# Forum Home Renovation Tiling  The Old Drilling a Hole through a Tile Trick. Pretty Nifty!

## Uncle Knackers

G'day Knuckleheads,  :Biggrin:  
It's been a little while but l've just knocked up a quick little video showing a cool little trick l use when drilling a tile. Check it out.
Here's the YouTube link  How to Drill a Hole in a Ceramic Tile. GREAT TIP! - YouTube 
Cheers, Uncle Knackers  :Smilie:

----------


## ringtail

> G'day Knuckleheads,  
> It's been a little while but l've just knocked up a quick little video showing a cool little trick l use when drilling a tile. Check it out.
> Here's the YouTube link  How to Drill a Hole in a Ceramic Tile. GREAT TIP! - YouTube 
> Cheers, Uncle Knackers

  
Nice one knackers. Ive never had the drama but a bloody good tip for a bit of insurance

----------


## Habitat

Uncle knackers, I think this is fate! The first post in tiling is yours and I've got a question I hope you can help me out with please? 
I need to install all the bathroom fittings but am a bit worried about drilling through porcelain tile. What's the correct way without destroying my tilers hard (and expensive) work? Need to get a finished hole size of 5mm. The "expert" at my local green shed was no help at all. Hope you have the answers o wise one  :Smilie:

----------


## Uncle Knackers

G'day habitat, porcelain tiles are a pain in the a$$# to drill through. Probably one of the hardest building materials going around.  You really need to see someone doing it, so l've included a link to a  good video from You Tube that should help you out. Here's the link.  drill porcelain tile - porcelain tile drilling - YouTube 
Hope that helps. Cheers.

----------


## Habitat

Thanks heaps. I'll head down to a proper hardware store and pick up the diamond hole bit. Keep the YouTube videos coming. Very informative & entertaining  :Smilie:

----------


## sadlier

That video shows a lot of the things that I have been reading.  What about drill guides with a suction guide - are they worthwhile?    
And the wife came home with a flyer about Geco super adhesive who claim their adhesive will stick towel rails etc to walls.  Any comments?

----------


## BaysideNana

I was in the same situation last year when this house was completed and had to drill two holes in the polished porcelain skirting tile in the laundry to fit a magnetic door stop...the builder supplied those crappy plastic ones that look positively terrible...cheapskate!!  His excuse was that 'it is impossible to drill porcelain tiles, NOBODY has ever done it successfully'!!!   
Anyway I bought the chrome, magnetic doorstops from the green shed, that not only stop the door handle punching through the gyprock but also hold the door in position so it doesn't slam.  Fortunately I had a diamond coated ?6mm bit and sprayed water from a spray bottle to keep it cool and hey presto got the tile drilled, tapped in a rawplug and screwed the doorstop in place.   The builder wasn't impressed, but who cares?  
My suggestion is to do a test hole on a scrap tile before going gungho in the bathroom and have a water spray bottle with a dash of detergent and most of all be patient, you'll get it done.  I used a corded (240v) drill (not hammer drill) as it had more power than a cordless.   
Sorry, can't comment on the Geco adhesive as I've never used it. 
Hope this helps?       

> Uncle knackers, I think this is fate! The first post in tiling is yours and I've got a question I hope you can help me out with please? 
> I need to install all the bathroom fittings but am a bit worried about drilling through porcelain tile. What's the correct way without destroying my tilers hard (and expensive) work? Need to get a finished hole size of 5mm. The "expert" at my local green shed was no help at all. Hope you have the answers o wise one

----------


## Uncle Knackers

Personally l would never use an adhesive based product to attach a towel rail. Having little kids that occasionally like to use the towel rail as a monkey bar set, l don't think it would stand up to the test.

----------


## METRIX

> That video shows a lot of the things that I have been reading.  What about drill guides with a suction guide - are they worthwhile?    
> And the wife came home with a flyer about Geco super adhesive who claim their adhesive will stick towel rails etc to walls.  Any comments?

  Yes those water fed guides do work a treat, they keep the diamonds wet which lubricates the tips and cools the diamonds. 
We have the guides but they are made of alloy, and I can recommend them for doing any precision holes required in Porcelain tiles, wall or floor. 
Only problem with the sucker is that if you have an etched or non polished porcelain tile the sucker won't stick to the tile, this can be overcome by having someone else hold the guide in place while you drill, it only takes about 10-20 second to drill through the tile, but drill slowly and you wont have any problems. 
Additional to drilling standard ceramic tiles, get yourself a set of glass drill bits, these are the ones which have a spade type head. 
These work perfect for drilling ceramic tiles (not to be used for porcelain), they don't wander over the tile surface,  you need minimal pressure on the drill when using these, and they give you a very neat hole, you can then finish up with a standard tungsten bit if you require a slightly larger hole, ie 6.5mm vs 6mm for the glass bit. 
Remember dont use hammer mode on the drill and drill slowly, use unkle knackers trick of the rubber to stop you chipping the edge of the hole.

----------


## METRIX

> Personally l would never use an adhesive based product to attach a towel rail. Having little kids that occasionally like to use the towel rail as a monkey bar set, l don't think it would stand up to the test.

  I agree, plugs and screws are the only long term safe way to hold up fittings, Would never use glue.

----------


## Habitat

So I got 2 bits. A reasonably priced one with the water reservoir in the tiling section from bunnies and the more expensive sutton tools one which was 35. The cheapie lasted 2 minutes and the other one about 4 holes. Don't know if I'm doing something wrong but at 9 a hole, these accessories are gonna cost me about $200!

----------


## METRIX

> So I got 2 bits. A reasonably priced one with the water reservoir in the tiling section from bunnies and the more expensive sutton tools one which was 35. The cheapie lasted 2 minutes and the other one about 4 holes. Don't know if I'm doing something wrong but at 9 a hole, these accessories are gonna cost me about $200!

  I use the Sutton ones as well as bulk imported ones from a industrial diamond manufacturer in Asia, you should get a lot more than 4 holes per bit especially from the Sutton one.. 
Suggestion is you might be drilling to quick, keep the drilll speed very slow, and I mean slow, the diamonds will burn out quickly if drilled to quick, push the bit in and out ensuring the water is entering the hole and not just the surface. 
Remember Porcelain is very hard and will destroy even diamond bits quickly if not done with care, there should be an adjuster on the sprayer to pump more water, adjust this up a bit more, put an old towel on the floor to soak up the mess.  
What sized bits are you using, i assume 6-8mm ?   
This is one reason why tilers, builders etc hate porcelain tiles as everything to do with them is hard, from cutting, to drilling, but you cant beat the look of them, follow the instructions above and you should be ok.

----------


## Footscrazy

If you don't want to buy a guide get a small scrap of 6mm masonite and drill a neat hole in it, mark your tile with a texta and you will be able to line up the hole in the masonite with it.
Hold the masonite on the wall or floor firmly with one hand and get the hole started with the other using a diamond bit, a cordless drill on low speed will cut a 6mm hole in porcelain tiles easily and quickly.
Once the hole is started and the bit won't skate around you can remove the masonite, dip the bit in water repeatedly.
It works a treat, I've cut many small holes in porcelain tiles this way.

----------


## Uncle Knackers

> If you don't want to buy a guide get a small scrap of 6mm masonite and drill a neat hole in it, mark your tile with a texta and you will be able to line up the hole in the masonite with it.
> Hold the masonite on the wall or floor firmly with one hand and get the hole started with the other using a diamond bit, a cordless drill on low speed will cut a 6mm hole in porcelain tiles easily and quickly.
> Once the hole is started and the bit won't skate around you can remove the masonite, dip the bit in water repeatedly.
> It works a treat, I've cut many small holes in porcelain tiles this way.

  I like it! I'll have to give it a crack.

----------


## Habitat

Thanks heaps for the info. I'll head back and get another diamond bit and have a crack using the Masonite method. I must admit, I thought the speed was to fast when I was doing it so I'll slow it right down.

----------


## METRIX

> Thanks heaps for the info. I'll head back and get another diamond bit and have a crack using the Masonite method. I must admit, I thought the speed was to fast when I was doing it so I'll slow it right down.

  This is the biggest mistake made when drilling Porcelain, you must drill it very slowly, and it really needs to be kept wet to get the life out of the diamonds, I have drilled hundreds of holes for bathroom fittings into Porcelain, and if the bit dries out for a few seconds the diamonds will start to blunt and eventually burn out. 
You can try the masonite method mentioned above and once the hole is started, remove the masoite and get another person to use a spray pack and squirt water at the rotating bit, this will keep it wet and lubricated.

----------


## JB1

Just on this, 
I'm owner building a house 
In my case who installs the toilet roll holder, towel rack, robe hooks etc? 
the shower rail is the plumber's responsibility? 
Should I start to get some practice and install the toilet roll holder, towel rack, robe hooks etc myself?    
Sent from my iPhone 4S using Tapatalk

----------


## METRIX

That would be you, unless you pay your carpenter or tiler to do it.

----------


## Pulse

> Just on this, 
> I'm owner building a house 
> In my case who installs the toilet roll holder, towel rack, robe hooks etc? 
> the shower rail is the plumber's responsibility? 
> Should I start to get some practice and install the toilet roll holder, towel rack, robe hooks etc myself?    
> Sent from my iPhone 4S using Tapatalk

  
You do, you are the builder! The plumber does the plumbing, the tiler does the tiling 
Cheers
Pulse

----------


## JB1

Well I better get start buying some proper diamond coated bits. 
I drilled two holes to mount my shower rails on porcelain tiles in my current house, I managed to do it with normal tile bits but cracked the grout. 
After the handrails, I got lazy and just siliconed the toilet roll holder onto the tiles lol still perfect to this day! 
3 shower rails, 2 towel racks, 3 toilet roll holders, 2 hand towel rings to do shortly.    
Sent from my iPhone 4S using Tapatalk

----------


## Uncle Bob

> I like it! I'll have to give it a crack.

  Another video?  :Smilie:

----------


## Habitat

Right, got it sorted. Diamond hole drill bits 6mm. Trigger bottle with water in one hand, cordless drill in the other. When doing as you've all suggested, the bits of porcelain tile just fill up in the drill bit and pop out nice and easy. 
I've now got my old man looking on the forum before he tackles anything he secretly questions himself on. He'll never admit to not knowing how to do something, but just looks to see if someone has a better way anyway!

----------


## BaysideNana

Good that you've got the job done...nothing wrong with updating yourself now and then, the internet is the best place to find out!!   
While on this subject, I've always used a dash of dishwashing liquid in the water in a spray bottle, but I notice that nobody else mentioned that....is there a reason not to use it?  It's just something I've always done in situations like this and can't really remember who suggested it or where I got the idea from but have done it for yonks.  No big deal because it's only a squirt but just curious now.     :Tongue:       

> Right, got it sorted. Diamond hole drill bits 6mm. Trigger bottle with water in one hand, cordless drill in the other. When doing as you've all suggested, the bits of porcelain tile just fill up in the drill bit and pop out nice and easy. 
> I've now got my old man looking on the forum before he tackles anything he secretly questions himself on. He'll never admit to not knowing how to do something, but just looks to see if someone has a better way anyway!

----------


## mudbrick

a bit of detergent will help the water hold onto the tile better and carry away the dust created. 
Good for adding to your weed sprayer too !!

----------


## BaysideNana

Thanks....as previously, it's just something I've always done but nobody else mentioned it and I was beginning to think it wasn't used these days.  
Agree about using it on weeds, had done that for more years than I care to remember.   It's a bit like cleaning your hands after gardening or grease when working on the car, with a sprinkle of sugar....people think it sounds crazy until they try it.   
;-)     

> a bit of detergent will help the water hold onto the tile better and carry away the dust created. 
> Good for adding to your weed sprayer too !!

----------


## mudbrick

sounds like there's a few of us been drilling porcelein lately.. 
Once you manage to drill through the tile what is the best way of securing the hand rail to the tiles ? Do you drill through tile and villaboard and screw into timber stud behind the tile or just use a green plug in the tile itself ?

----------


## Habitat

I used a 6mm diamond hole bit going all the way through everything. Found that the hole didn't end up 6mm and was closer to 7.  Was quite lucky two walls were accessible due to cavity sliding doors so I played around with a few plugs to see which one held best. 7mm tapped in with a hammer and heavier screws worked really well.

----------


## mudbrick

talking about those Suttons diamond hole drills i've been using one and it's done 8 holes so far quite slowly. Is there an easy way to sharpen / dress them without buying a special dressing stone ? I don't think the green shed sells the dressing sticks ?!

----------


## Habitat

I bought the dressing block for $8 from a good hardware shop.

----------


## mudbrick

ok cool, i'll try to find a good hardware shop soon as possible !! :Biggrin:

----------

