Should you drill into brick or into the mortar?

It depends on the load and whether you might remove the fixing later. Drilling into the mortar joint is easier, is kinder to old or soft brick, and any hole is easy to patch with fresh mortar if you relocate the fixture. Drilling into the face of the brick gives a stronger hold for heavy items because solid brick grips an anchor better than crumbly old mortar. For light to medium loads on modern brick, the mortar joint is the forgiving choice; for heavy loads, drill the brick and use a proper anchor.

Do you need a hammer drill for brick?

For modern hard brick, a hammer drill makes the job far easier and cleaner, though brick is softer than concrete so a regular drill with a masonry bit can start a hole in soft or old brick. The carbide masonry bit is the non-negotiable part — a wood or metal twist bit will dull instantly and won't cut fired clay. Use hammer mode on modern engineering brick; ease off or switch hammer off on old, soft, or historic brick that could shatter.

Why is my brick cracking when I drill?

Usually too much hammer, a dull bit, or drilling too close to the edge of a brick. Old and soft brick is brittle and can crack or spall under aggressive hammering. Reduce or turn off the hammer action, use a sharp bit, start slow to establish the hole, and keep holes at least an inch from the brick's edges and from each other. If the brick is historic or clearly fragile, drill the mortar joints instead — they are easier to repair and less likely to damage the masonry.

What anchor holds best in brick?

For solid brick, a sleeve anchor or a masonry screw (like a Tapcon) sized to the hole holds well. For hollow or perforated brick and for the mortar joints, a plastic expansion plug or a specialized cavity/frame fixing spreads the load better. Match the anchor's specified drill diameter exactly — brick anchors, like all masonry anchors, only grip in a correctly sized hole. For heavy items like a mounted TV or a handrail, use through-bolts or resin anchors rated for the load.

How deep should you drill into brick?

Drill to the depth your anchor requires, plus about a quarter inch so debris at the bottom doesn't stop the anchor from seating fully. Mark the depth on the bit with tape so you don't drill through a hollow brick's inner wall or too deep into a cavity. For most light-to-medium fixings, that means a hole roughly 1-1/2 to 2-1/2 inches deep. Blow or vacuum the dust out before setting the anchor — a clean hole is what gives the anchor its grip.

How to Drill Into Brick (Mortar vs Brick, Bits, Anchors)

Written & researched by Priya Anand DIY & Tools Editor

Updated August 2026

Over-the-shoulder view of a person drilling into a timber board on a workbench, sawdust in the air, in soft early-morning light

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Drilling into brick is a straightforward DIY job — easier than concrete because brick is softer. With a masonry bit (and ideally a hammer drill), a fixing hole takes a minute or two, and a small project costs only the price of a bit and a few anchors. There is no permit and nothing structural about hanging a shelf, a light, or a house number. The choices that matter are whether to drill the brick face or the mortar joint, keeping the hammer action gentle on old or soft brick so it doesn’t crack, and matching the anchor to a correctly sized hole.

How to Drill a Hole in a Brick Wall (seejanedrill)

Tools and materials

A hammer drill (a regular drill can manage soft brick) — our best cordless drills guide flags hammer-mode models.
A carbide-tipped masonry bit sized to your anchor, plus safety glasses and a dust mask.
A vacuum to clear the hole — our shop vac picks help — and the appropriate anchors (sleeve anchor, masonry screw, or expansion plug).

Over-the-shoulder view of a person drilling into a timber board on a workbench, sawdust in the air, in soft overcast light

Step 1: Decide — brick or mortar

For light to medium loads, or on old and soft brick, drill the mortar joint: it’s easier, gentler, and patchable if you move the fixture. For heavy loads on sound modern brick, drill the brick face for a stronger grip. Either way, keep holes at least an inch from a brick’s edges and from each other so you don’t crack it.

Step 2: Mark and set depth

Mark the hole with a pencil and, for accuracy, tap a small starter dimple with a masonry nail so the bit doesn’t wander. Note the anchor’s required diameter and depth, and mark the depth on the bit with tape. Drilling to a controlled depth stops you punching through a hollow brick or too far into a cavity.

Low-angle view of a person drilling into a timber board on a workbench, sawdust in the air, in bright midday sun

Step 3: Drill — start slow, hammer gently

Eye and dust protection on. Hold the bit square to the wall and start at low speed to seat the hole on your mark. On hard modern brick, engage hammer mode and let it chip through. On old, soft, or historic brick, ease off the hammer or switch it off entirely — too much pounding cracks brittle brick. Back the bit out every few seconds to clear dust and keep it cool.

Step 4: Clean the hole

Vacuum or blow out the brick dust. Anchors grip on the walls of the hole; dust left behind acts like a lubricant and lets the anchor spin or pull out. This ten-second step is the difference between a fixing that holds and one that fails.

Close-up detail of the material being worked in a power tools & workshop project, in soft early-morning light

Step 5: Set the anchor

Insert your anchor: tap a sleeve anchor in and tighten to expand it, drive a masonry screw into a correctly sized hole, or push a plastic plug in and drive the screw. Use the anchor type matched to your material — solid brick, hollow brick, or mortar each has a best-fit fixing. For heavy items, step up to through-bolts or resin anchors rated for the load.

Where to go next

Drilling into concrete uses the same masonry approach on harder, denser material. Keep your regular bits cutting with drill-bit sharpening, and know your tools with drill vs impact driver. It all lives under the power tools and workshop hub.

We never buy or physically test the tools we rank — our picks come from aggregated owner reviews and expert consensus, explained on how we rank. For structural masonry or load-bearing fixings, follow local code or consult a pro.

How to Drill Into Brick