If the question arose of how to drill a tile, you need to carefully select the tool, because the quality of the future coating will depend on this.
This material is quite fragile in processing, so there is a possibility of chipping. The easiest way is to turn to a professional, but we will tell you in detail how and with what to independently perform this type of work.
Overview of tile drilling tools
To make a hole in a ceramic tile, you can use:
- An electric drill and drills, and the tool should work at low speeds, and the best solution would be to use a special (spear-shaped) drill for tiles, however, the standard option is also suitable, but it should be sharpened first;
- A screwdriver is used to drill holes, and the battery device must be characterized by maximum speed (number of revolutions up to 1,000), but drilling tiles using an analogue operating from the network will be correct at low speed;
- A mechanical drill is a less efficient solution, and besides, with the help of such a tool it is possible to drill holes no more than 12 mm.
Different cuts require the use of certain equipment and accessories. For example, to prepare ceramic tiles for installing an outlet in a bathroom or kitchen, a diamond crown is useful.
Measures to protect the material from chips and cracks
When dealing with issues of how to drill a tile, one should not forget about the precautions during work, so that it will be possible to avoid deformation and complete destruction of the finishing material. First of all, so that the tile does not crack, it must first be soaked in ordinary water for 1 hour. If there is not enough time for such a decision, you can moisten the area where the holes are being drilled with a spray gun.
To make it easier to start drilling large holes, you can cut a stencil out of fiberboard or plywood, then pressing it firmly against the tile to start drilling.
It is quite possible to reduce the likelihood of cracking if at least 15 mm retreat from the edge of the ceramic tile to the cutout. And it is better to calculate the installation point of the socket / shelf so that the hole for the fastener is located on the connecting seam.
How to drill tiles for dowels
Such a problem arises if it is necessary to make a hole in the wall of the bathroom or in the kitchen in order to install a lighting fixture / shelf. In this case, you need to work directly on a vertical surface with ceramic tiles already attached to it.
What is the feature of drilling?
The surface of the tile is smooth, which means that it will be difficult to drill the tile if you do not prepare for this process. The main difficulty is that the drill slides over the surface of the material.
We stick paper tape at the marked point, which is able to hold the drill in place at the initial moment of drilling.
Therefore, one of the methods should be used so as not to damage the finish:
- Hole drilling is performed on top of adhesive tape pasted on ceramic tiles;
- It is necessary to slightly violate the integrity of the coating of the finishing material at the point of attachment of the lamp / shelf on the wall in the bathroom / in the kitchen;
- To prevent the drill from slipping, a jig is used - this is a certain type of plate made of metal or wood, with holes of different diameters.
The last of the methods requires effort and increased care, since it will be necessary to simultaneously hold the jig, as well as control the accuracy of drilling. Otherwise, you can make a mistake.
What to drill?
To work with different materials, certain tools are used, as well as accessories for them. When dealing with the question of how to drill tiles in the kitchen or in your bathroom, you must immediately exclude the option of using a brick / concrete drill.
This option is completely unsuitable for working with tiles and in this case there is a high probability of cracking. It should be chosen only as a last resort.
For drilling tiles, it is best to use special spear-shaped drills with a sharp tip or diamond coating.
Correctly use drills for tiles of the following types:
- Diamond coated;
- Winning tip.
The first of the options is very expensive, and it is advisable to purchase it only in conditions of regular drilling, otherwise the tool will not pay off. Most often, a special tile drill with a victorious tip is used, which is sharply pointed enough to reduce the likelihood of cracking the material.
First, drill through the tile with a diamond tip or pen. Next, change the drill to one that is more suitable for the concrete surface.
Operating procedure
The procedure for fixing hanging furniture, as well as lamps on the wall:
- At the point of installation of the dowel, masking tape is glued and a mark is made with a marker where exactly the fasteners will be located.
- Using a suitable drill, you need to make a hole. The drill should run at low speed.
- After you get a through hole in the tile, you should replace the drill with a suitable analogue for working with concrete / brick.
- The surface is cleaned of crumbs and dust, after which the dowel is laid. Moreover, it must be recessed into the tile by a few millimeters.
Using this method, you can drill a hole no larger than 15 mm.
Choosing a drill for installing a socket / pipe
In this case, a simple drill is the least suitable solution. To prepare a large cutout, a crown is most often used, but a special kind of drill is also used - a ballerina.
There are different options for solving this problem: these are special drills (centering), diamond-tipped drills and crowns with a similar coating. However, the price of highly specialized components, in particular, diamond crowns, is quite high. You need to work with them very carefully, regularly moistening with water. The drill turns on at low speeds.
The drills themselves must be made of high-strength materials, have an appropriate sharpening, capable of passing through a dense structure.
An analogue at a more affordable price - with victorious teeth. It is cheaper, but less efficient. If desired, you can choose crowns of different diameters (maximum size 15 cm). But drilling 20 holes in a row will lead to a complete failure of the tool.
Affordable and relatively easy to use - a kind of drill type ballerina. It provides a bracket with another sharp-angled drill.
Perforator and crown with diamond coating
Drilling directly on the wall in your bathroom or kitchen is not safe for finishing material. Therefore, it is better to prepare holes on the floor. The product is recommended to be placed on a hard surface. Having outlined the hole on the front side, you can immediately proceed to drilling.
Drill with diamond core
The actions are similar to the previously considered option. Marking is carried out on the front side of the tile. A hole is drilled using a crown, while it is not recommended to put too much pressure on the tool.
Buy a hole saw with a center drill. When working with tiles, it is quite difficult to use crowns without a center drill, as they slide over the material.
Application of a ballerina
Drills are located at a distance two times less than the diameter of the hole for the socket / pipe. First, marking is done, then drilling is done. You need to work with the tool at low speed.
The ballerina is not very expensive, so every home master can buy it.
Drill and drill bit with diamond tip
In this case, you need to make a lot of holes. Their extreme point should slightly extend beyond the intended contour for the installation of a socket / pipe.
The tube type drill is a diamond coated tube with which you can create holes with a small diameter.
Then the middle is knocked out, and the uneven edge is removed with wire cutters, after which the edge is sanded.
This is a more time-consuming method than using a crown. Therefore, it is recommended to use it, having some experience in such work.
Drill and tungsten hole saw with center drill
This solution is suitable for processing tiles laid on the wall in your bathroom/kitchen. To avoid slipping of the crown, it is recommended to use a prepared template that has a hole of a suitable diameter (according to the size of the crown). Next, it remains to attach the tool, and perform drilling in the bathroom or in the kitchen under the socket / pipe.
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