With the right tile drill bit, you’ll be able to drill into ceramic without cracking it. Read our guide to learn how.
Whether it’s a newly tiled bathroom or an existing one, having to put holes in tiled walls is a common task. Almost anything that mounts to the wall—from installing hardware for toilet paper rolls and soap dishes to a new medicine cabinet—is going to require drilling through tile.
In most cases, these bath accouterments will be mounted using wall anchors, so getting through the tile is only part of the job. You also need to drill through the substrate behind it in a way that doesn’t cause damage which would prevent the wall anchor from working.
Steps for Drilling Through Tile
Step 1: Figure out what kind of tile you have
In general, there are three kinds of tile:
Glazed ceramic tile is the most common, what you’ll find in almost every older home, and the easiest to drill through. Glass tile is used more as an accent and has only been around for 15 years or so. Porcelain tile looks a lot like regular ceramic tile, but it’s much harder.Step 2: Have the right bit for ceramic tile
Standard drill bits don’t work on tile, but not to worry. Ceramic tile can be drilled with a carbide bit, while glass and porcelain call for a diamond-tipped bit.