Drilling Stucco

[jx67]

Hi There,

Have a dumb question. I need to drill a couple holes on stucco to install water softener. The copper pipe I am using is 1". I think my regular Ryobi 18V drill won't work. Just wondering anyone has a good suggestion on what I need. Also, do I need to use a 1" masonary bit (it's HUGE) or do I drill small holes and chisel it out.

Thanks,
Joe.

[Jeffrey Schronce]

The easy answer is corded impact driver with the 1" masonry bit (Bosch masonry bits are awesome). However, if it is a once and off type deal and you really don't have a need for future us of the impact driver, I think the 18V cordless with do it (with ample patience and freshly charged batteries).
THe stucco is over concrete block right?

[DaveS]

Wow... can you really use an impact driver to drill holes in masonry?

I was thinking that he needs a hammer drill.

I agree with Jeffery though; we need to know what is behind the stucco.

[jx67]

Good question, I am not sure what's behind the stucco actually. It's a typical stucco exterior wall so I am not sure if there's concrete block behind that. I am assuming yes since it is really hard.

I drilled stucco before using a much smaller bit (1/4") and yet, it really consumes patience That's why I was worrying about what to use. I can rent an impact or hammer drill I think. What about the bit? the huge 1" bit in HD is very expensive for a one time use. I saw a cheap diamond hole saw from HF website for under time, wonder if that would work too?

Thanks again,
Joe.

[Jeffrey Schronce]

Wow... can you really use an impact driver to drill holes in masonry? I was thinking that he needs a hammer drill.

For crying out loud! That is great. I meant hammer drill, not impact driver! LOL!

[25]

You could always rent a Hammer Drill.

[Jeffrey Schronce]

Good question, I am not sure what's behind the stucco actually. It's a typical stucco exterior wall so I am not sure if there's concrete block behind that. I am assuming yes since it is really hard.

I drilled stucco before using a much smaller bit (1/4") and yet, it really consumes patience That's why I was worrying about what to use. I can rent an impact or hammer drill I think. What about the bit? the huge 1" bit in HD is very expensive for a one time use. I saw a cheap diamond hole saw from HF website for under time, wonder if that would work too?

Thanks again,
Joe.

Stucco is applied to concrete block most of the time. When you say you drilled stucco before and it took a long time then it most likely has concrete block behind it.
Can't see how the hole saw would work, especially if you are talking about the thickness of the conrete block. How deep is the wall you are going through? How much is the bit?

[DaveS]

OK, if it is concrete block behind it, and you plan to go all the way through to the other side in shot, you will need a hammer drill and a really long 1"+ masonry bit. The bit will be big bucks ($50?). Usually these big bits don't fit in a "normal" sized hammer drill - they have a bigger drill that takes those bits. I'm not sure if you can rent the bits (anyone know?). I think if the pipe is 1", the hole would need to be bigger than 1" by some margin (?).

When drilling through a block, or a piece of solid concrete, you have to be careful how you do it, or you might blow the back of the hole out (i.e. it will not be a pretty hole, it will be a big ugly crater). The solution is to do it the same way you do with wood, drill the hole most of the way through, and then finish the hole from the other side.

The hole saw will only work if (1) it is deep enough to cut through the 1/2" or so of stucco, and the width of concrete block wall, and (2) you hit a "void" rather than a solid part of the block.

I think you only need to use a 1" bit, or a hole saw if you want the hole to be pretty. If you don't really care what it looks like, you can use a smaller bit, and drill more holes - drill it from both sides.

When I had a pool safety fence installed, they brought a tool that bored 1" holes in the chattahoochee (concrete with exposed aggregate) - I wonder if you can rent one of those. It had about a 2 foot long tubular bit on it.

Another thing to think about is whether or not you can pass water pipe directly through a concrete hole without some type of sheathing, or an outer sleeve of some sort. I am not a plumber, so I can't say for sure.

[jx67]

Thanks for all the replies. I think last time I drilled stucco, the thickness is probably around 1/2". I was obviously very surprised to see the 1" bit being a foot long but it looks like that's what I need, along with a hammer drill. Whew!

I forgot to mention, the exterior is stucco but the inside is just dry wall panel, with the middle empty. I couldn't agree more on the suggestion to drill from the other side, though I would need a small pilot hole to make sure I drill the right place, I think.

BTW, anyone used those diamond hole saw before? It was supposed to be for granite but I was told it works for masonary and suppose to have clean cuts. For only 8.99 from HF, I might give it a try as well.

Thanks again,
Joe.

[jx67]

FWIW, the diamond hole saw I am looking at is here http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=32400. It's now 5.99.

Joe.

[Jeffrey Schronce]

I am not understanding something.
What is the stucco applied to? Sheathing? Where do you live?
If the stucco is over sheathing then you have more (easier, cheaper) options. Having said that, stucco over sheathing with hollow walls, stud then drywall seems odd. No insulation? How much of the home has stucco over sheathing?

[DaveS]

FWIW, the diamond hole saw I am looking at is here http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=32400. It's now 5.99.

Joe.

No... I don't think that will work.

It is too shallow, and too flimsy. I think that is for glass and tile.

Check out this page titled "select the right masonry bit for the job"
http://www.mytoolstore.com/relton/techinfo.html

This is the type the pool fence guys used:

http://mcgillswarehouse.com/ItemDeta...emID=154120002

Then look at the bottom of this page "concrete and masonry drill rigs":
http://www.advantage-drillbits.com/glass.html

[jx67]

I live in the Bay Area in California. For the longest time I thought it was stucco, stud (or insulation fiber) then dry wall, but I apparently didn't know about sheathing or concrete behind the stucco. In this case, it is empty in the middle (instead of insulation) since it is the garage. So, is the big bit overkill in my case?

Thanks again,
Joe.

[beetee3]

As another Bay Area resident, I can say you almost certainly have stucco over plywood sheathing. The local construction contractors seem to be afraid of bricks & mortar (or concrete block). Might have something to do with earthquakes - wooden structures flex and move with the earth whereas masonary will crack and fail.

That said, for just one hole I'd use a hammer drill to drill a ring of 1/4" holes and pop out the center. Then use a 1" spade bit to drill through the sheathing underneath.

[JR]

Joe, I think those Easterners got you all worked over not much!

Any appropriately sized masonry bit in your drill will probably do the deed nicely. There may be some lathe underneath the stucco, so you'll want to have some tin snips available. The masonry bit will go through the sheetrock also.

Make sure you seal it up nicely, when done. Some silicone caulk will do the trick.

JR