Drilling Through Hard Ceramic Tiles

Home renovation repair specialist expert interview.

Drilling through hard ceramic tiles.

An ordinary steel drill bit may fail to penetrate the tile or cause it to shatter. Steps for drilling through tile 1. Porcelain tiles for instance are harder to break through than ceramic tiles since they are very dense. You will also need a specialized drill bit that can penetrate the hard surface of porcelain tiles.

Wipe the tile with a rag soaked in mild soap and water. Instead use an abrasive bit like a diamond drill bit 1 x expert source art fricke. Step 1 clean the tile s surface. Examine the cleaned surface for damage.

Search for an appropriate bit. Drilling ceramic tile requires a special drill bit and a steady hand. Run the drill at about half speed and dip the bit periodically in water to keep it cool. These bits are more refined and far better able to bore through the ceramic structure without cracking it than regular bits.

A carbide drill bit or a diamond drill bit are best for drilling holes in ceramic tile. Use a masonry drill bit to make holes in ceramic tiles less than about 3 4 inches in diameter. Figure out what kind of tile you have. In general there are three kinds of tile.

To make larger holes you can use a ceramic tile hole saw which has a diamond grit abrasive edge instead of teeth. Glass tile is used more as an accent and has only been around for 15 years or so. In most cases a carbide tipped masonry drill bit check my recommendations is your best option when drilling through ceramic tile. Glazed ceramic tile is the most common what you ll find in almost every older home and the easiest to drill through.

As a result drilling through porcelain tiles will require more work and preparation than cutting through other types of tile.