Standard drills cannot bore into concrete, brick, or stone effectively. The material is too hard and abrasive. You need a drill with a hammering action that pulverizes the masonry while the bit spins and extracts the dust. Two tools fill this role — the hammer drill and the rotary hammer — and choosing the right one depends on the scope of your project.

Hammer Drill vs Rotary Hammer

How a Hammer Drill Works

A hammer drill looks like a regular cordless drill with a hammer mode switch. When engaged, a ratcheting mechanism inside the chuck creates rapid, shallow hammering impacts along the axis of the bit. The bit both rotates and jackhammers into the material.

Hammer drills use standard SDS or straight-shank masonry bits. Most cordless drill/drivers marketed as “hammer drills” have this function built in.

Best for:

• Drilling holes up to 1/4 inch in concrete for anchors and screws
• Light-duty masonry work: hanging shelves on brick, mounting brackets to a foundation wall
• Occasional use in concrete block
• Drilling into brick and mortar for outdoor projects

Limitations:

• Slow and laborious in poured concrete for holes larger than 1/4 inch
• Vibrates heavily during extended use, causing fatigue
• Not effective for chipping or demolition

How a Rotary Hammer Works

A rotary hammer uses an electro-pneumatic mechanism — a piston drives air against a striker that delivers powerful individual blows to the bit. This produces dramatically more impact energy than a hammer drill’s ratcheting mechanism.

Rotary hammers use SDS-Plus bits (for smaller models) or SDS-Max bits (for larger models). The bits lock into the chuck securely and can move freely along their axis, allowing the hammer mechanism to work efficiently.

Best for:

• Drilling holes from 3/16 inch to 1 inch in poured concrete
• Installing concrete anchors for deck ledger boards and structural connections
• Multiple holes in a single session
• Chipping and light demolition with a chisel bit (in hammer-only mode)
• Drilling into any masonry: concrete, block, brick, stone

Limitations:

• Heavier and bulkier than a hammer drill
• More expensive ($100 to $300 for a quality model)
• Overkill for occasional small holes

Side-by-Side Comparison

Feature	Hammer Drill	Rotary Hammer
Impact mechanism	Ratcheting/cam	Electro-pneumatic
Impact energy	Low	High (2 to 5+ joules)
Max hole in concrete	1/4 inch practical	1 inch+
Weight	4-5 lbs	6-10 lbs
Price	$80-$150	$100-$300
Bit system	Standard/SDS	SDS-Plus/SDS-Max
Chipping mode	No	Yes
Speed in concrete	Slow	Fast

Masonry Drill Bits

Standard twist drill bits will not work in concrete. You need carbide-tipped masonry bits:

• Standard masonry bits: A tungsten carbide tip brazed onto a steel shaft. Adequate for hammer drills in light work.
• SDS-Plus bits: Designed for rotary hammers. The SDS shank allows the bit to slide freely while the hammer mechanism delivers blows. Available from 5/32 inch to over 1 inch.
• Carbide-tipped core bits: For drilling large-diameter holes (1 to 4 inches) for pipes and conduit.

Technique for Drilling Concrete

1. Mark the hole location and use a center punch or nail to create a small starter dimple
2. Start drilling at low speed to establish the hole
3. Increase to full speed once the bit is tracking straight
4. Pull the bit out periodically to clear dust from the hole
5. Do not force the bit — let the hammer action do the work
6. Wear safety glasses and a dust mask — concrete dust is hazite and harmful to breathe

For anchor installation, drill the hole 1/4 inch deeper than the anchor length to allow for dust accumulation at the bottom.

Which One Should You Buy?

Buy a hammer drill if: You occasionally need to hang something on a concrete or brick wall, drill a few small anchors, or do light masonry work. If your drill already has a hammer mode, you may not need anything additional.

Buy a rotary hammer if: You are installing a deck ledger board, anchoring a fence post base plate, running conduit through a foundation wall, or doing any project requiring multiple holes in poured concrete.

For one-time projects, renting a rotary hammer from a home improvement store ($40 to $60 per day) is far more cost-effective than buying one.