20 Types of Drill Bits -Which one Is Right for You?

What are Drill Bits?

Individuals require drill bits because they drill holes into various surfaces that one may encounter in their working and home environments.

Substrates include wood products, metals such as steel and aluminum and copper, cast iron, plastics, ceramic tile, porcelain, concrete, fiberglass, brick, and vinyl flooring.

Companies manufacture drill bits specific to the unique characteristics of each of these materials, and to produce effective results.

Although drill bits are primarily classified by diameter, drill bits come in so many styles and designs that are made for different jobs and situations. If you don’t know what drill bit you need, or what you should have in your toolbox, review the following for the typical drill bit types and their intended uses.

Materials and Finishes

Drill bits are often classified by the materials from which they are manufactured and the coatings applied to them.

• High-Speed Steel (HSS) drill bits are without a doubt one of the best options for wood, lighter metals, fiberglass, and, even, PVC. Most anyone who operates drill bits regularly would say HSS drill bits are dependable for most everyday use jobs, where the material is not too demanding.
• If you are looking for something a little heavier duty, black oxide-coated drill bits hold up longer than typical HSS drill bits, and the black coating serves a purpose; it helps to prevent corrosion (how great is that!). The black oxide bits handle hardwood and softwood without a problem, as well as PVC, fiberglass, and mild steel.
• If you want to eliminate friction and get a longer life out of a drill bit, consider titanium-coated drill bits. There will be a reduction in amount of force elicited to get through hardwood, softwood, PVC, fiberglass, and steel. A lot of people like them, because they don’t become dull as quick as similar bits.
• When it comes to drilling hard metals, you want cobalt drill bits. They are made to dissipate heat and are also quite resistant to abrasions, which make them the top choice for drilling really tough materials like steel. If you find yourself trying to decide between a cobalt vs titanium for stainless steel, cobalt usually wins.
• For jobs involving concrete, tile, or masonry, you want carbide-tipped drill bits. These bits hold their sharpness for a long time and are designed specifically to handle those difficult, gritty materials. You would almost always see carbide tipped recommendation for someone inquiring about the best drill bit for masonry work.
• Bi-metal drill bits work for light metals, wood, and PVC; they mostly end up being liked because they provide clean cuts and so you do not “get the haptics” effect as quickly, so drilling with them is more comfortable overall.
• If you are ever drilling glass, whether it is sea glass, fused glass, or maybe even rocks and minerals to a much lesser extent, you want diamond drill bits. You want to be able to drill the hard surface, delicately, without cracking or chipping.
• Lastly, alloy steel drill bits; you could probably find these most commonly in machine shops, especially when the job is cutting thin sheet metal. If the job simply involves thin metal materials, they are typically the choice.

Coatings used on drill bits:

1. Black Oxide

If you’re looking for an economically viable coating, black oxide is the most inexpensive coating. It is a reasonably protective corrosion resistant coating and inhibits tempering and/or stress relief of the drill bit and reduces other problems such as galling and chip welding.

One great bonus if you plan to use the black oxide coated drill bits, is that numerous users have said that the black oxide coating retains drilling lubricants, which makes the drilling process more stable and easier to operate. Black oxide coatings can be used for drilling iron and steel.

However, you do not want to use this type of coating when drilling aluminum, magnesium, and similar materials. It just does not work.

2. Bronze Oxide

Bronze oxide is primarily an enhancement for tempering and stress relieving of a drill bit. Many manufacturers use the bronze oxide coating as a reference point for specific tasks: you will see this quite regularly in cobalt steels or mixed with black oxide to describe excellent grades of high-speed steel.

It does not give a significant range of benefit, but its original purpose of marking easily and moderate range of performance improvements makes this a sensible option in certain situations.

3. Titanium Nitride (TiN)

If a little bit more cost for great performance is not an issue, titanium nitride (commonly spelled as TiN) coating is unsurpassed.

It increases the hardness of the bit tool itself. It also adds a type of thermal barrier for faster production rates and much longer tool life, especially when machining harder materials.

In addition, TiN gives you all of the advantages of black oxide and bronze oxide coatings. And TiN bits can accommodate a wider range of metals and alloys (including iron, steel, aluminum, and magnesium) than black oxide bits, thus you can achieve a lot of versatility as well as durability.

Drill Bit Construction

As you begin to talk about any drills, it’s helpful to get familiar with two parts of the bits, the shank and chuck. Understanding how the two work together gives you a better perspective of the functions of a drill and drill bit as a whole.

The shank is the part of the bit that slides into the drill itself and is held by the chuck. With a bit that has a round shank, it self-centres in the chuck, which helps with accuracy. On a hex shank, the three flat edges allow for easier chuck grip, which also helps with reliability and reduces slip.

You often see quarter-inch hex shank bits and 1/4 inch impact drivers together. The benefit here is that changing bits is quick and easy.

When you do heavier work such as drilling through concrete, or demo work, you will commonly encounter SDS shanks or slotted drive system as they were labelled. These are designed for SDS-Plus and SDS-Max rotary hammer drills that are meant for more intense workloads.

The chuck is what actually holds the drill bit. For most power drills, you will find a 3/8-inch or a 1/2-inch chuck. Larger chucks (5/8-inch and 3/4-inch) are generally found on industrial-grade drills, or drill presses, where more holding power for difficult tasks is required.

Types of Drill Bits

There are many types of drill bits used in construction and DIY:

1. Twist Drill Bit

Twist drill bits, often called high-speed bits, are recognizable from their corkscrew shape and are still one of the most common drill bits in use. The design of the spiral section of the drill bit is to assist with moving the debris (sawdust, metal chips, etc.) out of the hole and keep the workspace cleaner and faster.

Twist bits can be used on various materials, such as light metals, wood, plastic, ceramics, and masonry. This versatility is what makes them a great option for anything from quick home repair jobs and small maintenance jobs to medium-sized building projects.

Generally, twist drill bits are the go-to drill bits for general home drilling tasks. If you’ve ever picked up a drill for a home DIY task, you’ve likely used associated pincers—that’s why they’re a common drill bit in any toolbox!

2. Brad Point Drill Bit

Brad-point drill bits are particularly advantageous for drilling clean and accurate holes and are a common selection by woodworkers. These bits typically contain rubber stoppers, which provide a consistent depth control feature. This is useful in applications in which precision is required.

• Brad-point drill bits are designed specifically for use on wood.
• They are often used in furniture manufacturing, cabinetry, and a number of woodworking projects.
• The W-shaped, center tip ensures there is a clean exit hole with minimal splintering.
• In many woodworking or DIY projects involving wood, brad-point drill bits are often the go-to choice.

3. Masonry Drill Bit

Masonry drill bits are created to drill holes into extremely hard materials, such as brick, stone, or concrete. Because these surfaces are so hard, it is not uncommon for the bits to wear out at a fairly rapid pace, so you can expect that you will ultimately find yourself replacing masonry drill bits far more frequently than any other drill bits.

• Masonry drill bits can be used on different surfaces, such as concrete, brick, and masonry.
• They are incredibly useful for tasks that involve home building or repair projects.
• Masonry bits are best when used with a hammer drill that delivers additional force to work with tough surfaces. Some types of masonry bits can be used with a standard rotary drill, however, as you may expect, performance may take a hit compared to using a hammer drill.

4. Rivet Drill Bit

Rivet bits are specifically made to make rivet installation easier in thin sheets of metal. This unique design allows for accurate drilling specifically designed for light metal materials.

5. Spade Drill Bit

Easy to identify by their flat, spade-like pointed tips, spade bits are made to drill softer types of wood. People tend to grab them when drilling large holes to allow cables (especially for installation work) to pass through.

• Spade bits are meant to be used in wood and works best in softer woods.
• They are useful for boring holes into wall studs whether you are framing and running electrical wire, plumbing or even doing detailed woodworking.
• What makes the spade bit useful is its ability to bore holes of a larger diameter, which is much larger than the standard drill bit.

6. Installer Drill Bit

Installer bits are unique tools that professionals use to drill holes for running wiring, whether it’s for entertainment systems or entrapment systems.

One unique feature is the small hole at the tip of the installer bits, which gives you the ability to thread the wire as you drill, which makes it easier to pull wiring through walls or other material.

These tasks often require reaching through thick materials, and installer bits can be quite long (upwards of 18 inches), which makes it effective for these applications.

Installer bits are also particularly advantageous for wood because they lend themselves to all sorts of woodworking and cabinetry tasks. In addition to the ability to drill holes, installer bits are also used to create wood plugs which can be used for counter-sinking fasteners and creating a clean look.

7. Step Drill Bit

The step drill bit gets its name from the stepped tips design, resembling a series of steps which is why it is often chosen by trade professionals when drilling into sheet metal.

Step drill bits allow the operator to drill holes of varied diameters without changing tools – the stepped design allows for further enlarging of the hole progressively while drilling.

Step drill bits are one of the most flexible types of drill bits including for use on both metals and woods surfaces. Step drill bits, because of this ability to drill different sized holes can be very convenient when creating pilot holes whether for a woodworking project or in applications where sheet metal is involved.

Moreover, the step drill bit is not designed exclusively for enlarging holes, they are also very useful for clearing out debris and smoothing the edges inside the opening created as it drills.

8. Auger Drill Bit

Auger drill bits are optimized for drilling into thick, dry wood. The screw tip is an important part of the auger drill bit. It initiates the hole, and provides a guide for the rest of the drill bit to pull through the wood.

Because of the design of the auger bit it requires so little pressure because of the screw tip, even when using more difficult wood. The holes you get with auger bits are usually extremely clean and accurate, something that anyone who has done carpentry or construction can appreciate.

• Auger bits are designed to be used in wood surfaces.
• They are especially useful when working on large-scale woodworking or construction projects.
• The screw tip design on the bit pulls it forward as it drills, so a relatively small amount of force can be applied in the vertical direction.

9. Self-Feed Drill Bit

Self-feed bits, like auger bits, have a screw tip that allows you to place the bit precisely where you wish it to be located.

Self-feed bits are known for producing accurate and clean holes; however, it is important to remember that self-feed bits do not remove the dust as they are drilling. Therefore, you must periodically pause when using self-feed bits, to clean the dust out of the hole.

10. Forstner Drill Bit

Forstner drill bits are designed to make smooth, precise holes in wood. One distinguishing feature of these drill bits is that they have a point on the tip, making it easy to pinpoint before drilling.

• These drill bits are good for wood based materials.
• Values in tasks relating to woodworking and other construction processes.
• Forstner bits are good at drilling clean holes with flat bottoms. They are good with a drill press instead of a handheld drill because of the accuracy they provide.

11. Hole Saw Drill Bit

Hole saws are drill attachments specifically made to make large diameter holes and therefore useful for jobs where large-diameter holes are required to, for example, install door hardware.

Hole saws are useful and versatile tools that can be used in a variety of materials, such as wood, metal, tile, or masonry. This versatile nature of hole saws gives them a lot of usefulness in all types of building, renovation, or repair projects.

In action, a hole saw is mounted on a shank, mounted to a conventional drill. With this configuration, a hole saw will cut out large openings when drilled out. This is especially advantageous in work when it is important to run pipe or other fixtures that require sizable, precise openings.

12. Countersink Drill Bit

These drill bits are designed for a variety of tasks and will be extremely helpful for woodworking projects. Anytime you need to create a counterbore, countersink, or pilot hole in wood, these bits are perfect.

They are especially useful when performing general woodworking tasks and cabinetry where precise measurements are essential. They will enable you to drill pilot holes with confidence and accurately hit the depth on every hole.

They are a perfect tool to create the recess to allow the head of a fastener to sit flush with the surface providing your work with an impressive and polished finish.

13. Plug Cutter

Plug cutters are significant and commonly used tools by professional woodworkers. Plug cutters are designed to produce exactly drilled holes into wood while simultaneously cutting wooden plugs.

The plugs can then be used to conceal recessed fasteners, resulting in a finished piece that has an uninterrupted appearance.

14. Tile drill bits

Carbide-tipped drill bits are designed to drill clear holes through tile without chipping or cracking. Since not all tile bits are created equal, make sure to consult the packaging and ensure the drill bit will work with the type of tile you are drilling through.

Carbide-tipped bits will work on both ceramic and porcelain tiles. Therefore, they are a solid option for a variety of projects, from flooring to backsplashes to a renovation of a tiled wall.

The primary benefit of a carbide-tipped bit is it can drill through a variety of tile materials and minimize chipping or cracking.

15. Adjustable Wood Drill bits

As suggested by the title, dual- or multi-function bits serve the purpose of being adjustable allowing the user to make holes of several diameters with just one tool. These features save the need to purchase three separate bits to drill multiple hole sizes.

16. Annular Cutter

Annular cutter bits for drilling holes through different material are specifically designed for drilling holes and at the same time removing a solid cylindrical core.

A conventional drill bit simply removes solid material within the hole. An annular cutter drills on the edge of the hole leaving a central ‘slug’ behind.

When drilling larger through-holes in metal, usually 7/16″ in diameter, annular cutters should be used. The only thing to watch out for is that you need the correct compatible special machine to use them. An annular cutter is similar in a way to a hole saw, which does not cut the full diameter.

This will give you a fast and clean, burr-free holes (regardless if you are drilling tubing, sheet metal, or iron bar stock) with annular cutter bits. The annular cutter bits featured on this site are cobalt high-speed steel, that are used in tough applications.

17. Bits for Metal

Metal drill bits are manufactured so that they are capable of taking on the toughest tasks, cutting through steel and other strong materials.

Because of their specialized design and construction, they tend to be higher priced than most of the other types of drill bits available in the market.

18. Glass and Tile Drill bits

There exist separate drill bits which are made exclusively for materials like plastics, tile, glass, marble and sometimes brick. What makes them special is that they can withstand high temperatures and still be effective.

• When drilling glass, these bits are ideal for non-tempered glass and ceramic type surfaces.
• They are very helpful to a DIY-er or an individual who won’t mind the occasional repair around their home.
• It is important to note that these bits are designed to drill into glass and ceramics, and ideally, one will need a rotary type of drill, but a standard drill can be used, but it is best to use the slowest speed in order to avoid unnecessary cracking and damage or breakage of the material.

19. Hammer Drill bits

During the testing of moisture in the concrete slab, holes are usually made with a hammer drill at certain locations. The holes are small, and specific, allowing for an accurate reading of the moisture contained within the concrete.

20. Bullet Point Drill bits

These drill bits are intended to function properly on various substrate materials including but not limited to structural wood components, plastic materials, and metal materials.

Moreover, what makes these drill bits unique is their ability to make an incredibly clean and accurate hole on almost any surface.

Drill Bit Maintenance

Proper maintenance and organization of drill bits, like any other tool, serves to help protect the usability of your tools and overall helps to have them ready for the job later.

Additionally, it is not only necessary to consider usability of the tool but also to consider safety. A dull bit is not only harder to use but could also lead to user mistakes, injuries, or worse.

Because drill bits are considered cutting tools, and if you do enough home improvement or construction, you know that drill bits will need to be sharpened at least once.

When the drill bits stop cutting and you notice that jobs take longer, require more effort, or you even run the risk of damaging your work material; that is a good time to stop and sharpen your drill bits! In an even more serious vein, if you try to force a dull or worn bit through some difficult material, you may run the risk of personal injury.

If you feel it is worthwhile investing in a sharpening tool, then to keep your drill bits genuine, it is probably worthwhile. If you are a little more advanced or a little more experienced you could consider using grinding tools to achieve a sharp edge and maintain a cutting tool.

A final method of maintaining your drill bits is related to maintaining the bits in a separate or organized space. As previously mentioned, a set of drill bits typically come with a case that has slots relating to bits sizes for not only convenience, but also to protect those tools.

The separation of the bits decreases the likelihood of nicks or scratches, and next to each slot is an indication that clearly indicates a size, and type of drill bit (ex. 1/4″ steel) for when you need to quickly grab the drill bit you are looking for.

If your drill bits did not come in a case or if you are building your collection with bits from different sources, it is recommended to get a storage box with dividers to keep your bits organized.

You should not exceed two bits in any one space or dividers, and you should use a permanent marker to label every space with the size and type of bit you organized in the storage box.

This last step, though it will take you extra time, will help you maintain your tools and reduce wasted effort when you are working.

Tips for Proper Drill and Drill Bit Maintenance:

• Let the drill bit cool down before coming into contact with it after you have finished your work. This simple step prevents accidental burns and also prolongs the tool’s lifespan.
• Give the drill and drill bit a wipe down using a clean and dry rag or cloth. If you can remove the dust and residue right away, it will be much easier later on.
• Use a dry toothbrush to brush away any stuck shavings or small debris on the tool. This is also a quick little trick to remove debris/stuck dirt from small grooves on the tool’s body where debris can build up.
• Once you have finished the clean-up, dab a little bit of machine oil on the drill bit using a paper towel or microfiber cloth. Do let it sit for a few minutes to ensure the machine oil’s work is impactful, and when done, return with a new towel to wipe down any excess oil.
• Next, take a moment to examine your drill bits. Are there any drill bits which are severely damaged? Set these aside to be replaced, as no good can come from attempting to continue using them.
• Finally, tum the drill bits back into their case or designated storage. Store the bits in a cool and dry area to promote good storage habits so the drill bits stay good to use the next time around.

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