How to Make a Hole in a Tile Without Breaking or Chipping It
The work of drilling tiles and tiles is one of the most delicate. When we simply need to make a hole in wood or drill a hole in metal like iron or steel, we know that the choice of a good drill bit always matters.
Then technique always counts in these cases, we cannot proceed without a secure guide. But in the end, we have a drill, a bit, and in front of us a material that resists. A bit like when we need to drill reinforced concrete or concrete.
But if the hole must be made in a ceramic tile or on a terracotta tile, everything changes: you must proceed with specific tools, but also with very precise speeds to avoid the material getting damaged. In fact, chipped and fractured tiles – or even broken ones – are commonplace when renovating your home and you need to drill tiles to mount, for example, bathroom or kitchen fixtures. Do you want to discover how to avoid the worst and drill tiles like a true professional?
Some Tips for Starting to Drill Tiles Properly
Let's start by giving some tips to prevent holes in tiles from becoming a nightmare for any kitchen or bathroom renovation project. First, remember that it's always more convenient to work on a surface not yet mounted on the wall and that you can manage on a protected surface. If you have the opportunity, position the element on a comfortable surface, mark the point you need to drill, and use masking tape to support the drill bit: it will prevent potential loss of grip with enamel chipping.
Proceed with controlled speed, without putting your weight on the drill: let the bit and movement do the digging. For maximum precision with standard bits, you can also use suction-cup guides that allow you to drill holes at the right spot without risking burrs. Another advantage of working holes in tiles not yet mounted on the wall or floor: if you break it, you can always replace it, those applied cannot. Or better yet, to do so you need to work on the finished wall.
Choose the Drill with the Right Rotational Activity
Regarding the main tool for drilling a tile or tile, there's not much to confirm. It's enough to have a normal drill for drilling holes, better if it's a quality model with the ability to manage speed professionally.
What's important to remember is that these ceramic, terracotta, marble, or other material elements must be drilled with rotation. And not with percussion. This option is preferred for work in the construction field, but only for very tough structures like stone or concrete. Using rotational movement with percussion on a tile, or even to drill porcelain stoneware, would have disastrous effects. That is, your precious tile would break permanently the moment the bit touches the support.
Use a Drill Suitable for This Specific Purpose
Part of the work of drilling a tile depends on the drill bit. There are specific solutions for operating safely on these materials, both for small holes – for example to insert screws with anchors – and for larger diameter work. For example, to run a pipe through a wall where tiles are already positioned, or a faucet from a cooktop.
What are the tools for drilling ceramic tiles or any equivalent material? The model with hardmetal inserts and cylindrical shank, similar to a lance point, is perfect for working on classic hard but delicate surfaces like ceramics, porcelain.
For larger holes, cup mills with pilot points are used, but considering we're still talking about hard materials, the advice is to use diamond mills. Or those with tungsten carbide teeth – one of the hardest known materials.
These solutions are perfect for working hard materials in construction. In the case of Krino products, for example, we have specific options like the Gres+ with insert in hardmetal with special diamond sharpening that makes this tool perfect even on granite. Additionally, the tip guarantees a precise hole without burrs, avoiding lateral slippage of the tip. The line of mills Keramaster, instead, is perfect for drilling large holes in tiles already positioned vertically.
