How loud is a hammer drill?
DeWALT declares 86 dB(A) for its DCH263 rotary hammer drill in hammer-drilling mode (89 dB(A) in chisel mode) and 87 dB(A) for its DCH172, A-weighted at the operator position in the standard test. A laboratory test-bench study measured peaks of 117.7 dB(C) from an electric rotary hammer drilling concrete, against 139.4 dB(C) from a pneumatic rock drill.
- Level
- 86–89 dBAA-weighted sound level
- Daily limit
- 3 h 10 min a dayNIOSH, at the loud end
- Versus conversation
- 316× energyabout 5.7× as loud
What the numbers mean
How it was measured. Declared emission sound pressure levels (LpA) for two DeWALT cordless SDS rotary hammer drills (EN 60745-2-6), drilling and chiselling modes; uncertainty 3 to 4 dB(A).
The declared figures are emission sound pressure levels (LpA) from the EN 60745-2-6 test for hammers: DCH172 87 dB(A) with a sound power (LWA) of 98 dB(A), and DCH263 86 dB(A) when hammer drilling and 89 dB(A) when chiselling. Chiselling is louder because the tool spends the whole time hammering.
Averages hide the sharp hammer blows. In a test-bench study drilling 19 mm holes into cured concrete, peak noise (LPeak) was 117.7 dBC for an 8.3 kg electric rotary hammer and 139.4 dBC for a pneumatic rock drill of similar mass, with no difference in drilling speed. The US Federal Transit Administration's planning table puts a rock drill at 98 dBA typical at 50 ft, so a pneumatic drill is loud well beyond the operator.
How long is safe?
NIOSH recommends no more than 3 h 10 min a day at 89 dBA (6 h 21 min at 86). OSHA's legal limit is not reached below 90 dBA.
| Level | NIOSH limit (85 dBA, 3 dB rule) | OSHA limit (90 dBA, 5 dB rule) | UK/EU 80 dB(A) action value reached after | UK/EU 85 dB(A) action value reached after |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 86 dBA | 6 h 21 min | No limit | 2 h 1 min | 6 h 21 min |
| 89 dBA | 3 h 10 min | No limit | 1 h | 3 h 11 min |
Times are for a whole day’s exposure, with the rest of the day quiet. The workplace limits were written for adults at work, not for children. Work out a mixed day with the noise dose calculator.
Protecting your hearing
Hearing protection is advised whenever the hammer action is on. For structural drilling into concrete, an electric rotary hammer is much quieter at peak than a pneumatic rock drill and the study found it drilled just as fast.
Earplug and earmuff ratings (NRR in the US, SNR in the UK and EU) are lab figures; real-world protection is usually lower. How to read the ratings.
Compared with sounds nearby
Using midpoints of each range. Energy multiplies by 10 every 10 dB; perceived loudness roughly doubles (why).
- Power drill (73–94 dBA): this has about 2.5× its sound energy and sounds about 1.3× as loud.
- Reciprocating saw (84 dBA): this has about 2.2× its sound energy and sounds about 1.3× as loud.
- London Underground (80–100 dBA): it has about 1.8× the sound energy of this and sounds about 1.2× as loud.
- Petrol lawn mower (85.5–95.9 dBA): it has about 2.1× the sound energy of this and sounds about 1.2× as loud.
- Normal conversation (55–70 dBA): this has about 316× its energy and sounds about 5.7× as loud.
Questions
Is a hammer drill louder than a normal drill?
In declared figures the gap is small (86 to 89 dB(A) for two SDS hammers against up to 94 dB(A) for a combi drill), but hammering into concrete produces impact peaks; one study measured 117.7 dB(C) peak from an electric rotary hammer.
Are pneumatic rock drills louder than electric ones?
Yes. A test-bench comparison found peak noise of 139.4 dB(C) for a pneumatic rock drill against 117.7 dB(C) for an electric rotary hammer of similar mass.
Sources
- DeWALT DCH263 cordless rotary hammerdrill instruction manual, DeWALT (manufacturer). Supports: dB_low: LpA 86 dB(A), hammerdrill mode.
(emission sound pressure level) dB(A) 86
Checked 2026-11-03. - DeWALT DCH263 cordless rotary hammerdrill instruction manual, DeWALT (manufacturer). Supports: dB_high: LpA 89 dB(A), chisel mode.
(emission sound pressure level) dB(A) 89
Checked 2026-11-03. - DeWALT DCH172 SDS Plus rotary hammerdrill instruction manual, DeWALT (manufacturer). Supports: LpA 87 dB(A), DCH172.
(emission sound pressure level) dB(A) 87
Checked 2026-11-03. - DeWALT DCH172 SDS Plus rotary hammerdrill instruction manual, DeWALT (manufacturer). Supports: body: LWA 98 dB(A).
(sound power level) dB(A) 98
Checked 2026-11-03. - Pneumatic rock drill vs. electric rotary hammer drill: Productivity, vibration, dust, and noise when drilling into concrete, Applied Ergonomics (2019), PubMed abstract. Supports: summary/body: peak 117.7 dBC electric vs 139.4 dBC pneumatic.
peak noise (L Peak : 117.7 vs. 139.4 dBC; p = 0.001)
Checked 2026-11-03. - Construction Noise Handbook, 9.0 Construction Equipment Noise Levels and Ranges, Federal Highway Administration (US Department of Transportation). Supports: body: rock drill 98 dBA typical at 50 ft (FTA table).
Rock Drill 98
Checked 2026-11-03.
This page is general information, not medical advice. If you have ringing in your ears, muffled hearing or any change in your hearing, see an audiologist or your doctor.