[vanilla-thunder]

I'm in the middle of installing backerboard to my basement floor but my drill won't drill deep enough into the foundation for the screws....
I was wondering if there is a stronger type of drill I need to do this!? I am using an 18v cordless Dewalt drill the batteries are fully charged and it doesn't matter how hard I push on that drill it will not go into the floor deep enough. I have a new set of cement bits also. Should I just be buying a corded drill? Are they stronger?
Thanks

 

[Fix'n it]

are you using a hammer drill ? should be.

 

[Gymschu]

Yeah, a cordless drill isn't going to get it done......underpowered for that application. Fix'n it, has it right, a CORDED hammer drill would be the ticket.......maybe a neighbor or a friend has one you can borrow.

 

[WhatRnsdownhill]

does your dewalt have a hammer option? if not thats what you need and then you need percussion masonry bits or you will just break off the carbide on the end of regular masonry bits...

 

[jimn]

Best thing would be to borrow or rent a corded hammer drill

 

[joecaption]

Backer board, basement floor! Whoo.
If your talking about cement backer board and it's a pored slab floor your doing it wrong.

 

[Mort]

My cordless hammer drill has plenty of power to drill into concrete. It's not so much the cord it's the hammering that will get it done.

Is your 18v DeWalt the old NiCad version? If so you're probably fighting an uphill battle anyway.

 

[oh'mike]

Backer board, basement floor! Whoo.
If your talking about cement backer board and it's a pored slab floor your doing it wrong.

What are you trying to do?

 

[vanilla-thunder]

I'm putting a bathroom in my basement on the concrete floor. I wanted to put the cement board down to make it level with the basement flooring. And I'm installing heated floor figured it would be better then having the heat mat right on the cement floor. Am I doing this wrong?

 

[oh'mike]

Yes, you are doing it wrong----cement board should never be installed over a slab--

Perhaps the best method would be to pour self leveling compound---the heat pads could be thinseted to the concrete and the SLC poured on top---

 

[vanilla-thunder]

Awesome. Thanks!

 

[Crazyjake8493]

I believe oh'mike has the right idea on this one.

Also cordless hammer drills are useless for just about everything except brick. If you ever have a lot of concrete drilling to do, get a rotary hammer, SDS plus should be enough. Your hammer drill may never get touched again.

 

[Fix'n it]

-cement board should never be installed over a slab--

why is that ?

 

[spaceman spif]

Years ago when I was repairing my deck I bought a corded hammer drill to install support brackets into the concrete under the deck. I had no idea how many more times I would use that hammer drill. Definitely worth the investment!