Do You Need a Hammer Drill for Brick?
For occasional anchors in brick, block, or mortar, a chuck-based hammer drill is enough; solid poured concrete or repeated masonry drilling needs an SDS rotary hammer — and the two use incompatible bit systems, so pick by the material you actually drill.
The mechanism difference: A hammer drill adds a percussive hammer action to a standard chuck-based drill for occasional masonry work (anchors in brick, block, or mortar) — it is still a chuck that grips round or hex shanks. An SDS (rotary) hammer uses a completely different bit-retention mechanism (SDS-Plus or SDS-Max, a slotted shank that locks and free-floats in the tool) and a true rotary-hammer mechanism built for repeated drilling in solid poured concrete and light chipping/demolition. The bit systems are not interchangeable, and a hammer-drill will struggle or fail at tasks an SDS rotary hammer handles routinely.
Which tool for which masonry job
The decision is the material, not the brand. Brick, block, and mortar joints are soft enough that a combo hammer drill's percussive mode — a normal drill chuck plus a hammer action — gets anchors set. Poured concrete is a different material class: that is what the SDS mechanism exists for. Compare current 18V-class hammer drills on Amazon against the two picks below — one of each type.
Picks: one combo hammer drill, one SDS rotary hammer
DeWalt 20V MAX XR Brushless Hammer Drill (DCD996B)
18V nominal, 1/2-in chuck, ~820 in-lbs torque, brushless, 3-mode (drill/hammer/driver)
A standard combo hammer drill that adds a percussive hammer mode to normal drilling — good for occasional masonry anchors in brick/mortar.
Best for: Homeowners who occasionally drill into brick or mortar (not solid concrete) and want one tool for both wood and masonry
Watch out: This is a percussive hammer drill, not an SDS rotary hammer — it will struggle or fail in solid poured concrete or for larger anchor holes; that job needs SDS.
Check price on AmazonMakita 18V LXT SDS-Plus Rotary Hammer (XRH01Z)
18V nominal, SDS-Plus bit system, rotary hammer mechanism (not chuck-based), 3 modes (rotation/hammer/rotation+hammer)
A true SDS rotary hammer built for repeated concrete drilling and light chipping — a different mechanism entirely from a hammer-drill's chuck.
Best for: Concrete anchors, conduit runs, and light chipping/demo in poured concrete or block
Watch out: SDS bits are a separate, non-interchangeable bit system from standard drill/driver bits, and this tool is unnecessarily heavy and specialized for occasional wood/mortar work.
Check price on AmazonFrequently Asked Questions
For occasional anchor holes in brick, block, or mortar, yes — a chuck-based combo hammer drill like the DeWalt DCD996 adds a percussive hammer mode to normal drilling and handles that job. A standard drill/driver without hammer mode will struggle in masonry. For solid poured concrete, larger anchor holes, or repeated masonry drilling, step up to an SDS rotary hammer instead.
A hammer drill is still a chuck-based drill that adds a percussive hammer action for occasional masonry work — it grips round or hex shanks. An SDS rotary hammer uses a completely different bit-retention mechanism (SDS-Plus or SDS-Max, a slotted shank that locks and free-floats in the tool) and a true rotary-hammer mechanism built for repeated drilling in solid poured concrete and light chipping. The bit systems are not interchangeable.
It will struggle or fail. A percussive hammer drill is built for occasional anchors in brick, block, or mortar — not solid poured concrete or larger anchor holes. That job needs an SDS rotary hammer, which is built for repeated concrete drilling and light chipping or demolition.
No. SDS bits are a separate, non-interchangeable bit system from standard drill/driver bits — the slotted SDS shank locks into the tool and free-floats, which is what lets the rotary-hammer mechanism work. An SDS tool is also unnecessarily heavy and specialized for ordinary wood or mortar work, so it complements a drill rather than replacing it.