Bits, drills & equipment
Bits, drills & equipment
The right bit and tool for every hole you have to make.
Bits, drills & equipment
The right bit is half the job
Most stripped screws and cracked tile come down to the wrong bit or the wrong drill. Here's what to grab for each situation.
Phillips (PH1 / PH2 / PH3)
Cross with tapered flanks
Drywall screws, general wood screws, most household hardware
Tip: PH2 covers 90% of jobs. If the bit is camming out, you're on a worn bit — not a bad screw.
Square / Robertson (R1–R3)
Square recess
Deck screws, cabinet screws, pocket-hole screws
Tip: Holds the screw on the bit one-handed — the reason deck boxes ship with a square bit.
Star / Torx (T15–T30)
Six-point star
Structural screws, composite deck screws, concrete screws
Tip: Highest torque with the least cam-out. Use the size printed on the screw box, not the closest guess.
Slotted
Single straight line
Switch plates, older hardware, terminal screws
Tip: Match the blade to the full slot width — a narrow blade chews the head.
Hex / Allen
Six-sided socket
Set screws, furniture, machine hardware
Tip: Metric and SAE hex are close but not equal — a 5mm in a 3/16" socket will round it out.
Nut driver / socket
Six-point cup
Hex-head lag screws, self-drilling metal screws, hose clamps
Tip: 1/4" and 5/16" magnetic nut drivers handle almost all sheet-metal and lag work.
| Job | Bit | Tool | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pilot hole in wood | Twist / brad-point, roughly the screw's shank minus threads | Cordless drill | Pilot holes stop splitting on trim, hardwood, and anything near a board end. |
| Concrete block, stucco or slab | Carbide masonry bit, size printed on the anchor box | Hammer drill | A regular drill will polish the hole instead of cutting it. Blow the dust out before setting the anchor. |
| Tile over block | Glass & tile bit to break the glaze, then masonry bit | Drill on low speed, hammer off until through the tile | Tape an X over the spot so the bit doesn't wander. |
| Metal studs & sheet metal | Self-drilling screw point, or a titanium twist bit | Drill/driver on low speed | Slow speed and steady pressure — high speed just work-hardens the metal. |
| Hollow drywall | Self-drilling anchor needs no bit; toggles need a 1/2"–5/8" hole | Drill or #2 driver | Find the stud first — a screw into framing beats any anchor. |
Cordless drill/driver + impact driver
Drill pilots with one, drive long screws with the other.
Hammer drill
Required for any concrete, block, or stucco anchor.
Magnetic bit holder & driver set
Keeps the screw on the bit and the bit out of the head.
Stud finder
Turns an anchor job back into a simple screw job.
Tape, square & pencil
Layout errors cost more than fasteners.
Safety glasses
Masonry drilling throws grit — non-negotiable.