Concrete coring uses a core drill. Such a drill specifically designed to remove a cylinder of material, much like a hole saw. The material left inside the drill bit is referred to as the core.

Core drills are used for a wide variety of applications either where the core needs to be preserved (which is rarely done in concrete coring), or where drilling can be done more rapidly since much less material needs to be removed than with a standard drill bit. This is the reason that diamond-tipped core drills are commonly used in construction to create holes for pipes, manholes, and other large-diameter penetrations in concrete or stone.