Drilling tiles?

[owen01]

Hi,

Am to put up a shower in a tiled bathroom. Any tips on drilling tiles without cracking them please?

Thanks

 

[Burnerman]

Masking tape over where you want the hole to be, use a good masonry bit, use a very slow speed until you are through the glaze......and no hammer action!
John

 

[Jackrae]

If you want holes large enough for the pipes to pass through then you need something like these :

http://www.blackdiamondinternational.co.uk/c/diamond-tile-drills-and-adaptors-102.php

But you can get much cheaper versions from DIY shops that'll be good enough for a one-off DIY job.

You also need a plastic guide plate with a guide hole the diameter of the bore-drill to hold the drill in position until it's cut itself an annular grove deep enough to hold itself in place

 

[xr4x4]

Spade type glass and tile drills, will go through ceramic like butter.

 

[owen01]

Thanks, it's only drilling to set up a shower booth curtain rail, and the shower head holder can be mounted on a wood block (for now) given several coats of gloss for waterproofing - so that again will only need screws to secure it. Will start looking for those drill bits.

Where would I find guide plates please?

Masking tape brilliant idea - so you can mark out the drill holes on it as well!

 

[alan333]

Tile drills...

http://www.screwfix.com/p/erbauer-tile-glass-drill-bit-set-3pcs/53634

 

[Jackrae]

I got mine from here, but when you see how simple it all is i'm sure you could make your own. Watch their videos for tips

http://www.365drills.com/

 

[AdamCH]

Tile drills...

http://www.screwfix.com/p/erbauer-tile-glass-drill-bit-set-3pcs/53634[/QUOTE]

These are actually very good despite being very cheap. Not sure how they'd do with hard porcelain or granite but they are more than up to Marble, Trav, Ceramic etc.

 

[footprints]

Don't forget to push the wall plug right through the tile so it expands in the wall only and not in the tile which will split it

 

[phatboy]

Tile drills...

http://www.screwfix.com/p/erbauer-tile-glass-drill-bit-set-3pcs/53634[/QUOTE]

These are actually very good despite being very cheap. Not sure how they'd do with hard porcelain or granite but they are more than up to Marble, Trav, Ceramic etc.

They are OK on porcelain, but it knackers the bits fairly quick. I had to keep dripping water onto it, otherwise the bit got red hot.

 

[owen01]

Tile drills...

http://www.screwfix.com/p/erbauer-tile-glass-drill-bit-set-3pcs/53634[/QUOTE]

thanks but - site down?

 

[owen01]

Don't forget to push the wall plug right through the tile so it expands in the wall only and not in the tile which will split it

good tip!

 

[owen01]

got some glass+tile bits 'PTX Universals'

what is the method please - drill the tiles with these, then swap to regular masonry bits once through the tile?

thanks

 

[owen01]

well i did - drilled each tile with the tile bit then deepened for the raw plug with a masonry bit. Many thanks - didn't crack a tile

nearly pulled the ceiling down though with that support strut thingy!

never mind -

before & after:-

shower head lead too short and curtain too narrow but i can sort those bits later on - shower works okay, that's the main thing!

 

[AdamCH]

Make sure you push the rawlplug past the tile. If you don't you could find the tile cracking.