---
title: "Which drill bit should I use for plasterboard?"
description: "Almost none — an ordinary HSS or brad point bit in rotary mode, and the real question is which fixing goes in the hole. The ranked options, the technique that change"
url: https://atoneplace.net/which/drill-bit-plasterboard/
site: "At One Place"
---

# Which drill bit should I use for plasterboard?

**Which drill bit should I use for plasterboard?: Almost none — an ordinary HSS or brad point bit in rotary mode, and the real question is which fixing goes in the hole.**

Plasterboard is gypsum between two paper facings and it has almost no strength of its own — the paper carries the tension and the core crumbles under point load. So the choice of anchor matters far more than the bit: a plastic plug meant for masonry simply spins in the hole, while a spring toggle or a metal cavity fixing spreads the load across a wide area behind the board. Load ratings on packets assume 12.5 mm board in good condition and are pull-out figures, not shelf-bracket figures, so anything heavy should reach the stud behind. Cutting into a wall blind is the real hazard: cables run vertically and horizontally from sockets and switches in defined safe zones, and pipes do not always respect them.

## The options, ranked

*Ranked best-first for the stated job. The third column is why the others exist.*

| Option | Good at | Bad at |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Standard HSS or brad point bit | Plasterboard is soft; any sharp bit at low speed makes a clean hole. | Nothing, except that hammer mode turns the hole into a crater. |
| Self-drilling plasterboard anchor | Needs no pilot hole at all — the anchor is driven straight in with a screwdriver. | Modest load capacity, and it destroys a large area of board if it strips. |
| Hole saw or jab saw | The right tool for a downlight or a socket cutout. | Blind cutting risks hitting cables, pipes and joists. |
| Finding the stud | A screw into timber or a metal stud carries an order of magnitude more load than any hollow-wall fixing. | Studs are rarely where you want the fixing. |

## Technique that changes the outcome

1. Rotary mode, low speed, light pressure — no hammer
2. Use a detector to check for cables and pipes, and expect cables above and below sockets
3. Match the drill size to the anchor exactly; oversized holes leave the anchor spinning
4. For anything above a few kilograms, find the stud instead

## What goes wrong

- Hammer drilling plasterboard
- Masonry plugs in hollow board — they pull straight out
- Hanging a TV or a heavy shelf on cavity fixings alone

> Compiled practical guidance rather than a published standard. Product formulations vary by brand and market, so read the label — and where the work is structural, electrical or gas, the regulations that apply where you are govern rather than anything here.

## Other drill bit questions

| For | Use |
| --- | --- |
| Tile | A spear-point carbide or diamond bit in rotary mode only — hammer action shatters tile, every time. |
| Metal | An HSS twist drill, ideally with a 135° split point, run slowly with firm pressure and cutting fluid. |
| Concrete | An SDS-plus carbide bit in a rotary hammer — a normal hammer drill will get there eventually and blunt several bits doing it. |
| Masonry | A carbide-tipped masonry bit in hammer mode for brick and block; step up to an SDS rotary hammer above about 10 mm. |
| Porcelain tile | A diamond core bit, cooled with water, at low speed — carbide spear points do not cut porcelain. |
| Stainless steel | A cobalt bit at low speed with heavy constant pressure and cutting fluid — and never let it stop cutting. |
| Wood | A brad point bit for clean holes up to about 13 mm; an auger for depth and a Forstner for a flat bottom. |
| Glass | A spear-point carbide or a diamond bit, run slowly under water — and toughened glass cannot be drilled at all. |
| Plastic | An HSS bit ground to a shallower rake, or a plastic-specific bit, at low speed with a backing board — acrylic especially will crack. |
| Hardened steel | Solid carbide in a rigid setup, or soften the spot first — HSS and cobalt cannot cut anything much above 50 HRC. |
| Aluminium | A sharp HSS bit at high speed with a wax or paraffin lubricant — the problem is aluminium sticking to the bit, not hardness. |
| Large holes in wood | Spade for speed and roughness, auger for depth, Forstner for a clean flat bottom, hole saw for big diameters in thin stock. |

## Common questions

### Which drill bit should I use for plasterboard?

Almost none — an ordinary HSS or brad point bit in rotary mode, and the real question is which fixing goes in the hole.

### What should I avoid?

Hammer drilling plasterboard Masonry plugs in hollow board — they pull straight out Hanging a TV or a heavy shelf on cavity fixings alone

## Related pages

- [Which drill bit should I use for tile?](https://atoneplace.net/which/drill-bit-tile/)
- [Which drill bit should I use for metal?](https://atoneplace.net/which/drill-bit-metal/)
- [Which drill bit should I use for concrete?](https://atoneplace.net/which/drill-bit-concrete/)
- [Which drill bit should I use for masonry?](https://atoneplace.net/which/drill-bit-masonry/)
- [Which drill bit should I use for porcelain tile?](https://atoneplace.net/which/drill-bit-porcelain-tile/)
- [Which drill bit should I use for stainless steel?](https://atoneplace.net/which/drill-bit-stainless-steel/)
- [Which drill bit should I use for wood?](https://atoneplace.net/which/drill-bit-wood/)
- [Which drill bit should I use for glass?](https://atoneplace.net/which/drill-bit-glass/)
- [Which drill bit should I use for plastic?](https://atoneplace.net/which/drill-bit-plastic/)
- [Which drill bit will go through hardened steel?](https://atoneplace.net/which/drill-bit-hardened-steel/)

## Sources

- Typical range compiled from manufacturer specifications — At One Place (/about/)