Drilling a kitchen tile

[rkinsella]

Hi all,

I am trying to drill a hole in a kitchen tile and the damn thing will not yield. Every time I try I get a few millimeters in and then stop making progress. I am using a bosch tile bit and run of the mill bosch domestic drill.

Took 1/2 an hour for my drill bit to cool down the last time I tried.
Have tried both HSS bits and tile bits, with hammer action switched off ... of course.
Any suggestions?

Ray K

 

[vibrobullit407]

Are you drilling into a porcelain tile and if so your best using a diamond drill bit and keeping it wet. I tend to place a sponge full of water touching the bit as the bit will pull the water out of the sponge.

 

[rkinsella]

Thanks for the reply, think the tile is porcelain ... it is the same color all the way through. I think the tile bit is diamond headed also.

What benefit does keep the bit wet/cool have?

Thanks,

Ray K

 

[vibrobullit407]

It stops you over heating the bit which in turn blunts it.You can buy bits that will go through porcelain with out any cooling but I have never used these before. As mentioned use water to cool the bit as you drill and while drilling move the drill slightly from side to side as I have noticed that this also helps.

Maybe a better bet to ask this question in the tilling section and see if you get more beneficial answers. The advice I have given has worked for me very recently!

 

[rkinsella]

Thanks, appreciate the advice ...
Maybe I have blunted the bit, would make sense,

Ray K

 

[deanibusmaximus]

I always use a standard masonry drill bit with minimal pressure. Has never failed me yet.

 

[ic1927]

I always use a standard masonry drill bit with minimal pressure. Has never failed me yet.

I agree with this, if you're not used to drilling tiles put some masking tape over where you are drilling to stop the drill jumping around, and don't put it on hammer setting initially, wait until you have penetrated the glaze.

 

[joe-90]

Spraying water on it makes all the difference. Keep it very wet.

 

[mikej2005]

Spraying water on it makes all the difference. Keep it very wet.

Totally agree - I've had to drill lots of holes in thick, dense ceramic tiles recently and each hole took a fraction of the time to drill when water was used.

I found it easier with two people - one does the drilling and the other sprays the hole and drillbit (carefully) with water, whilst holding a towel underneath to catch the drips.

I used an old kitchen cleaner spray bottle for spraying the water and you obviously need to be careful not to get any water on the drill itself.