# Drilling tile



## markb (Jun 11, 2009)

How does everyone drill their tile for shower bars?

We have been using the bosch tile and glass bits from home depot for the last few years. Expensive and time consuming to say the least. Ive had some tiles that take ten minutes of drilling. 

Does anyone have any better products or tip to drill tile faster?

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## Richard Hilliard (Apr 10, 2010)

why not score them with a scratch awl and then drill the tile. Once the glazing is gone then it is easy.


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## DUNBAR PLUMBING (Sep 11, 2008)

Nice and slow. I use bosch (new) SDS bits when I'm drilling high cost tile. 

I can pass for not wanting speed... mistakes are costly.


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## Miguel (Aug 10, 2009)

Some tiles drill easily... others must be made of a mix of cast iron and diamond dust!

Best advice I can offer is to NOT get impatient and use the hammer drill! :no: No good will come of it.


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## markb (Jun 11, 2009)

Richard Hilliard said:


> why not score them with a scratch awl and then drill the tile. Once the glazing is gone then it is easy.


What's a scratch Awl?

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## Adamche (Feb 10, 2012)

sharpen a standard masonry bit on the tungsten carbide faces ( use the same angles as the existing ) drill slow with good pressure and NO hammer. works a treat.


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## Qball415 (Nov 20, 2010)

markb said:


> What's a scratch Awl?
> 
> Sent from my iPod touch using PlumbingZone


Scratch awl is that tool on an apprentice list we never used.
It looks like a ice pick with a screw driver handle.
I use them on layout in commercial buildings with wood decks for my chalk line. Its basically a third hand.


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## plbgbiz (Aug 27, 2010)

...


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## gitnerdun (Nov 5, 2008)

A drywall screw makes a good scratch awl substitute for scoring the surface. The porcelain tile are mfer, really hard to drill.


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## Airgap (Dec 18, 2008)

Is that scratch awl made by Rolex?


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## easttexasplumb (Oct 13, 2010)

Leave it to Mr. Biz to post a pic of the deluxe luxery scratch awl. :laughing:


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## Widdershins (Feb 5, 2011)

I use a spring loaded nail set to break the glaze.


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## Michaelcookplum (May 1, 2011)

markb said:


> What's a scratch Awl?
> 
> Sent from my iPod touch using PlumbingZone


Really? Wants you Get one you will appreciate it for drilling tile


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## Will (Jun 6, 2010)

I use the Glass and Tile bits by Kobalt. Work just as well as the Bosch version. Use water while running, and don't expect many holes if you going through porcelain. Scratching the glaze off porcelain won't help at all. Ceramic it would, but not porcelain. With Porcelain go slow, and don't expect more that 3-4 holes with it. 

http://www.lowes.com/pd_280464-6808...currentURL=/pl__0__s?Ntt=tile+bits&facetInfo=


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## plumberkc (Jun 23, 2011)

Will said:


> I use the Glass and Tile bits by Kobalt. Work just as well as the Bosch version. Use water while running, and don't expect many holes if you going through porcelain. Scratching the glaze off porcelain won't help at all. Ceramic it would, but not porcelain. With Porcelain go slow, and don't expect more that 3-4 holes with it.
> 
> http://www.lowes.com/pd_280464-6808...currentURL=/pl__0__s?Ntt=tile+bits&facetInfo=


That's what I use too. I keep a cup of water handy and every 20-30 seconds I will drop the bit into the water to cool it off.


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## Richard Hilliard (Apr 10, 2010)

scratch awl was used by tin men to mark thier cuts in sheet metal.
It is what another stated a pointed object that has a handles thatg can be hit with a hammer to mark things.

I use mine for tile.locate studs,tool for my sectional cable and to poke the guys working with me to get them moving a little faster.


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## billy_awesome (Dec 19, 2011)

Never use my bosch sds hammer drill anymore....

those things work TOO good!

I've actually changed to masonry bits in my 18v ridgid hammer drill, the hammer drill on cordless tools isn't very powerful so it doesnt chip the tiles. Might take a few seconds longer, but redoing tile work takes more time.....


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## highpoint (Mar 3, 2009)

billy_awesome said:


> Never use my bosch sds hammer drill anymore....
> 
> those things work TOO good!
> 
> I've actually changed to masonry bits in my 18v ridgid hammer drill, the hammer drill on cordless tools isn't very powerful so it doesnt chip the tiles. Might take a few seconds longer, but redoing tile work takes more time.....


I use the ridgid18v cordless as well. Works like a hot damn. And those junker spade style bits. Get 3-4 holes then toss em. Sometimes I use spit if I have only 1 hole to drill. Lol.


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## walker426 (Oct 17, 2011)

Miguel said:


> Some tiles drill easily... others must be made of a mix of cast iron and diamond dust!
> 
> Best advice I can offer is to NOT get impatient and use the hammer drill! :no: No good will come of it.


I use my hammer drill everytime i drill tile


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## Widdershins (Feb 5, 2011)

walker426 said:


> I use my hammer drill everytime i drill tile


Just wait until you find that one tile with huge voids under or behind it.


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## markb (Jun 11, 2009)

Widdershins said:


> Just wait until you find that one tile with huge voids under or behind it.


Lol been there, done that. It's the reason I always have some extra toggle bolts in the drill box. Even if you chip the tilereal good, thetoggle bolts work like a dream

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## walker426 (Oct 17, 2011)

Widdershins said:


> Just wait until you find that one tile with huge voids under or behind it.


Not my problem if tile isnt installed correctly but i never ran across it


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## plbgbiz (Aug 27, 2010)

walker426 said:


> Not my problem if tile isnt installed correctly but i never ran across it


You are correct, it is not your problem if the tile is installed wrong.

Your problem is proving it to the uninformed customer that saw you break it. :whistling2:


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## SHAUN C (Feb 16, 2011)

I use my 18v Dewalt on hammer with those masonry bits that come with the redheads. Keep a little water nearby to cool bit, about half speed. Don't know why everybody says drill slowly, takes forever on some tiles.


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## Redwood (Sep 8, 2008)

Porcelain & Glass tile I use a glass drill in the Dremel Tool...
You want to run 2 - 5,000 RPM and keep the bit submerged in water.
Most of the variable speed Dremels are 5,000 rpm at the low setting...

If you are dunking the bit you are subjecting it to thermal shock and you'll ruin it....


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## Widdershins (Feb 5, 2011)

Redwood said:


> Porcelain & Glass tile I use a glass drill in the Dremel Tool...
> You want to run 2 - 5,000 RPM and keep the bit submerged in water.
> Most of the variable speed Dremels are 5,000 rpm at the low setting...
> 
> If you are dunking the bit you are subjecting it to thermal shock and you'll ruin it....


Ceramic tile goes pretty quick, but I wrap a wet sponge around the bit when I'm drilling porcelain.

I had to core 1" holes through the bottom of some circa 30's American Standard WC tanks back in the 90's so I could retrofit them with ballcocks. I soaked rags or sponges with glycol and cored them freehand with a drill motor. I got about 1 and a half holes per core bit. There were 12 tanks in all.


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## damnplumber (Jan 22, 2012)

*Diamond Drill Bits*

I use diamond coated bits also good for drilling glass...keep things cool and wet. and TAKE YOUR TIME!


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## gladerunner (Jan 24, 2009)

The easiest way is to tell the carpenters to do it


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## PlumberJake (Nov 15, 2010)

I broke a tile on a remodel trim out a couple weeks ago drilling for a grab bar. As soon as it broke I called the homeowner in and explained that is was because of a void under the tile. Luckily, the base of the grab bar mount covered the entire corner that broke. :thumbup:


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## sidekick (Nov 29, 2011)

Get to a real tool shop and invest in a good center punch tool. Its spring loaded and the tip will indent the tile prior to drilling. The use of anything else you will find that your bit wants to tail off in another direction. With a CP not a proplem, plus you want to elimnate having a hammer in the shower, or worse case a steel tub. Light rotor hammer works for me not a lot of effort.


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## Airgap (Dec 18, 2008)

Redwood said:


> Porcelain & Glass tile I use a glass drill in the Dremel Tool...
> You want to run 2 - 5,000 RPM and keep the bit submerged in water.
> Most of the variable speed Dremels are 5,000 rpm at the low setting...
> 
> If you are dunking the bit you are subjecting it to thermal shock and you'll ruin it....


Ahhh, there's the old Redwood.....:thumbup:


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## SewerRatz (Apr 25, 2009)




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## swedishcharm21 (Oct 29, 2011)

markb said:


> How does everyone drill their tile for shower bars?
> 
> We have been using the bosch tile and glass bits from home depot for the last few years. Expensive and time consuming to say the least. Ive had some tiles that take ten minutes of drilling.
> 
> ...


My tile friend gave us a pack of pro grade tile bits. I do not know what brand they are, but they do the job quickly and without cracking everything up.


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## Joeypipes 23 (Feb 2, 2011)

markb said:


> How does everyone drill their tile for shower bars?
> 
> We have been using the bosch tile and glass bits from home depot for the last few years. Expensive and time consuming to say the least. Ive had some tiles that take ten minutes of drilling.
> 
> ...


I've used a rigid diamond bit for certain tiles othertimes masonry bit worked


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## Associated Plum (Nov 4, 2008)

Richard Hilliard said:


> why not score them with a scratch awl and then drill the tile. Once the glazing is gone then it is easy.


The corner of a cold chisel will also work


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## jc-htownplumber (Feb 29, 2012)

I use the dewalt drill/hammer drill works great but dot use the hilti anymore learned my lesson


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## rob the plumber (Oct 21, 2011)

I usually use a 1/4" masonry bit for ceramic tile. Porcelain tile can be a super slut, so i keep a spray bottle on the bit, try to keep my arm from growing numb, and drill at a moderate speed. Too fast can easy them up quickly.


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## TSCO (Aug 21, 2008)

I let the tile guy or the contractor onsite install the grab bars. The tile guys have all the gear and if he cracks a tile, he's there to fix it fast! The other thing about grab bars is the liability, what if one comes off. If your installing the grab bars you may as well be installing all the accessories. I stick to the plumbing work. I do install the slide bars for the hand showers. When roughing in the shower I always talk with the contractor or customer about proper backing.


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## pilot light (Apr 21, 2012)

Richard Hilliard said:


> why not score them with a scratch awl and then drill the tile. Once the glazing is gone then it is easy.


good call !:thumbup:


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## Cal (Jun 17, 2008)

SewerRatz said:


>


DAMN ,,, I got severe bit envy right now !!! 

NICE STUFF !!! :thumbup:


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## Joeypipes 23 (Feb 2, 2011)

Diamond bits beautiful thing


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## pilot light (Apr 21, 2012)

plbgbiz said:


> ...


 I think the timepiece may be located underneath the brass cap at the base of the handle the rolex of scratch awls for sure !


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