Concrete core drilling is a safe, fast and accurate process of drilling holes in concrete structures, walls, floors and ceilings. Such holes are often required for accommodating plumbing lines, phone lines, electrical wires, HVAC ducts, sprinkler systems, etc. It is a dust-free, low-noise drilling method that makes holes in the concrete using precise circular motions. Diamond concrete core drilling is the most common technique used to make holes of any depth and size.
How Concrete Core Drilling is done
A diamond concrete core drill is one of the most commonly used tools for making holes in concrete surfaces. The drill has a core drill bit which consists of a steel tube containing diamond pieces on one end. After mounting a concrete coring drill on a rotating shaft, it is secured on the concrete surface where a hole needs to be made. Then it starts rotating and drilling hole in the concrete. Once the drilling is done, you get a cylindrical piece of solid concrete. When you remove this piece, you get a hole in the surface.
Methods of Concrete Core Drilling
Although the basic technique of drilling is the same, there are three different methods of doing it. They are:
- Electric method: This method is helpful in drilling holes in tiles, countertops, gravestones, natural stones, and other applications. It is also appropriate for drilling holes in floors, ceilings, walls, and other concrete surfaces. This method can perform the drilling efficiently and quickly.
- Hydraulic method: This method of drilling holes requires both electronic and mechanical efforts. This method is safe, reliable, durable and economical, and is an excellent means of drilling holes with large diameters.
- Pneumatic method: This method is mostly used to drill holes in ceilings, floors, walls, refractory bricks, concrete anchor systems, etc.
Different Types of Concrete Core Drilling Machines
You need a specialised tool to drill through concrete with varying thickness. Drilling machines come with varied concrete core bits. Drilling holes through concrete is much more difficult and time-consuming than doing that through sheet rock, plastic, or wood. Apart from that, drilling small holes can be done much faster and easier than drilling concrete holes with larger diameters. So, the concrete core bit you choose depends on the size of the hole you want to dig. You may also use extenders to reach even deeper into a hole. So, let’s have a look at the different types of machines you may opt for:
- Hand-Held Concrete Drill: This is a mobile tool that is efficient in drilling small holes with the help of core bits of small diameters. These are often electricity powered and come much cheaper than other types of machines. These are perfect for drilling holes to let wires, cables and pipes pass through.
- Stand-Mounted Core Rigs: These concrete core drilling machines are used when you need to remove concrete from a surface in large amounts. They can accommodate core bits of broader diameters. Since they are stable and sturdy, they give a higher level of security to the operator. This kind of drill is affixed to the surface using bolts, thereby making the drill secure, safe and easy to operate. In case you want to run large utility lines through the holes, this kind of drill can be used to make horizontal as well as vertical holes. While hand-held drills usually run on electricity only, stand-mounted core rigs have the option to run on gas, air or electricity.
One important thing you need to keep in mind is that you should always keep your concrete core drilling bits sharp. Dull bits can pose exponential danger to the operator. Also make sure that you do not use them past their time to ensure safety.
