Drilling holes for pipes through walls

cheeswright

Hi
Have a set of hardened steel hole saws - but am not sure these are the right tool to drill through brick walls for water and drainage.....
I am concerened that the reach is insufficient....do I go so far and cold chisel....then go again?
or is there an easier method?
do have long maisonry drills but not sufficient width for plumming pipes
Help appreciated:)
many thanks in advance........:D

ormus

for 15mm etc just buy the correct drill/length. 5/20 quid.
for the large sizes use a diamond bit. much easier. from 20 quid and up.

probably need an SDS drill too.

andrew-b

Diamond core drill bits/machine (hire) is easier for the larger holes..
..cheaper is to "stitch" drill (series of holes around perimeter of circle marked on wall) and then break out with cold chisel - if your careful enough you can get a pretty decent result then just run a bead of sealant around the pipe once it's in place to cover any jagged looking edge. Damage to inside wall is easily filled with cement/plaster. Ideally use a foot long masonry drill bit to drill one pilot hole and stitch drill with a shorter bit from either side.
Don't forget to allow sufficient fall on the waste pipes going through the wall as well as the rest of the route (think it's something like 18mm fall every metre for 40mm pipe if memory serves me).

Jonesya

If you're going to buy the cutters (rather than rent) then a cheaper alternative to diamond core bits are TCT core bits.

Worth checking that the drill you're using has a safety clutch because if the cutter snags the drill can spin round and clock you one - some of the cheap SDS drills don't.

C_Mababejive

Just belt a hole as neatly as possible with hammer/chisel. Fit all pipes complete with plastic pipe sleeves,then make good..job done.

27col

I don't think that hole saws are the correct tool for masonry, unless they are diamond tipped.
For 15mm pipe I have always used an18mm drill. You can buy any length you need. For larger holes stitch drilling will suffice. You need to be careful when breaking though as you can get a large flake come off if not careful. This does not matter much on an internal wall but is a bit of an eyesore on an external wall

gas4you

Up to 30mm hole I use masonary bits, over that I use core drill bits.

DONT attempt it with your hole saw cutters!

rockin_plumber

27col wrote: »

I don't think that hole saws are the correct tool for masonry, unless they are diamond tipped.
For 15mm pipe I have always used an18mm drill. You can buy any length you need. For larger holes stitch drilling will suffice. You need to be careful when breaking though as you can get a large flake come off if not careful. This does not matter much on an internal wall but is a bit of an eyesore on an external wall

And may I ask what size pipe you are sleeving this 15mm pipe with??

Obviously I am assuming this is copper, but really if you putting pipework through walls you should really sleeve it with normally the next size pipe up.

This doesnt include waste pipe and soil pipe as they can just go through the wall no problem.

cheeswright

thanks ever so much for all the really useful advice
I hadnt thought to stitch around the hole - but now you say it ..it seems so logical
and of course - hiring the tools....why not...
brilliant advice thanks again

ormus

do your sums first. tool hire can be fairly expensive compared to buying budget tools.
check out screwfix for drill prices etc... before going off to HSS hire shop.