Drill small screw holes in porcelain tiles

garrymum · 23 Jun 2008

Hi guys

Tiler is almost finished tiling our ensuite bathroom. I then need to fit toilet / vanity unit & sink and shower enclosure. What is the best bit for drilling small holes in the tiles so I can attach the toilet cistern / vanity unit and shower enclosure to the wall. I know masonary bits will not touch porcelain, do I need a small 5mm diamond core drill or something?

jefoss · 23 Jun 2008

the mm depends on what size hole you need, but yes diamond drill bits are the answer here. also you need to drill through slowly and use water to stop the heat that comes from it.

gcol · 23 Jun 2008

You can just silicone the bog down - you should be sealing round the base anyway. Once it's set, you won't shiift it.

Belboz · 23 Jun 2008

gcol said:
You can just silicone the bog down - you should be sealing round the base anyway. Once it's set, you won't shiift it.

Wouldn't help much with mine. Maybe [?] with the pan but Silicon wouldn't keep a close-coupled cistern on the wall!!!!!

Or did I misread that bit???

gcol · 23 Jun 2008

Ah sorry, thought it was just the pan you were on about. You ideally could do to be able to remove the cistern, so you really want to be screwing it to. Although silicone would do it.

garrymum · 24 Jun 2008

gcol said:
Ah sorry, thought it was just the pan you were on about. You ideally could do to be able to remove the cistern, so you really want to be screwing it to. Although silicone would do it.

Yeah, it's the cistern I am screwing to a tiled wall. Once tiling all done I will check what size core drill I need for all the holes. I have drilled normal ceramic tiles dozens of times, never drilled a porcelain. kinda feel a little apprehensive about doing it!!!

sheslookinhot · 24 Jun 2008

You appear to be doing a similar project to me, although its my bathroom I am doing. I drilled 8mm holes through porcelain tiles tonight. I used a bosch drill suitable for masonry and tiles. As has been said, I took my time and used plenty of water to cool the bit, every 5-10 seconds was needed. It took me a while but I am sure the guys who do it a lot would maybe have used a faster consistent drill speed.

However, thats the hard tiles drilled, now for the ceramic wall tiles.

Interestingly the gap round my offset quadrant shower tray was too large and the tiler has taken away two tiles to have them laser cut.

Thanks to all anyway for the great advice given out to people like me as we attempt DIY jobs.

jamesoo7 · 9 Jul 2008

garrymum said:
Hi guys

Tiler is almost finished tiling our ensuite bathroom. I then need to fit toilet / vanity unit & sink and shower enclosure. What is the best bit for drilling small holes in the tiles so I can attach the toilet cistern / vanity unit and shower enclosure to the wall. I know masonary bits will not touch porcelain, do I need a small 5mm diamond core drill or something?

A diamond bit is a must, a diamond encrusted type. I paid £15 for 6mm it only done 4 holes, before blunt. Saw on ebay for $8 & pp. It took 25mins to drill one 11mm tile. Tip buy plastic water drip feeder to cool bit

sheslookinhot · 10 Jul 2008

jamesoo7 said:
A diamond bit is a must

Not so.

Salmonfisher · 10 Jul 2008

sheslookinhot said:
jamesoo7 said:

A diamond bit is a must

Click to expand...

Not so.

explain please

garrymum · 11 Jul 2008

In the end I bought a Dewalt diamond core drill with watering/cooling adapter. Drilled 6 holes so far in no time.

Fitted the toilet the other day only to find it was leaking behind my newly built / tiled false wall. Original plumbers (who are no longer doing the project) used a flexible pan connector to the toilet which had a small tear / hole in the flexi hose. I had to get out my angle grinder and remove on of the tiles to replace the toilet pipe.

So, my next question: I only need to fit one tile. Don't really want to go buy some more expensive adhesive, what is ther best 'off the shelf' stuff I can use? I have some grout left from when the tiler originally tiled but no adhesive left.

jefoss · 11 Jul 2008

garrymum said:
In the end I bought a Dewalt diamond core drill with watering/cooling adapter. Drilled 6 holes so far in no time.

Fitted the toilet the other day only to find it was leaking behind my newly built / tiled false wall. Original plumbers (who are no longer doing the project) used a flexible pan connector to the toilet which had a small tear / hole in the flexi hose. I had to get out my angle grinder and remove on of the tiles to replace the toilet pipe.

So, my next question: I only need to fit one tile. Don't really want to go buy some more expensive adhesive, what is ther best 'off the shelf' stuff I can use? I have some grout left from when the tiler originally tiled but no adhesive left.

do the job properly mate, you can pick up a smaller 10k bag, yes its far too much for one tile, but no point in finishing the job with rubbish adh.

just got me remembering a guy i worked with a few years ago, if that was the case for him, silicone all the way for him

gcol · 11 Jul 2008

Balls to that. Stick that blighter on with some grab adhesive or even some silicone. It's only one tile and it'll not go anywhere when it's grouted anyway.

gcol · 11 Jul 2008

Salmonfisher said:
sheslookinhot said:

jamesoo7 said:

A diamond bit is a must

Click to expand...

Not so.

Click to expand...

explain please

Not sure what he's on about Salmonfisher, but if you're ever stuck without a diamond bit, you can get away with a decent masonry bit. You will however, need to build a small plasticine wall around the point you want to make the hole and fill it with water (so obviously this only works on floors). You then drill your hole (on a slow speed). It will take a while, but it will go through eventually.

jefoss · 11 Jul 2008

gcol said:
Balls to that. Stick that blighter on with some grab adhesive or even some silicone. It's only one tile and it'll not go anywhere when it's grouted anyway.

i am suprised at that comment coming from you fella, has joe90 taken over your keyboard??

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Drill small screw holes in porcelain tiles

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