Drilling tiles. How to drill a hole in a tile with a conventional drill

Ceramic tiles - beautiful, practical and versatile finishing material. It is great for decorating any room: kitchen, bath, toilet, hallway and living room. Laying tiles is a fairly simple process and is within the power of every owner, but it is also important to be able to drill a hole in the tile. After installing the tile, you will need to install floor plumbing in the bathroom (in the toilet under the toilet), you will also have to drill holes in the tile for pipes and other communications. How to do it right so that the tile does not crack? Let's try to figure it out.

It seems that to drill a tile - simple task. In fact, you may encounter very durable material, which can not only crack when drilling, but which will also be difficult to drill. To solve these problems, then just read this article

Before starting work, it is worth deciding how to drill correctly tile so that it doesn't crack. Knowing the basic principles will help you do the job neatly, and eliminate the need to look for replacements for cracked elements.

It is important to take into account the following:

• It is important to ensure that working surface and the drill did not overheat. The hot surface of the tile begins to crack faster, so from time to time it should be cooled by pouring cold water on it.
• The force of pressure on the tool should be controlled. If you press lightly, then drilling a hole will not work, and excessively strong pressure will cause the tile to break.
• When performing such work, it is unacceptable to use the reverse mode. The drill should rotate only in one direction (clockwise), and always slowly.
• Care must be taken when drilling holes in the seam between the tiles, as well as on the edge of the tiles. In the first case, you need to start drilling exactly in the center of the seam, and in the second, you need to make sure that the drill does not jump off, otherwise the piece will definitely break off.

Important! Often there are recommendations to knock down the glaze at the place of drilling the tile with any tool at hand. Perhaps, 10-15 years ago, such technology took place, but with modern drills, this is only an extra risk of damaging the tile, and this is strongly not recommended.

markup

An important step in drilling tiles is preliminary marking. To do this, many use stencils, plasters, masking tape and even paper tape. Stencils are cut from a sheet of plywood or chipboard.

It is also important to determine at the installation stage where the hole in the tile will be. To do this, it is especially necessary to shift the tile so that the hole falls exactly on the center of the tile. This reduces the chance of cracking. In addition, it creates an aesthetic appearance.

How to make markings with adhesive tape or plaster? We mark on it the points at which we will drill (we calculate in advance correct distance between them, height, etc.), after which we attach the adhesive tape to the right place and start work.

Difficulties when drilling tiles

Ceramic tiles - durable and reliable material, but its surface is covered with rather fragile enamel. If the tile is drilled incorrectly, this layer easily cracks and chips form. To avoid this, you need to know how not to make a mistake while drilling tiles. Main mistakes:

• Choosing the wrong tools. The tile is created by extrusion and pressing, and has high strength. Picking the wrong drill will often cause the tile to split. It is strictly forbidden to use drills for wood, metal or glass for these purposes. They are not sharp enough and create uneven pressure during operation, which leads to exceeding the strength threshold of the tile. Therefore, it is important to select special drills for drilling, and carefully do all the work.
• Strong pressure on the surface. When working, do not press hard on the tool, as when drilling other materials, drilling ceramic tiles you need to carefully, and the pressure on the tool is only to ensure that it remains in the correct position.
• You can drill a tile only by holding the drill at a right angle. If you work at the wrong angle, this can lead not only to splitting the tile, but also to injury (the drill jumps off easily).

How to drill a hole in a tile that has not yet been laid? It is recommended to do this on the floor, and put a board or chipboard under the bottom.

Tile drilling equipment

It is important to decide in advance how and with what to drill the tile. To do this, you need to choose a good drill, which should not be high-speed or impact. From the tools for work you will need:

• electric drill (during operation, the minimum speed is used);
• cordless screwdriver (rotation speed no more than 800-1000 rpm);
• mains operated low speed screwdriver.

It is also necessary to select special drills that work on the principle of abrasive friction. They are different from those designed for drilling other surfaces (concrete, wood, metal, etc.). We will discuss this issue in more detail below.

Drilling algorithm: step by step instructions

First of all, it is necessary to mark the center of the future hole with a marker or felt-tip pen. Next, we proceed directly to drilling a hole in a ceramic tile.

Important! It is necessary to first cool the drill by dipping it in cold water. This will help to avoid overheating and cracking of the enamel.

The main difficulty that many face is the slippage of the drill. How easy is it to make a hole in the tile for an outlet, and avoid it?

There are three main ways:

1. A method that is not recommended to be used, but it has a place to be - beat off the enamel at the right point, tilt the tile, or make a small conical recess with a screw. We put the tip of the drill in this hole, it will hold steadily in one position, and drill the tile.
2. When working, you can use a jig, this is a bar with holes of different diameters. It is applied to the wall in the right place, pressed very firmly against the surface of the wall, and they begin to drill through one of the holes.

Important! If you do not have a conductor, making it yourself is not difficult. Just make a hole in a wooden board and use it.

1. In the place of drilling, we paste adhesive plaster or mounting tape. They will help hold the drill as it passes through the enamel layer, and will also help you mark the right point on the surface.
2. If there is a clerical corrector in the house ( white remedy for shading mistakes, sold in a bottle or in the form of a pencil), it is applied to the surface and allowed to dry completely. The tool creates a slight roughness on the tile, which allows the drill to hold steadily at the desired point.

To prevent the drill from slipping, just use masking tape or electrical tape

How to drill a dowel hole in a tile

Often, in order to hang furniture in the kitchen or in the bathroom, it is necessary to make a hole in the tile for dowels. To do this, you need to work according to the following scheme:

• Stick a plaster or mounting tape on the surface to prevent slipping. You can use any convenient way presented above.
• We mark the center of the future hole (this is convenient to do on the same patch, I use a regular marker).
• At this stage, you should have already chosen how you will drill the tiles. We insert the drill into the drill and proceed directly to work.
• We set the device to minimum speed, put the drill perpendicular to the surface of the tile and drill. When the tile is passed, the drill must be replaced with another, or use a puncher to make a hole in the wall.

Drill selection

The photo shows special drills that are necessary for drilling ceramic tiles and porcelain stoneware.

It is necessary to find out in advance which drill can be used to drill ceramic tiles. To do this, you can not use drills for metal, wood or glass - they are not sharp enough. Therefore, you need to pay attention to one of the following options:

• Spear drill (tungsten carbide). This drill is more expensive than Pobedit, but also more efficient due to its increased hardness. Great for when you need to drill multiple holes.
• Winning drill. If you need to drill ceramic tiles in a bathroom or other room in several places at once, this option is not the best. He demands high costs time, it can take more than an hour to drill one hole.
• Drills with a diamond tip. The hardness of such a product is much higher than that of a tile, so it quickly and efficiently allows you to make a hole in the tile. The disadvantage of this drill is high price, and if you have to work with him once, the purchase becomes impractical.

Although buying an expensive drill is often a waste of money, purchasing low-quality equipment is no less a dubious undertaking. The fact is, if the drill is not suitable for working on tiles, then the tile will begin to crack, and it will take several times more time to work.

Formation of holes of large diameter

Often, when drilling tiles, holes of large diameter have to be formed. How to drill a tile in this way? For this, there are several effective ways, each of which will be discussed below.

Choosing a drill for installing a pipe socket

Conventional drills are not suitable for this task. It is recommended to use special centered drill bits. A diamond-coated crown or ballerina is best suited.

If the pipe is closed with a large grate, then nothing special is required, the corners of the tile can be cut off with a grinder

Drilling large diameter holes

It's complex and painstaking work, which is performed according to the following algorithm:

• we outline the center of the future hole and put the crown of the desired diameter on the door.
• We put the drill in the center and start drilling with small revolutions.
• As soon as the enamel layer has been passed, you can slightly increase the speed, and when the entire tile has been passed, we stop drilling.
• Next, use a perforator. It is important to do all the work carefully.

Core drilling
For forming a large hole, this tool is considered the most effective, but also the most expensive. When drilling ceramics with a crown, it must be constantly cooled with water, because the product overheats very quickly. The effectiveness of this method is due to the diamond coating on the crown, which makes drilling faster and more convenient.

There are also more economical option crown drills - a product with a serrated edge made of hard alloy, which can reach up to 15 cm in diameter.

The crown must be cooled so that the tile does not crack and the crown does not break.

Drilling a ballerina

When deciding how to drill ceramics, many opt for a ballerina. It is a central drill of small diameter, and adjustable leg, which is retracted from the center at a certain distance and determines the diameter of the hole.

It is important to remember that the installation of the ballerina's legs regulates the radius, that is, half the diameter of the circle, which is important when working. After installing it, you need to tighten the screw strongly so that the leg does not go to the side during operation.

Drilling with a ballerina is necessary at low speed, without leaning on the tool. Due to strong pressure, it can jam. Hold the device strictly at an angle of 90 degrees.

Also, when working, it is necessary to pay attention to the fact that the depth of the slot along the entire circumference is the same. It often happens that after work small plot the tiles remain uncut, then it must be carefully broken off with pliers. The uneven edge is then rubbed with sandpaper.

What other tools can be used

But what if there is no crown or ballerina in the house, and the hole needs to be made only once? Buying special nozzles becomes impractical, so you can use other tools for work. Consider how exactly you can drill a tile without these nozzles.

For example, an electric drill can be replaced by a manual one. Of course, this will greatly increase the time spent on work, but the quality of the hole made will be higher. The main thing is to control the pressure on the tool and keep it at the right angle.

The use of grinders

This is universal tool, which is used to quickly drill holes in ceramic tiles. To work, you must purchase a special nozzle with a diamond coating, and strictly follow the safety rules when working. Step-by-step instruction:

1. We draw the outline of the future hole on the surface of the tile with a marker.
2. We install a carved disk on the grinder.
3. Let's go straight to work. It is necessary to move the tool away from you, initially outlining the contour, and then gradually starting to deepen.

The edges of the cut must be polished.

Using a jigsaw

This is the simplest tool that can be found in almost every owner. Before starting work, you must purchase a tungsten filament. This is very handy tool for similar work, which allows you to make holes different sizes neatly and efficiently.

Among the disadvantages of this method, one can single out its labor intensity: when working, it is necessary to apply physical effort, which quickly leads to fatigue, especially if several holes need to be made. Step-by-step instruction:

• With a marker we circle the outline of the future hole on the enamel of the tile.
• Using an electric drill, we make a starting hole, through which we thread a tungsten filament, after which we fix it on a jigsaw.
• We begin to smoothly saw along the inner contour of the markup, trying not to go beyond it.
• Finish off the edges with sandpaper.

Processing tiles with improvised tools

But not everyone has a drill at home or electric jigsaw what to do then? There are ways that allow you to make a hole in the tile using a conventional glass cutter and pliers. To do this, follow the instructions:

1. We make markings, outline the outline of the hole.
2. We circle the contour with a glass cutter, creating a shallow furrow.
3. Tap the surface with the head of the glass cutter to deepen the furrow.
4. Using pliers, carefully break off the cut section piece by piece.
5. sand the edges with sandpaper.

Using special drill bits

If you have special nozzles on the door, the work will be simplified several times. Some of them, such as the ballerina, have already been mentioned earlier. As a rule, they have a central drill and a cutter. The sequence of actions when using them does not change.

Using a diamond crown

A diamond crown is an expensive, but reliable and durable tool. It is designed for repeated use, and the diamond coating will make the job fast, accurate and efficient.

Drilling a tile that has not yet been fixed to the wall

It is also possible to drill ceramic even before it is fixed on the wall. To do this, follow following algorithm works:

• We leave the tile for half an hour in water before starting work.
• After this time, we shift the tile to flat surface, it must be wood or concrete, drill tiles on metal surface it is forbidden.
• We fix the tile in this position and mark the center of the future hole.
• We start drilling, we carry out work starting from small revolutions, gradually increasing speed.

Tile drilling tricks

In any business, it is better to learn from the mistakes of others, and drilling holes in a tile is no exception. We have already figured out how to drill ceramic tiles in the bathroom, kitchen and other rooms, but what else should you know?

Helping you get the job done to the highest quality useful advice experienced craftsmen:

1. To drill a tile with an electric drill so that it does not crack, it is necessary at a speed of no more than 1000 revolutions per minute.
2. If it is necessary to make a hole in a tile already attached to the wall, and at the same time a glass or ceramic drill is used, it must be replaced immediately after the tile layer has been passed. The required depth of the hole must be made already with a concrete drill.
3. It is also recommended to change the diameter of the drill. For drilling the tile itself, a drill of a larger diameter is used, and for a wall, a smaller one by 2 mm.
4. It is possible to make a hole in the seams between tiles only when the width of the seam is greater than the diameter of the drill. Otherwise, the tile will begin to crack and split.

In custody

Repair work does not end with laying tiles, and after that you will definitely have to carry out communications, drill holes for sockets, pipes and furniture. To preserve the beauty of the tile, it should be done correctly, and we hope we have told you all the secrets that will help with this.

After finishing the bathroom or kitchen tiling, the problem may arise - how to drill ceramic tiles to complement the room. wall cabinet, towel rack, mirror or other accessories.

In addition, during the repair process, it often becomes necessary to "embed" the socket or make a hole for plumbing pipe or cable.

The main difficulty lies in the fact that the tile is a hard, but at the same time fragile material, and easily cracks if handled carelessly. Therefore, the question of how to drill ceramic tiles so that cracks and chips do not form is very relevant.

If you need to do not big hole in ceramic tiles, use a hand drill. When working with this tool, it is possible to fully control the speed of rotation and the force of pressing.

An electric drill with a function that allows you to smoothly adjust the rotation speed, or a screwdriver with a low speed, is also suitable. The absence of vibration and sharp jerks during operation will allow you to drill ceramic tiles without cracking, chipping or breaking.

Insofar as upper layer ceramic tile is very brittle and cracks easily, then percussion instruments not suitable for drilling.

Perforator or impact drill can only be used after the ceramic tile has been drilled to the stop, and a hole has to be made in the wall for the dowel.

Drills for ceramic tiles

Drills with a lance-shaped tip are used if you need to get a small hole.

When choosing a drill for ceramic tiles, you need to consider that cutting edge tool must be harder than the surface of the tile.

The best option is a diamond-coated drill. He is also the most expensive. If you have a lot of work to do, then buying a diamond drill makes sense.

But in order to make several holes, you should not go to such expense. For home needs, you can get by with an inexpensive drill with victorious soldering, sharpened on a diamond wheel.

Making a large circular hole

When choosing which drills to drill ceramic tiles with, you need to consider the diameter of the intended hole. Often in the bathroom or in the kitchen you need to make a fairly large hole for a pipe, faucet or outlet.

In this case, the so-called "crown" is used - a tubular drill with a diamond coating. It would be ideal to have a set on the farm, which includes ceramic tile crowns of various diameters.

The high cost of tools is offset by the savings in time and effort, as well as excellent result. Using a tube drill, you can do quite big holes– up to 150 mm in diameter.
The tool is effective, but in order to extend its service life, the following rules must be observed:

• The drill should be set to the minimum number of revolutions to prevent rapid wear of the cutting part of the drill.
• The crown must not be allowed to overheat. To do this, you need to lower its cutting part into the water more often.

How to drill a tile that has not yet been laid? Ballerina!

When it is known exactly where the communications will take place, all the holes necessary for them are drilled even before the tile is laid. To do this, you can use the diamond crowns mentioned above for ceramic tiles. If it is not possible to acquire a rather expensive tool, then for such purposes they use special drill- so-called. "ballerina".

"Ballerina" is a circular drill resembling a compass. Its tip is set in the center, and the distance to the cutter is adjusted depending on what diameter of the hole is planned. The tool cutter is made of hard alloys. The drill in the middle is for centering.

The advantage of the "ballerina" is the ability to set the size of your choice, which allows you to make holes in ceramic tiles of the desired diameter. The disadvantages include the fact that when drilling big holes difficult to hold the drill strictly in vertical position. And also the need manual processing jagged edges that remain after applying this tool.

The rest are solid pluses. The drill is inexpensive, lasts a long time and is an excellent answer to the question: how to drill tiles in the bathroom, if you need to bring pipes, connect plumbing or a washing machine.

Before drilling, the tile is kept in water for half an hour so that it does not crack. Cut at low speed, from the unglazed side. Hold firmly while working. Be sure to wear goggles to protect your eyes from shards.

We drill ceramic tiles according to the rules

After the tool is selected and the decision is made which drill to drill ceramic tiles in a particular case, you need to carefully study the technology of this type of work.

When drilling, the pressing force on the tool should be minimal so as not to break the tile. Work at low speeds - the lower the speed, the less vibration and play of the drill.

Excessive overheating at the drilling site can cause the tile to crack. Therefore, you need to periodically spray the surface of the tile with water and moisten the drill (of course, after turning off the drill).

The main difficulty in drilling ceramic tiles lies in the passage of the top layer covered with glaze. Due to the smoothness of the coating, the drill often moves out.

To fix it at the desired point, you can use one of the following methods:

• Scratch a small cone in the area where the hole is planned, using a hardened self-tapping screw or the sharp edge of a file.
• Stick masking tape or fabric adhesive tape on the tile. This will prevent the drill from slipping during operation.
• Mark the desired point with a clerical corrective pencil. The surface of the tile at this point will become rough, making it easier to hold the drill bit in place.

It is difficult to make a neat hole in a tile without the appropriate skills, because it is quite hard and not elastic. But with special tools and complete information about how to drill tiles in the bathroom and in the kitchen so as not to damage it, you can successfully work with this material.

It seems that all the difficulties are behind, but it was not there, perhaps the problems are just beginning. After all, you need to hang a mirror, a shelf, a hook on the wall. For those people who have never done this, the question immediately arises: "How to drill tiles?" After all, this construction material very fragile and must be handled with care and precision.

Acquiring tools

Choosing the right tool is half the battle. In order to drill a hole in a tile, the following tools will come in handy:

• Drill manual. Usually this product is used if you have to make a small hole.
• An electric drill that can operate at low speeds.
• Screwdriver working at low speed.
• Drill.

How to choose the right drill

Remember: in order to make a hole in a tile, a drill for concrete or wood will not work. So, you need to decide which drill to drill the tiles with.

• Drill with a diamond dusting. It is convenient and efficient. True, it is quite expensive, and most often it is used by professionals.
• Drill with victorious tip. It is perfect for working with tiles, and its price is low.
• Drill for tiles. If you have to make a lot of holes, then stop your choice on this product.
• Make a hole if necessary big size use a drill bit.

Currently on sale you can find tile drills, the diameter of which is from three to fourteen millimeters. They have a hex shank and an arrowhead.

Choosing a drill

Decided on the drill. Now you should pay attention to the choice of a drill. Of course, if you have never drilled a hole in a tile, it is best to entrust this to a specialist. But if you have a great desire to do this work yourself and you are sure that you will figure out how to drill tiles, then proceed. It is best if you purchase a hand drill. In this case, the pressing force and speed of revolutions depends only on you. The hand drill does not vibrate, the work will be smooth and slow, which means that the tile will not begin to crack and be damaged. If you have not found a manual one, then choose an electric drill, where the speed is smoothly regulated.

Rules to follow

How to drill tiles correctly? The answer to this question is in the tips below.

• When choosing the location of the hole, remember that the distance to the edge must be at least fifteen millimeters.
• If the tile is not yet glued to the wall, then soak it in water for half an hour. If it is already on the wall, then just moisten it with water. In both cases, the risk of cracking will decrease.
• To prevent the drill from slipping off the tile, use masking tape. Glue the tape where the hole will be and drill through it.
• Work should be done at low speeds.
• When you see the drill turning red and smoking, stop and let the tool rest and cool. Change the speed, reduce it. The drill is periodically lowered into a clean machine oil so it cools down faster.
• If you had to use machine oil, then wipe it thoroughly before using the drill again so that there are no stains.
• Do not put pressure on the drill under any circumstances. It may slide off and leave a scratch on the wall or floor.

Getting Started

You have received tips on how to drill tiles. Now you can get to work. The drilling process must be carried out carefully and carefully.

• Mark the place where you want to make a hole.
• Stick on tape.
• Check if the percussion mechanism is disabled on the drill.
• The drill is held at a ninety degree angle to the wall.
• Set the minimum rpm.
• Gradually increase the speed as the drill goes deeper into the tile.
• Where work takes place, it is not bad if there is a vacuum cleaner nearby. Well, if at this moment someone will help you.
• The hole in the tile is made, the drill should be changed. After all, then you have to work with concrete, stone or wood. Just remember that the diameter of the new drill should not exceed the diameter of the old one. Otherwise, the tile may crack.
• The resulting hole is blown from concrete dust and insert the dowel.

Before starting work, check if there are voids behind the tile. This can be done with tapping. If the sound is deaf - drill, if it is sonorous - go to another tile. The void increases the risk that the tile may crack. Now you know how to properly drill tiles. You can get to work.

Large hole

You already know how to drill tiles on the wall if you need a small hole. But sometimes a large diameter hole is needed. For this work, you will need a diamond-coated crown or a special circular nozzle. The process itself is as follows:

• Mark the place where the hole will be.
• Install the correct size crown.
• Drill from the face of the tile.

If the instrument good quality, then it will take you about five minutes to work.

If you need to make a non-standard hole, then you will have to spend a little more time. For work, use a special circular drill. What to do:

• Set the desired size.
• The circular drill should work at low speed.
• The tiles must be held firmly.
• Hold the drill perpendicular to the tile.
• To prevent the tool from staggering, use a special tripod for the drill.
• Observe safety precautions when working, wear goggles.

Conclusion

If you're not sure you know how to drill tile properly, you can practice on pieces you don't need or on a piece that isn't yet attached to the wall. In this case, you will not be afraid that you will not succeed, but you will simply gain experience, which will be very useful to you in the future.

In all cases of drilling tiles, you will need determination, firm hand, care and patience. When working, do not be distracted, hold the tool confidently, because if you spoil something, you will not be able to fix it.

Theoretically, you already know how to drill tiles, it remains to put your knowledge into practice.

Ceramic tiles have deservedly become a popular facing material. Durability, moisture resistance, high aesthetics, variety of colors and formats are just some of the advantages of tiling.

In the course of work, each tiler drills holes in ceramics. Improper drilling will ruin the tile and it will crack.

How to drill a tile correctly? What tool will help with this? These questions will be discussed in the article.

What is the difficulty?

Ceramics are fired at high temperature. This is how high density and strength of the material.

But the lack of ductility and flexural strength makes drilling problematic. Careless drilling, strong pressure will lead to cracked tiles.

The surface of the tile is covered with glaze; when drilling, it can be damaged, so that the cladding will lose its attractive appearance. How to avoid sad consequences?

First you need to prepare workplace and evaluate the quality of the installation. Tap on the tile where you want to make a hole. If the sound is “boomy”, then there are voids under this tile. It is better not to drill in it: the tile may crack.

Why you need to drill tiles

Facing the surface with tiles will not do without trimming and drilling. The reasons are different:

1. We need holes for plumbing elements, for example, pipes or a faucet.
2. Arrangement of a hole for a socket.
3. Installation of hooks, shelves, decorative elements and more.

Tools Used

Without special equipment drilling ceramic tiles is almost impossible.

• • Electric drill. The drill bits come in a variety of diameters, allowing you to drill through ceramic tiles and make the hole you need. Required condition: there must be a speed control. At first, work at low speeds to go through the layer of glaze. Then the turnover increases.
  • A screwdriver is a tool with less power, but all of it should be enough to drill several holes. For large volumes of work, a screwdriver is not suitable.

• Hand drills. Not the most popular and forgotten option. Hand drills are practical with their rotation speed adjustment, they are quite suitable for drilling several holes.

For high-quality drilling, you will need special drills that work well on ceramics.

Spear-shaped tile drills, which are commonly called "feathers", are popular. They easily pass the layer of glaze and cope with ceramics. Disadvantage: after 4-5 dozens of drilling, the "feather" grinds off and becomes unusable. But more durable porcelain stoneware "feather" can be mastered no more than 10 times.

Core drills are designed for drilling holes of large diameters. There will be several crowns of different diameters in the kit. Diamond or tungsten carbide coating ensures the durability of crowns. Tungsten carbide coating will cope not only with ceramics, but also with natural stone, granite or marble.

Start drilling

How to drill tiles correctly? What is worth remembering?

• Practice on pieces of tile that you no longer need. So you can "fill your hand."
• Make precise markings: a hole made in the wrong place cannot be repaired. The mark is made with a marker on the surface of the tile.

Note!

A pencil or pen will not write on a glazed tile surface. Use a marker for marking. Experienced builders recommend sticking a small piece of masking tape on the tile and marking it. The mark will be clearly visible, and then the adhesive tape is removed.

• If you are using a drill, make sure the jackhammer function is disabled. Put a drill on the tile, otherwise you will split the tile.
• Never start drilling tiles at high speeds. First, you need to designate a place for the hole with a center punch, then it is easy to go through a layer of glaze, and only then increase the speed.
• The tool will get hot, so the drill needs to be soaked in water and the tool rested every 10-15 minutes. This is assuming you need to drill a lot of holes.
• You need to work perpendicular to the tile, this is the only way to make a beautiful and neat hole.
• Drilling tiles is always performed from the front side, if you drill from the opposite side, then the output will be a lot of chips and microcracks. This will spoil the appearance of ceramics.

Don't forget about safety. During drilling, small chips and particles of ceramics break off from the tile. They can injure your hands or get into your eyes. Work with gloves and goggles.

small diameter

Holes of small diameter will be needed if you need to hang a shelf, hook, decor element, etc.

How to drill a hole in a tile:

• Make precise markings: mark with a marker where you need to drill.

Note!

No need to drill near the edge of the tile, stand back 15 mm from the edge: during operation, the tile may crack under pressure or the drill will jump off and fall into the seam, so that the tile is deformed.

• The drill is selected according to the width of the dowel, which will be driven into the hole in the tile.
• The work is carried out at low speeds of the tool in order to go through the layer of glaze. After the turnover increases. When you feel that you have passed the tile, you can remove the drill along the tile so as not to blunt an expensive tool.
• Continue with the drill bit in concrete or brick.
• After going through the ceramic, switch to drilling mode to make a hole of the required length.
• Then hammer in the plastic dowel, and then insert a self-tapping screw, hook or other fastener. Do not make sudden movements and strong blows so as not to damage the ceramics.

Large diameter holes

Necessary for mounting sockets, switches, to bypass pipes.


Such manipulations are performed with crowns with diamond or corundum coating. The set is represented by a shank, which is mounted in a drill chuck, as well as crowns of different diameters.

Most often, crowns have their own pilot drill, which is inserted into the center of the future hole.

• Make a markup, decide on the center of the hole. Choose a crown that fits your diameter.
• Pre-drill a small hole in the center. Apply the tips from the previous paragraph. It is good to use a special drill on the “feather” tile.
• A pilot drill bit of the desired diameter is inserted into the hole.
• We start at low speeds, then the speed increases.
• If the hole turned out with chips and burrs, inner part circles can be sanded with sandpaper.

Note!

Crowns overheat quickly, so to extend the service life, you need to frequently wet the crowns or take a “breather”.

If there are no crowns

How to drill tiles in the bathroom if there are no special crowns? In such cases, the following common folk method is used.

• A circle is drawn. The markup must be precise and clearly visible.
• in a circle conventional drill small holes are drilled on the tile.
• The holes are close to each other. Then you break out the fragments inside the circle with wire cutters or pliers.
• Beautiful and even edges without chips are achieved by grinding.

It is best to drill a hole in a large diameter tile beforehand, before installing the tile on the walls or floor. Therefore, it is important to equip the workplace before starting work.

The tile lies on a flat base so that it does not crack when drilling. It is better to lay the tile on a wooden plank so that the drill or crown does not blunt on concrete or brick when the tile passes.

Don't Forget Funds personal protection: you will definitely need glasses and gloves.

Non-traditional ways

If there is no special equipment, and holes need to be made near the edge of the tile, you can use a grinder. It is necessary to outline the diameter of the hole, and then carefully comb off the parts of the tile that need to be removed with a grinder.

Five proven ways to cut a hole in a tile - video

With a grinder you can achieve good result, the main thing: do not rush and work carefully. The cut end can be sanded with sandpaper. The advantage of this option: the ability to make a hole of any diameter.

Drilling tiles - feasible task for the beginner tiler. It takes a special tool and a little practice. The article drew attention to the points that need to be considered.

How to drill tiles is a question that many people have during the laying of ceramics or after finishing the room. The difficulty lies in the fragility of the product and the possibility of its detachment from the wall during processing.

Tiles are usually rectangular slabs of fired clay.

In residential areas, tiles are used to finish bathrooms, and quite often in kitchens, part of the wall is tiled. On these surfaces it may be necessary to lay and install electrical equipment, place hanging furniture, mirrors, various shelves and hooks. Fastening to glue does not always provide the necessary strength of the connection. Humidity and temperature changes lead to the weakening of the adhesive layer and its destruction. The best option is fastening on screws, for which it is necessary to drill holes and install dowels or other fasteners.

Beginner mistakes

Novice masters should know a number of rules when working with tiles. It is processed in two ways:

• it is necessary to drill a hole in the tile already laid on the walls;
• it is required to drill a hole in the right place before laying the tiles.

In the first case, the work is easier to do. The main mistake in this case is haste. When performing work on a fragile layer, the tile often peels off. Therefore, regardless of the recommendations of the manufacturers of masonry materials, it is advisable to give a week-long exposure after the work is completed.

Quite often, when marking holes, many people try to chip off the glaze at the point of drilling. It is really easier to drill a hole with a chip, the drill does not slip on the surface, but often the chips are too large or cracks form. It is difficult to eliminate the formed defects.

It is best to use masking tape. A piece is glued to the right place, markings are made on it and a hole is drilled. The adhesive tape will not allow the drill to slide on the surface.

If the diameter of the hole is larger than the width of the adhesive tape, then you can go through a layer of glaze with a small diameter drill, then remove the adhesive tape, change the tool and continue drilling along the mark formed.

How to drill tiles in joints? This can only be done if the width of the joint is greater than the diameter of the hole. Otherwise, cracking of the tile or chipping of the glaze is possible. If it is not possible to shift the center of drilling, it will be correct to use a cut wooden board with a hole of the required diameter. It is advisable to work together. One person presses the board, the second works with a drill. The board must be put on the drill, then combine the drill with the intended point and press the board.

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Tool for the job

In order to drill a hole in a tile, you will need the following set of tools:

• masking tape;
• measuring tool: tape measure, level, marker;
• a screwdriver, a hammer drill with a drilling function or an electrified drill;
• drills and nozzles for working with tiles.

Figure 1. When drilling holes in a tile laid on a wall, you need to make a preliminary marking.

With a small hole diameter (up to 12 mm), you can work with a screwdriver. The rotation speed of these devices is small, the output torque is quite sufficient. Consideration should be given to the material that is under the tile. For concrete walls, the use of a screwdriver is problematic.

The drill must have a speed controller. Optimal Speed when processing tiles - from 100 to 200 rpm. For walls made of concrete or brick, the rotation speed should be much higher.

The puncher must also have a speed controller. The mortising function cannot be used. This also applies to drills with the same function. Cartridges on devices of all types must be in good condition and not have beats during operation.

Which drill to work on tiles, mainly depends on the volume upcoming work. If you need to drill 2-3 holes, you can use a conventional metal drill of the desired diameter. After working with a tile, it must be sharpened.

With a large amount of work, it is advisable to use drills and fixtures specially designed for such work:

1. Drill bit with spear head. This tool can be used for drilling tiles and red brick walls. If the wall is made of another material, after the passage of the tile, it must be changed to the appropriate one.
2. Drill with hard facing. As a material for the nozzle is usually used win. Its cost is slightly higher than conventional drills, it drills better. Wears out when working with tiles quite quickly.
3. Tool with diamond tips. The cost of such drills is quite high. Durability matches the price. The tool can be used to work with other materials.
4. Special drills for working with ceramics and glass. They are quite expensive. They have high wear resistance. The disadvantage is that it can only be used to work with the specified materials (Fig. 2).

Bits for drilling large diameter holes are classified and used in a similar way. Of all types, a device called a "ballerina" can be distinguished. This device is designed for drilling holes of non-standard diameter. It has a moving cutter and can be adjusted to any diameter within tolerance.

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Basic drilling techniques

When drilling holes in a tile laid on a wall, it is necessary to make a preliminary marking (Fig. 1). Stick tape on the drilling sites and repeat the markings. Chuck rotation speed should be no more than 250 rpm.