How To Make Holes In Ceramic Tiles: Instructions, Video

2023 Author: Philip Bishop | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-08-25 07:54

• Drilling principles
• Drilling small holes
• Choosing a drill for small holes
• Tile drilling rules
• Large hole preparation
• Drill choice: crown or ballerina?
• Drilling large holes in tiles
• Useful Tips

When it comes to laying tiles, it immediately becomes necessary to arrange holes for various purposes in it. For example, for dowels or attachments. Note that not everyone knows how to drill a tile correctly, therefore, before starting work, it is necessary to study the features of the material and the process of working with it.

Drilling principles

First of all, it is worth understanding the basic principles and rules of work. And the initial task is to choose a drill. The following factors must be considered here:

1. The drill should never be percussion.
2. Must have a minimum rotational speed.

Based on this, we can say that the following tool is suitable for work:

1. Electric drill switched on at minimum speed.
2. Cordless screwdriver, the rotation speed of which does not exceed 1000 revolutions.
3. And the last is the low-speed cordless screwdriver.

It is also worth noting that it is necessary to select special drills for the tiles, since the standard ones for wood or concrete will not work here. We will talk a little more about the selection of a drill a little later.

Now let's note a number of rules that must be followed:

1. During work, it is impossible for the drill or the tile itself to get very hot. Otherwise, the entire surface may crack. You can use plain water for cooling.
2. Do not press hard on the drill. It is necessary to choose the optimal level of pressure, it should not be too strong (which can lead to breaking of the tiles) or, on the contrary, too weak.
3. It is unacceptable to use the drill in reverse mode. The drill should only rotate clockwise and at a low speed.
4. If it is necessary to drill into the seam, then the hole should be located clearly in the center of the seam, and the work itself must be carried out as carefully as possible. In the case of drilling near the seam, ensure that the drill is in a secure position and completely eliminate the possibility of slipping.

Drilling small holes

Small holes are usually intended for dowels, in order to later hang a hinged structure on them, for example, a mirror or a shelf. In this case, an electric drill is used (for drilling tiles) and then a hammer drill for finishing the hole.

The selection of the drill becomes an important factor here, and therefore it is worth paying maximum attention to this issue.

Choosing a drill for small holes

Let's take a look at a few tips for choosing that you definitely need to consider:

1. The best option for the job is a diamond drill. But it is worth noting that its cost is quite high, and not everyone can afford to buy it. In addition, if we are talking about several holes, then it makes no sense to purchase an expensive drill. At the same time, it is necessary for professionals who are engaged in repair work.

   

2. An alternative option is a drill with a victorious tip. These are designed specifically for tiles, and due to their sharpening, they reduce the risk of cracking of the coating. A drill looks like an arrow, this feature allows you to eliminate slipping at the beginning of work. In addition, it allows you to work with less pressure, which helps to prevent the tiles from splitting.
3. If the above drills are not available, a hard alloy concrete pavement drill can be used. The important thing here is that it should be as sharp as possible, or have a special coating from the pobedit. When working with such, you need to be extremely careful, since the element is not intended for drilling tiles.

Tile drilling rules

Now let's move on directly to the consideration of the rules and technologies for drilling small holes. Let's consider everything in the form of step-by-step instructions:

1. Before starting work, mark the center of the future hole on the tile enamel with a marker that will stand out on the surface.

2. Keep in mind that the drill will slide on the enamel, so in order to prevent the drill from slipping on the tile, stick masking tape in the place of the intended hole or make a small indentation in the tile using a drill with a sharp tip in the form of a spear.

   

3. Initially it is necessary to set the drill speed to the minimum value. Only after the drill is slightly deeper into the tile can the speed increase slightly. Note that it is better to work longer, but do everything well than just ruin the coating, trying to speed up the process.
4. Once again, it is strictly prohibited to use a drill with an impact function.
5. Press the drill with the inserted drill-spear to the marked point with the right hand. At the same time, do not make great efforts, otherwise the tile can be split already at this stage.
6. Turn the drill chuck slightly with the left side. This will help create a primary mark (scratch), which will give the drill anchor and reduce the chances of slipping.
7. Now, starting at low revolutions, we begin to drill.
8. If the hole must be long and it is also required to drill the wall under the tiles, then the work is carried out in two stages. In the first, tiles are drilled, after which the drill is replaced and the hole is made in concrete.

You can clearly see how to drill a tile correctly in the video below.

Large hole preparation

In cases where it is necessary to organize the replacement of the mixer, or to make a hole in the wall for pipes, it becomes necessary to install a large hole in the tile. And here there are also some peculiarities that must be taken into account.

The first and one of the most important questions is the choice of drill. In reality, there are only two choices, namely:

1. Using a crown.
2. Drilling tiles by a ballerina.

Now let's look at the features and decide which drill to choose for the tile.

Drill choice: crown or ballerina?

In this case, choosing a drill is a fairly simple task. One has only to take into account the features of two types.

Considering different types of crowns, you can see:

1. There are quite expensive diamond-coated options. It is worth saying here that they are quite good and provide fast and reliable drilling without the risk of damaging the tiles (when used appropriately).

   

2. But for the most part, such an investment as buying a diamond core bit does not make sense, especially when you need to make only a few holes.
3. It is also worth noting that this type of drill is afraid of overheating, therefore it is necessary to constantly monitor the temperature, not to work at high speeds and constantly water it.
4. For one-time tasks, you can pick up a crown with teeth from Pobedit, it is enough to make 20 holes, which is enough in a simple household.
5. The diameter of these drills reaches 15 centimeters.
6. It is necessary to work extremely carefully, any sudden movement can contribute to crushing the tiles.

It is also worth considering the features of the ballerina, namely:

1. This type is a drill in the form of a cylinder or a spear with a fixed bracket.
2. The bracket allows you to change the diameter of the drill working area.

3. These drills are quite cheap, but they do not last long.

   

Having considered several features, it should be said that a ballerina would be a good option for working at home, since it is possible to make holes of different sizes, which is impossible in the case of a crown.

And now let's move on directly to the drilling technology, while considering the features of the work of each of the drills.

Drilling large holes in tiles

Immediately before starting work, it is necessary to markup. Draw a circle of the diameter you need on the surface of the tile using a pencil and compass. It is also recommended to apply a piece of paper tape to the surface to prevent the drill from slipping.

Then you can start working, to facilitate the task, you can take on board the following tips:

1. To make it easier, you can take a board made of plywood or fiberboard and use it as a stencil, pressing it tightly against the tile.
2. In the case of non-glued tiles, it lies on a flat surface, and then we also drill using a stencil.

Use one of the methods below to make a hole in the tile. When doing this, drill the tiles at right angles exclusively from the front side.

Method 1

1. Install a hole drill of the required diameter or a ballerina into the drill.
2. Select the hole diameter by adjusting the ballerina's incisors. Note that the distance between the ballerina's drills should be half the required hole diameter.
3. Drill a hole. In doing so, take into account all the recommendations that we have provided earlier, especially regarding tile pressure and cooling.
4. It is necessary to start drilling at low speed, then increase the power slightly.
5. It is important to keep the drill at a 90 degree angle to the tile. No lateral movements are allowed.

Keep in mind that with this method, the tile gets very hot and may crack. To cool the tile surface while drilling, wet it with water. Using water will also help extend the life of the cutting tools. It is not recommended to place water near the power tool.

When working with a diamond bit, you can work quickly and continuously, as it is not afraid of overheating. The only thing, in this mode of operation, it will quickly fail.

However, it is better to use wet drilling, constantly wetting the tool for cooling. This is especially important when working with glazed tiles. Thanks to this, it will be possible to extend the life of not only the tile but also the tool.

Method 2

There is also another way of drilling, and it is done as follows:

1. Drill a 12 mm hole with an electric drill. Use a diamond drill for this.
2. Insert a tungsten hacksaw blade into the drilled hole and secure the ends to the hacksaw.
3. Saw a hole of the required diameter, guiding the hacksaw strictly along the previously drawn line.
4. After completing the work, remove the tape from the tile and wipe it with a rag.
5. If necessary, sand the edges of the hole with an abrasive bar to give the edges of the hole a smooth surface.

Useful Tips

And finally, here are some tips to remember:

1. Do not use a high speed drill for drilling. This increases the likelihood of tiles breaking.
2. To hold a single loose tile, make a plywood box slightly larger than the tile size, insulate the corners in the box, and fill it with water. Submerge the tile in water before drilling the hole.

3. Always use water for cooling.

   

Now you know how you can drill a tile, what is needed for this and all the basic rules for carrying out work. And in conclusion, we suggest you watch a few videos that will clearly show how to drill large and small holes with different drills.

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