What is the best tool to drill floor tiles? How to drill ceramic tiles, which drill is better

So, you have made a repair, but after the tiles are laid, it suddenly turns out that you urgently need to make a hole in it. What about the floor one? And with what? Let's figure it out together.

Tools and materials

Drilling a hole in the floor

Hammer or drill
Drills or crowns
Masking tape
Marker
Ruler

Surface preparation

You can’t just take it and drill right away, since you will definitely encounter the fact that the drill or crown will slide off the surface.

To prevent this from happening, stick it on the place where you need to make a hole. masking tape, and drill straight through it, then not a single drill will slip.

In addition, it would be ideal if the hole is at least 15 mm from the edge, then the tile will not crack.

So, we double-checked the location of the hole once again, glued the tape and marked on top either the drilling location for the drill and the “ballerina” with a cross, or a circle for the crown.

So, let's move on to the main part of the answer to the question of how to drill.

Drilling process

The work with a drill and a crown is slightly different, which is why we will consider the two types of drilling separately.

Working with a drill

Working with a hammer drill

The algorithm of actions will be as follows:

Insert the tile drill into the tool (if it is a hammer drill, then do not forget to turn off the “impact” mode);
Turn on the tool at low speed;
Place the drill bit at the drilling point so that it is perpendicular to the surface;
Carefully guiding the tool, drill without putting any pressure on the tool itself;

Important! If you need a hole of a certain depth, then make a corresponding mark with a marker directly on the drill and drill to it.

Then, when you drill, without turning off the tool, pull the drill out of the hole;
Turn off the instrument.

That's it, now you know how to make a hole in floor tiles! And even if you don’t have a crown, you can draw a circle and go through this entire circle with a drill, making holes, and then simply break through the resulting middle, and also process the edges so that they are more neat.

Working with a crown

There are two types of crowns:

Regular;
"Ballerina."

The ballerina is a compass-type element, which consists of a centering drill, which is located just in the chuck, and a leg - a cutting drill, which is set to the diameter that you need.

Here you don’t need to draw a circle, put a point, as when working with a drill, place a centering drill there and drill carefully at low speeds.

Important! Again, you want to keep the center bit perpendicular to the surface of the tile, but avoid applying excessive pressure!

The tool must first of all be guided, but never pressed, because then it will wear out, which will shorten its operating time.

It will be easier to work with a regular crown if it is also equipped with a centering drill, but more often this is not the case, then using a compass on the tape, draw a circle and drill it, holding the tool perpendicular, placing the crown exactly to that drawing.

Important! Make sure that the crown does not come off (especially in the first stages) and does not “hit” the top glazed layer of the tile.

That's all, here's the floor, we hope the information will be useful to you!

Tile is a reliable and durable finishing material with which you can decorate any home interior. It is made from mixtures of clay with various additives, fired at high temperature. This gives it strength, improves performance and quality characteristics.

During the finishing works you have to drill the tiles: this is necessary for the formation different holes, which simplify installation work certain nodes. The quality of the hole depends on the correctly selected drill.

Peculiarities

Ceramic tiles are mainly used for wall cladding; they are not able to withstand high loads and are inferior in thickness to their counterparts for floor finishing. Drilling this material without chipping or cracking is relatively complex process. Only a master can do this the first time. This is due to several technical features tile products.

Hardness

After sintering, the clay becomes compacted, which prevents the bonds between the components of the raw material from being easily destroyed.

To form holes, it is necessary to use mechanisms whose hardness values are much higher than those of ceramics. In this case, processing should be performed relatively carefully (at optimal speed of the tool used).

Smoothness of the top layer

The top of the tile is covered with a special protective glaze, which prevents the destruction of the clay under the influence of moisture. The surface at the beginning of drilling is quite difficult to drill, this can lead to the working tool slipping.

Decide this problem different ways, among which the simplest is the formation of an entry point using a light blow and destruction of the top layer.

Fragility

You need to drill the material extremely carefully and carefully: all connections between the components are non-plastic and quickly break down along certain lines. This may cause cracks to form.

Based on these properties, we can say that drilling tiles should be done as carefully as possible and only with the use of special mechanisms. This will allow you to get a smooth end and make the surface visually more pleasing against the general background of the cladding.

Types of drills

Drilling of ceramic tiles can be done after laying and immediately before gluing the fragment to the surface of the base. Modern market offers several types of tools that can be used to process such material. All types of such products can be divided into several categories.

Spear-shaped

The working surface of this tool resembles a spear, which is why it is called spear-shaped. So that they can drill a hole, the product is made of tungsten carbide. Similar material It has high hardness, unique performance characteristics, and allows you to quickly and efficiently drill holes.

The disadvantage is the fact that the product has a limited service life and can only drill a few holes in the tiles.

Pobeditovoe

This instrument resembles more common product on metal or wood. At the end of the device there is a special pobedit soldering that can withstand high loads. These tools are not specific: their main purpose is to drill concrete.

If you need to form several holes in the tiles, they are the best option. Their cost is slightly lower than their spear-shaped counterparts. A good drill is suitable for making 2-3 holes. If you need to make a hole in a tile that has already been glued to the wall, then you do not have to change the tool: it can also be used to drill a hole for a dowel in a concrete frame.

Diamond

Such structures are made in the form of small cylinders, the upper surface of which is covered with diamond chips. Such a tool is obtained by sintering metal and piece diamonds without large diameter. For processing tiles, such drills are the best option. They can withstand high loads and are suitable for materials of varying hardness and thickness.

Crowns and ballerinas

These tools are used to drill holes in tiles for faucets or water pipe. Technical crowns are a type of diamond drills, differing only in the increased diameter of the working surface.

Ballerinas do not form a hole when drilling: they only remove the top hard layer during a circular movement. They are recommended to be used when the tiles have not yet been fixed to the wall with tile adhesive.

Choosing drills

The tiles are drilled when it is necessary to install a round or semicircular structure of a certain diameter in a specific place. The most common task is to drill a surface for a dowel, which is used as a support or fastener. There are also non-trivial problems that can be solved using non-standard approaches and tools.

Small diameter

Receipt is not large holes is the main task when using ceramic tiles. For such purposes, almost all types of drills discussed earlier are used. Such tools allow you to form a round hole.

Their diameter can vary from 4-5 mm to 12-15 mm. In this case, the standard size of the drill depends on the manufacturer of the product. There are modifications in which the diameter can change in increments of 0.5 mm; other models are produced on the basis of inches.

It is important to take into account the units of measurement in order to choose the most comfortable and suitable option.

Bolshoi

Sometimes when working with ceramics, installation involves passing water or sewer pipes. The diameter of such products is significantly larger than that of conventional drills. This problem is solved with the help of crowns. Externally, they do not have a twisted surface, like a drill. Drilling is carried out due to the hard top layer, which is in contact with the tile. Depending on the material used in manufacturing, crowns can be divided into 2 groups: pobedit and diamond.

Pobedite crowns are complemented with pobedit tips. There are such designs various sizes, they allow form holes up to 15 cm in diameter. This makes it easier, faster and more reliable to lay a pipeline, in the process of creating which they use different types pipes The disadvantage of such a tool is its limited service life. Using a pobedite bit, you can drill up to 20 holes, after which upper layer begins to wear out quickly.

Diamond crowns are similar in shape to their pobedit counterparts. However, here fine diamond chips are used as the cutting surface, which are soldered to the frame. The diameter of the crowns can vary over a fairly wide range. On the market you can find models that have given value may exceed 25 cm. But such products are used only by specialists who are professionally involved in repairs. This is due to the high price, which does not allow the average buyer to purchase a product for one-time household use.

One of universal tools Ballerinas are used for drilling large diameter holes. They consist of a central tip, as well as cutting tool, which moves along a special bar. Their advantage is the fact that the specialist when carrying out finishing work, can make a hole of non-standard diameter(which is not always possible with crowns).

If it is not possible to purchase a crown for large holes, you can try to shape it using ordinary small-diameter drills.

To do this, you need to draw a circle of the required parameter on the surface of the tile. Then, many holes are drilled along the line along the internal axis, located close to each other. Upon completion, carefully knock out inner part tiles and smooth the ends with sandpaper.

Work principles

Drilling ceramic tiles is relatively simple process. It should only be performed using quality instrument famous manufacturers, whose products have a positive assessment from the craftsmen. The quality of the hole directly depends on this: it should look beautiful and be smooth.

How to choose a drill?

Processing of tiles can be carried out in several ways electric tool. The best option is a drill that allows you to solve several problems. When choosing such a device, it is important that it meets several basic requirements:

It is preferable to use a drill that is equipped with a variable speed function. This reduces the risk of microcracks or splitting the material in half.
Use a hammer drill to drill holes for pipes or sockets It is possible if it allows you to disable the impact drill function, as well as adjust the spindle speed. In this case it turns into a regular drill, but only at higher power.
It is desirable to have a cooling system and conductors. These attributes are optional, but professionals use these assistive devices. The cooling system is a special container of water that is supplied automatically to the end of the drill during operation. The jigs are ordinary suction cups that make it easier to level and secure the drill on a smooth surface.

We control the process

Tile processing technology involves constant monitoring of the process, as well as the condition of the drill. To accurately drill a quality hole, you should follow a few simple recommendations:

Cool the drill constantly. If this is not done, it may burn. If you don't have automatic system water supply, you can replace it with a regular bottle, in which several holes should be punched in the cork. Periodically remove the drill and wet it with liquid.
Do not press too hard on the drill. Excessive load may cause the drill to crack or become deformed.

Do not use reverse mode when pulling working tool. This approach will lead to the formation of chips on the top surface of the tile. Sometimes this can cause the material to crack.
Try to hold the drill exactly at a right angle relative to the plane of the tile. If you do not have experience, you can use special supports or clamps that simplify this procedure.
Drill the tiles at minimum drill speed. Try not to increase them during operation: this will lead to overheating of the drill or destruction of the material.

It seems that all the difficulties are behind us, but that was not the case; perhaps the problems are just beginning. After all, you need to hang a mirror, a shelf, a hook on the wall. For those people who have never done this, the question immediately arises: “How to drill tiles? " After all, this construction material It is very fragile and must be handled with care and precision.

We purchase tools

The right tool is half the success. To drill a hole in a tile, the following tools will be useful:

Hand drill. Usually this product is used if you have to do not big hole.
An electric drill that can operate at low speeds.
Screwdriver operating at low speed.
Drill.

How to choose the right drill

Remember: in order to make a hole in a tile, a drill for concrete or wood will not work. This means you need to decide which drill to use to drill the tiles.

Diamond coated drill. It is convenient and effective. True, it is quite expensive, and most often it is used by professionals.
Drill with a pobedite tip. It is perfect for working with tiles, and its price is low.
Tile drill bit. If you have to make a lot of holes, then choose this product.
Make a hole if necessary big size use a core drill.

Currently, you can find tile drills on sale, the diameter of which ranges from three to fourteen millimeters. They have a hex shank and an arrowhead.

Choosing a drill

We decided on the drill. Now you should pay attention to the choice of drill. Of course, if you have never drilled a hole in a tile before, it is best to entrust this to a specialist. But if you have a great desire to do this work yourself and you are confident that you will figure out how to drill tiles, then go for it. It's best if you buy hand drill. In this case, the pressing force and speed of rotation depend only on you. A hand drill does not vibrate, the work will proceed smoothly and slowly, which means that the tiles will not begin to crack or become damaged. If you can’t find a manual one, then choose an electric drill, where the speed is smoothly regulated.

Rules to follow

How to drill tiles correctly? The answer to this question is in the tips below.

When choosing the location of the hole, remember that the distance to the edge should be at least fifteen millimeters.
If the tile is not yet glued to the wall, then you should soak it in water for half an hour. If it is already on the wall, then simply moisten it with water. In both cases, the risk of cracks will decrease.
To prevent the drill from slipping off the tile, use masking tape. Place tape where the hole will be and drill through it.
It should be operated at low speeds.
When you see the drill turning red and smoking, stop and let the tool rest and cool. Change the speed, reduce it. Periodically lower the drill into a clean machine oil, so it will cool faster.
If you had to use machine oil, wipe it thoroughly before the next use of the drill so that no stains remain.
Do not press on the drill under any circumstances. It may slip and leave a scratch on the wall or floor.

Let's get started

You've got tips on how to drill tiles. Now you can get to work. The drilling process must be carried out carefully and carefully.

Mark the place where the hole should be made.
Apply tape.
Check to see if the hammer mechanism is disabled on the drill.
The drill is held at a ninety-degree angle to the wall.
Set the minimum speed.
Gradually increase the speed as the drill bit gets deeper into the tile.
Where work happens, it’s a good idea to have a vacuum cleaner nearby. It’s good if someone helps you at this moment.
The hole is made in the tile; the drill should be changed. After all, next you will have to work with concrete, stone or wood. Just remember that the diameter of the new drill should not exceed the diameter of the old one. Otherwise, the tile may crack.
Blow out the resulting hole from concrete dust and insert the dowel.

Before you begin, check to see if there are any voids behind the tiles. This can be done by tapping. If the sound is dull, drill; if it is loud, move on to another tile. The void increases the risk that the tiles will crack. Now you know how to drill tiles correctly. You can start working.

Large hole

You already know how to drill tiles on a wall if you need a small hole. But sometimes a large diameter hole is needed. For this job you will need a diamond-coated crown or a special circular bit. The process itself goes as follows:

Mark the location where the hole will be located.
Install a crown of the required size.
Drill from the face of the tile.

If the tool good quality, then it will take you about five minutes to work.

If you need to make a non-standard hole, you will have to spend a little more time. For work, use a special circular drill. What to do:

Set the desired size.
The rotary drill should operate at low speed.
The tile should be held firmly.
Hold the drill perpendicular to the tile.
To prevent the tool from wobbling, use a special tripod for the drill.
Observe safety precautions when working, wear glasses.

Conclusion

If you're not sure you know how to drill tile correctly, you can practice on scrap pieces or on a piece that's not yet attached to the wall. In this case, you will not be afraid that you will not succeed, but will simply gain experience, which will be very useful to you in the future.

In all cases of drilling tiles, you will need determination, a steady hand, care and patience. When working, do not be distracted, hold the tool confidently, because if you mess something up, you will not be able to fix it.

Theoretically, you already know how to drill tiles; all you have to do is put your knowledge into practice.

At a certain stage in the process of renovation in a bathroom, toilet or kitchen, the need inevitably arises to drill technological holes in ceramic tiles.

Regardless of the cost of the tiles, you don’t want to disturb the beauty and evenness of the finish, but at the same time you need to hang a shelf or install an outlet.

The ideal option is to drill holes in the tiles before installation, but this procedure is not always possible. Let's look at how to drill tiles glued to the wall, avoiding the risk of cracks and chips.

Difficulties in working with ceramic tiles

Tiles may crack when drilled

Tile is one of the most durable finishing materials. It is resistant to aggressive environments and can withstand operating conditions high humidity, has a hard and often slippery surface. The tile successfully withstands constant physical pressure, while the material is quite fragile to break.

All these properties create certain difficulties in working with tiles. The glossy surface of the tile also creates additional problems: the drill can slip and scratch the surface of the material, and if, when laying the tiles, voids were allowed in the adhesive solution, then when drilling, such a tile will most likely crack.

To make holes in tiles, it is necessary to use nozzles made of a material stronger than ceramic tiles. You need to know the technology of working with tiles, follow some rules and use the right tool.

Tool

Several tools are suitable for drilling a hole in a tiled wall:

mechanical or hand drill;
electric drill with the ability to adjust the number of revolutions;
screwdriver with speed mode selection function.

It is important that the drill has the ability to adjust the number of revolutions

You can use a hammer drill provided that the tool has a function to turn off the impact mode. Moreover, it can be useful for drilling holes in concrete or brick wall behind the tiles.

Depending on the modification of the selected tool, an adapter may be needed.

It is fundamentally important that the working tool has the ability to work at low speeds, because you should start drilling from a low mode, increasing the speed to 200 rpm.

To make a couple of holes, a hand drill is ideal: you can control the amount of pressure, and the tool will not vibrate.

Bits and drills

Once you have decided on the tool, you need to select a drill or attachment. The choice depends on the size of the hole required and the number of drilling points. Should not be used regular drills for concrete: ruin both the tile and the drill, and the result will be disastrous.

Possible types of drills and attachments for working with tiles

Type of device	Nozzle material	Recommendations for use
drill	Will win	Most a budget option. Suitable for working on a couple of holes.
crown	Will win	Can be used for drilling holes with a diameter of no more than 150 mm. 1 nozzle is designed for a maximum of 20 drillings.
Spear-shaped (feather-shaped) drill	Wolfram carbide	Suitable for drilling a small number of holes. More expensive than pobeditovy, but somewhat more effective.
drill	Diamond sputtering	Expensive instrument. The hardness of the tip material exceeds the strength of the tile surface. Convenient to work with any type of tile.
crown	Diamond sputtering	Speeds up the work process. It is worth drilling as carefully as possible, starting from low speeds.
ballerina	Consists of a central pulley, a guide drill, a cross rod and a cutter with a carbide tooth.	Possibility to drill holes of various diameters. The cutter is set according to the size of the radius of the required hole.

Drilling technology

Having prepared necessary tools and nozzles, you can proceed directly to the drilling process.
The sequence of actions, regardless of the hole diameter, is the same:

If you use a power tool for drilling, you need to monitor the heat level of the drill. If you smell smoke, stop work and let the drill cool. The drill overheats due to increased friction, which means the load is too high and the tool cannot cope. The efficiency of work in this case is quite small. For more information on how to carefully make holes in tiles, watch this video:

Before you start working on ceramic tiles, soberly assess your skills and abilities. Drilling a hole in a tile is not difficult, but if the walls are tiled expensive material, Maybe, the best solution will hire a professional who is guaranteed not to spoil the finish and will do his job efficiently.

After finishing a bathroom or kitchen with tiles, the problem that may arise is how to drill through ceramic tiles to complement the room with a wall cabinet, towel rack, mirror or other accessories.

In addition, during the repair process there is often a need to “embed” an outlet or make a hole for a plumbing pipe or cable.

The main difficulty is that tile is a hard, but at the same time fragile material, and easily cracks if handled carelessly. Therefore, the question of how to drill ceramic tiles so that cracks and chips do not form is very relevant.

If you need to make a small hole in ceramic tiles, use a hand drill. When working with this tool, it is possible to fully control the rotation speed and pressing force.

Also suitable electric drill with a function that allows you to smoothly adjust the rotation speed, or a screwdriver with a low speed. The absence of vibration and sudden jerks during operation will allow you to drill ceramic tiles without cracking, chipping or breaking.

Since the top layer of ceramic tiles is very brittle and cracks easily, impact tools are not suitable for drilling.

Hammer or impact drill You can only use it after you have drilled through the ceramic tiles all the way and you need to make a hole in the wall for the dowel.

Drill bits for ceramic tiles

Drills with a spear-shaped tip are used if you need to make a small hole.

When choosing a drill for ceramic tiles, you need to take into account that the cutting edge of the tool must be harder than the surface of the tile.

The best option is a diamond-coated drill. He is also the most expensive. If there is a large amount of work to be done, then purchase diamond drill has the meaning.

But in order to make several holes, you should not go to such expense. For home needs, you can get by with an inexpensive drill with Pobedit soldering, sharpened on a diamond wheel.

Making a large diameter circular hole

When choosing which drills to drill into ceramic tiles, you need to take into account the diameter of the intended hole. Often in the bathroom or kitchen it is necessary to make a fairly large hole for a pipe, faucet or socket.

In this case, a so-called “crown” is used - a tubular drill with diamond coating. It would be ideal to have a set on your household that includes crowns for ceramic tiles of various diameters.

The high cost of tools is compensated by saving time and effort, as well as excellent result. Using a tubular drill, you can make fairly large holes - up to 150 mm in diameter.
The tool is effective, but to extend its service life, you must follow these rules:

The drill must be installed on minimal amount revolutions to prevent rapid wear of the cutting part of the drill.
Do not allow the crown to overheat. To do this, you need to lower its cutting part into water more often.

How to drill tiles that have not yet been laid? Ballerina!

When it is known exactly where the communications will go, all the holes necessary for them are drilled even before the tiles are laid. To do this, you can use the diamond crowns mentioned above for ceramic tiles. If it is not possible to acquire a rather expensive tool, then for such purposes a special drill is used - the so-called. "ballerina"

“Ballerina” is a circular drill resembling a compass. Its tip is installed in the center, and the distance to the cutter is adjusted depending on the planned diameter of the hole. The tool cutter is made of hard alloys. The drill in the middle is for centering.

The advantage of the “ballerina” is the ability to set the size of your choice, which allows you to make holes in ceramic tiles required diameter. The disadvantages include the fact that when drilling large holes it is difficult to hold the drill strictly in a vertical position. And also the need for manual processing of uneven edges that remain after using this tool.

The rest is all positives. The drill is inexpensive, lasts a long time and is an excellent answer to the question: how to drill tiles in the bathroom if you need to install pipes, connect plumbing or a washing machine.

Before drilling, soak the tiles in water for half an hour to prevent them from breaking. Cut at low speeds, from the unglazed side. Hold firmly while working. Be sure to use safety glasses to protect your eyes from splinters.

Drilling ceramic tiles according to the rules

After you have selected a tool and decided which drill to use to drill ceramic tiles in a particular case, you need to carefully study the technology for this type of work.

When drilling, the pressure on the tool should be minimal so as not to break the tile. Work at low speeds - the lower the rotation speed, the less vibration and play of the drill will be.

Excessive heat at the drilling site can cause the tile to crack. Therefore, you need to periodically spray the surface of the tile with water and wet the drill (of course, after turning off the drill).

The main difficulty in drilling ceramic tiles is getting through the top layer covered with glaze. Due to the smoothness of the coating, the drill often moves out.

To secure it at the desired point, you can use one of the following methods:

Scratch a small conical groove in the place where the hole is planned, using a hardened self-tapping screw or the sharp edge of a file.
Apply masking tape or fabric adhesive tape to the tile. This will prevent the drill from slipping while working.
Mark the desired point with a stationery correction pencil. The surface of the tile in this place will become rough, making it easier to hold the drill in place.

Making a neat hole in a tile without the appropriate skills is difficult, because it is quite hard and not elastic. But if available special tools And complete information about how to drill tiles in the bathroom and kitchen without damaging them; you can successfully work with this material.