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I want to run a few new wires through my apartment, and for that I need to drill some holes through the walls (10-20mm diameter). Due to aesthetic considerations and cable bent radius I want them ideally to be right in the corner at the ceiling.

Unfortunately my drill has a size and this allows me to get not nearer to the wall than maybe 7cm.

Is there any method/trick for drilling a hole ideally directly in the corner of a ceiling?

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  • Drilling a hole "directly in the corner of the ceiling" seems like it could very well be an area with increased liklihood that you will run into nails.
    – Michael Karas ♦
    Commented Nov 27, 2015 at 13:03
  • @MichaelKaras: I have honestly no idea what nails would be doing there
    – PlasmaHH
    Commented Nov 27, 2015 at 13:06
  • I'll post a diagram in an answer so you can see why there would be nails there.
    – Michael Karas ♦
    Commented Nov 27, 2015 at 16:37
  • @PlasmaHH If the answers here aren't helpful because they assume drywall over timber framing, then ask a new question and be specific about how your walls are constructed. To deflect people from voting to close the new question as a duplicate, you could edit this question to make it specifically about timber framed walls, and possibly link back to this one in the new question as part of an explanation of why it's a different problem.
    – Niall C. ♦
    Commented Nov 27, 2015 at 17:48

3 Answers 3

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A flexible drill bit should do the trick.

enter image description here

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  • Hm, I have never seen anything like that, can you elaborate a bit on it? I only know those for screwing stuff in as they do not allow for much pressure to be applied usually.
    – PlasmaHH
    Commented Nov 26, 2015 at 21:45
  • Hm, all I can find around here is extension thingies that you can not really apply pressure to, or flexible bits for wood. Anyways, maybe this is enough inspiration to weld something very long together, after all it only needs to flex a few degrees
    – PlasmaHH
    Commented Nov 27, 2015 at 8:43
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    @PlasmaHH These types of bits are typically available in the electrical department of hardware stores, and online.
    – Tester101
    Commented Nov 27, 2015 at 13:34
  • I called some and they only have some for wood. Anyways I think it won't be too hard to borrow a tig welder and hack something together that won't be as flexible, but flexible and stiff enough for me to work
    – PlasmaHH
    Commented Nov 27, 2015 at 13:45
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    @PlasmaHH What are your walls made of? These bits should have no problem going through a bit of drywall or plaster.
    – Tester101
    Commented Nov 27, 2015 at 14:23
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With reference to possibly encountering nails comment from above

Two adjacent rooms with a shared upper corner by the ceiling specifies a T wall layout as shown here:

enter image description here

When you go to drill a hole in the very upper corner of the room you will be drilling through the upper top plate (and possibly into a part of the lower top plate depending upon the thickness of the ceiling drywall and the diameter of the hole being drilled.

I have shown the typical locations where 16d spikes are placed to nail in the two top plate 2x4s. On the first top plate there will be at least two nails into the top of each stud. The second top plate will be nailed near its ends as shown. As a minimum you take the risk of running into the right most two spikes as shown in the center part of the diagram.

Note that drywall is also screwed or nailed along its edges and in the corners. You also run the risk there being a drywall fastener in that upper corner on either side.

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  • Ah, now I see, so you mean when the walls are drywalls? Well, I haven't seen them being used anywhere in residential buildings, mostly office buildings only (and there I think most are using metal constructions below it), and I want to do it in my home apartment.
    – PlasmaHH
    Commented Nov 27, 2015 at 16:55
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    @PlasmaHH - Your profile does not say where you are located so it is not possible to judge the type of construction used. In the USA the wood framing type I show above is very typical for homes, apartments and condos. Newer buildings almost always use drywall but older homes that with lathe and plaster wall coverings will have their framing done in similar manner to what I have shown above.
    – Michael Karas ♦
    Commented Nov 27, 2015 at 17:01
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    @PlasmaHH - You mention "apartment". If you occupy the property as a renter you may want to re-think drilling holes through walls unless you get the approval of the landlord.
    – Michael Karas ♦
    Commented Nov 27, 2015 at 17:04
  • Don't worry, I do have asked for approval because I am a nice guy, but the law would be on my side anyways.
    – PlasmaHH
    Commented Nov 27, 2015 at 17:05
  • Since it is so uncommon here to have drywalls in apartment buildings, I have never thought about it. Also I didn't know that per default it is assumed that questions here are about how it is in the US.
    – PlasmaHH
    Commented Nov 27, 2015 at 17:09
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We use a bit extensions to get the drill farther away so we can drill with more flexibility. 12" extension is easy to find. Use multiples to get the bit straighter.

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