
- HSE, Control of Vibration at Work Regulations 2005 (retrieved 19 October 2026)
- HSE, vibration risk groupings (retrieved 19 October 2026)
- HSE, CN3 drilling with hand-held rotary tools (retrieved 19 October 2026)
- HSE, noise duties (retrieved 19 October 2026)
- GOV.UK, Supply of Machinery (Safety) Regulations 2008 (retrieved 19 October 2026)
- SDS Drill UK, advice when buying an SDS drill (retrieved 19 October 2026)
- Bosch Professional UK, GBH 18V-22 X (retrieved 19 October 2026)
- Ryobi UK, R18SDS-0 (retrieved 19 October 2026)