What kind of drill can be used to drill tiles in the bathroom. What kind of drill to drill tiles in the bathroom. How to make a hole with a puncher using a diamond-coated bit

Despite the high strength, ceramic tiles are easily damaged, therefore, during the repair, all manipulations with it must be carried out carefully. To work with tiles, it is important to have the appropriate knowledge, especially when it comes not only to laying it, but also drilling holes. Otherwise, you can incur large losses due to damaged material, and in some cases you have to redo the repair.

Features of tiles

Facing tiles is universal material, because it can be used in various premises, be it a bathroom, toilet, kitchen or even non-residential premises. By means of a tile, you can create original and practical designs interior, change the geometry of the room and the height of the walls. But, like any other material, ceramic tiles have disadvantages - brittleness and a slippery surface, which greatly complicates the process of drilling holes.

During repair work it is not uncommon for a tile to be drilled in order to later hang a shelf, towel holder, or other. It should be noted that the need for this manipulation may arise not only before the moment of laying the material, but after. In both cases, the procedure must be carried out as carefully as possible in order to prevent splitting of the tile. In addition, it is important to use the right tools which will allow you to quickly and well cope with the task.

What to drill?

Used to drill holes in tiles different types tools: puncher, screwdriver, hand drill or electric. The choice of tool will depend not only on preference, but also on the diameter of the hole to be made. For example, a hand drill is suitable for making small holes, because. its speed can be easily controlled to avoid material splitting. A screwdriver with a small number of revolutions is also suitable.

For drilling holes large diameter it would be advisable to use a puncher or an electric drill with crowns. When working with tools, it is important to turn off the shock mode, and use the minimum speed. Among other things, you will need such devices as a jig, drills, level, pencil, masking tape or adhesive tape.

Choosing a drill

Having decided on the tool, you need to choose the right drill that is best for the job. It is important to take into account the features of the tile - hardness, degree of porosity, thickness. Drills are presented in great variety, they differ in material, diameter and purpose.

1. Spear-shaped. The most common drill suitable for making big holes under the dowel It has a long service life and affordable cost.
2. Carbide, sharpened on one side. Suitable for any type of tile, with the exception of porcelain stoneware. With it, you can drill holes with a diameter of up to 12 mm.
3. Diamond crowns. Needed to create large holes - 10-70 mm. Such products cope with any material, both with fragile tiles and porcelain stoneware slabs. One crown is enough for 20-50 cycles.
4. Ballerina. The product is an adjustable circular drill designed for drilling holes with a diameter of up to 90 mm. The ballerina consists of 2 disks arranged in parallel, and the distance between them corresponds to the radius of the future hole.
5. Crowns coated with tungsten carbide. They are great for working not only with tiles, but also with materials such as porcelain stoneware, marble and brick. With the help of crowns, holes are made for cabinets, sockets and heated towel rails and other things.

As practice shows, it is best to choose diamond-coated drills, because. they allow you to make the most even and accurate holes, while during operation the risk of cracking tiles is significantly reduced.

How to drill?

Often, drilling holes is required when the tiles are already laid on the wall, so this option is recommended to be considered first. Work begins with the preparation of tools, and marking on the tile. To prevent the drill from slipping, you can stick construction tape on the tile and put a mark on it. You need to start drilling at the minimum speed, and then gradually increase it. Having reached the base of the wall, it is recommended to replace the tile drill with a more suitable one, for example, for working with concrete or stone.

During work, the tool must be held strictly at an angle of 90 degrees relative to the wall, and you should not put pressure on the surface. For better visibility, you can use an additional lighting device, or a special LED nozzle for a drill or screwdriver.

If the ceramic tile has not yet been laid, then it must be put in a container with water for a while, then removed, wiped, placed on a wooden substrate, and marked. In this case, you can also use adhesive tape to eliminate slipping. The further drilling process is carried out in the same way as described above, but the drill does not need to be changed.

Holes of large diameter can only be made with crowns or a ballerina, and this should be done before laying the tiles. First you need to mark the tile, then set the tool in the desired position, and with light pressure start drilling at low speed. During operation, it is recommended to moisten the tile with water to reduce dust formation.

Masters do not recommend making holes in the seams of the tiles, because. there is a high probability of chipping and cracking of the material. But if there is still a need for this, then you should choose a drill, the width of which will correspond to the size of the seam. Thus, the hole will be exactly between the tiles, and the likelihood of damage to them will be minimized.

Drilling holes in tiles difficult task requiring skills to work with construction tools and materials. But still, with the desire and a little practice, the work can be done well without the participation of a professional master.

1. It is important to choose the right tool that will be not only practical, but also convenient, because the master must confidently hold it in his hands.
2. You need to work at a minimum speed - no more than 1000 rpm.
3. Do not put pressure on the tool or change the holding angle, because this will lead to cracking.
4. When drilling holes in the seams, you should use a thin drill, and it may not be intended for tiles, but for concrete. But it is still recommended, if possible, to drill directly into the material, and not through the seams.
5. Unlaid ceramic tiles should be soaked in water for 1 hour before drilling to reduce the chance of cracking.
6. It is not recommended to make holes close to the edges of the tiles, because. in these areas it is the most fragile.

Before you start drilling through a lined wall, it's best to practice first. The master must "feel" the tool and how the drill penetrates the tile. Professionals always feel the likelihood of a tile breaking and at the right time reduce the drilling speed.

Safety

When working with tiles and power tools, safety precautions must be observed. First of all, you need to wear protective clothing, namely gloves, goggles, closed shoes, which will protect the skin in case of a split of the material. In addition, the process of drilling holes in ceramic tiles refers to dirty work due to education a large number dust, so a respirator, robe and headgear will not interfere.

For information on how to carefully drill tiles, see the following video.

Comfort and appearance rooms largely depend on the finish. Tiles are often used for kitchens and bathrooms. After the tiling of these rooms is completed, the question often arises of how to drill tiles in order to hang various holders, hangers, mirrors and other necessary items. The fact that the tile is fragile and can easily crack with inaccurate mechanical action is known to everyone who has come across this finishing material. But there are ways to make a neat hole without damaging the tile. Let's consider them in more detail.

Tools and materials for drilling tiles

How to drill a tile? In order to successfully drill a tile without damaging it, it is necessary to select necessary tools, appropriate drills and materials. Would need:

• electric or, in extreme cases, a hand drill;
• a drill bit with a spear-shaped tip, especially for tiles;
• base drill;
• adhesive mounting tape (paper tape);
• a vacuum cleaner;
• marker.

If necessary, drill a hole in the tile with a large diameter, for pipes, a mixer or installing an outlet, for example, then use a circular ballerina drill or a carbide cutter.

Ballerina drill - this is colloquially called circular adjustable drill with incisors, which are set with a hex key on equal distance from the center. The drill in this design serves for centering. The cutters can be moved to different distances. Thanks to this design, holes can be drilled different diameter. It is enough just to set the desired diameter, make markings, and, holding the tile tightly, drill at low speeds of the drill.

The cost of such a drill is low, you can buy it almost everywhere, the service life is long. There are several modifications of this drill, which one is the most convenient, is determined empirically.

A carbide cutter for tiles is much more expensive. With it, you can drill through ceramic tiles, as well as concrete and stone. When drilling tiles, it is also used, but the main drawback is the fixed diameter, which cannot be adjusted.

If the tile is already on the wall, then it becomes necessary to drill not only the tile, but also the wall behind it. In this case, it is better to use a drill and puncher. For a drill, it is better to use a carbide spear-shaped drill for tiles and glass, and for a perforator, a carbide drill for tile and concrete.

As in any business, the procedure for drilling tiles has its own nuances, subtleties and little tricks, the knowledge of which will facilitate the task and allow you to give a clear answer to the question of how to drill a hole in a tile without any hassle.

• The hole should not be made at the edges of the tiles, in the crosshairs and in the gaps between adjacent tiles, since the likelihood of chips and cracks in this case is very high.
• In the process of drilling, you can, by turning off the drill beforehand, periodically moisten the drill with water to avoid overheating.
• If the necessary drill or cutter was not on sale, and you need to make a hole, you can use "handicraft" methods.
• Sometimes you can use a drill and a drill for a puncher. The drill is clamped into the cartridge, first they drill a tile with it (mode without impact), then switch the mode and drill the wall. Drilling is carried out at low speed.
• For drilling tiles at low speeds, you can also use a drill for metal. True, it is enough for one time.

Operating procedure

The drilling method is used to obtain big hole. Before drilling a tile, you need to lightly tap on the tile and listen to the sound, if the sound is dull, dense, then you can proceed to the procedure fearlessly, otherwise there is a high risk that the tile will crack.

Then you need to plan exactly where to drill the hole. Mark on the enamel of the tile with a marker.

It is important to ensure that the drill does not slip on a smooth surface. Solve this problem in several ways:

• In the center of the hole, the enamel is lightly chipped; this can be done with a drill at very low speeds, or a file, for example.
• At the drilling site, a masking tape (adhesive tape) or a translucent adhesive tape is glued, which hold the drill on initial stage and prevent it from slipping. If the mark is not clearly visible through the tape, you can make a mark directly on it.
• Sometimes, to prevent slipping, a jig is used - a thick plate of steel or wood with holes of different diameters. It is applied to the tile in the right place, pressed, and drilled through the hole. This fixture can be made independently from plywood or a metal plate, in the absence of a store option.

Before drilling tiles, you need to make sure that the impact mode function is disabled, if there is one on the drill. Further, at an angle of ninety degrees, and at minimum speed, they begin to drill. Gradually, the speed can be increased and drilled to the base. In this case, it is very important to immediately remove the resulting dust. To do this, use a vacuum cleaner, which must be installed so that it does not interfere with work, and dust quickly gets inside. If possible, it is better, of course, to resort to someone's help.

Having reached the base of the tile, the drill is changed to one that corresponds to the type of material: for wood, concrete, etc., and a hole of the required depth is drilled. It is important to consider that the second drill should not be larger than the first, otherwise damage to the tile is inevitable.

If it is necessary to drill through a tile that is not glued, it must be ensured that it lies on a level surface.

Under it should be a wooden, concrete, but not a metal surface. Since in the latter case it is easy to spoil the cutter.

In custody

Since tile is quite popular as a material for interior decoration, it is important to know the methods of processing it, including drilling, since in everyday life it is often necessary to hang all kinds of cabinets, shelves, holders, etc. on a tiled wall. In this article, we looked at both traditional tile drilling methods and alternative ones that are used less frequently. This procedure requires the performer to be careful and observe safety precautions, but is not difficult. If desired, it is quite possible to do it yourself.

How to drill tiles?

The final stage of preparing the walls in the shower room is tiling. It means the final work on the finishing of the premises. Fixing ceramics in the bathroom is directly related to the need to install various shelves, cabinets and other interior items. In order to spend correct installation tiled products need to be carefully prepared for it, i.e. drill holes. However, with poor performance, the tile may become unusable.

It will crack or chip, which is completely unacceptable. Therefore, one should carefully approach this issue, since there can be quite a lot of reasons for the appearance of incorrect holes. In addition, it is necessary to take into account the need for communications from electricians to water pipes. This requires extra dexterity, because you can drill holes between ceramic tiles, which makes the risk of damage to it minimal.

Common Mistakes

For those who decide to drill tiles for the first time, it is common to make mistakes. However, sometimes mistakes reach the ridiculous - an attempt to remove the glazed surface. In addition, novice craftsmen often try to mark ceramics, more precisely, a hole for drilling with a nail or glass cutter. Separately, it is worth noting the use of a file for cutting glaze, where it is necessary to drill a hole.

Drilling a hole in a tile

So, in order to avoid simple mistakes, sometimes it's best to just think about what needs to be done. Although, of course, after scraping off the glazed surface, drilling will be much easier. But regarding the future, how to mask damaged areas? After all, after such processing, the appearance of the product will be completely unusable. Therefore, it is necessary to know reliable and effective ways preparation of the required holes.

Tool

For drilling tiles, you will need a long-established positive side, drill. It allows you to drill neat holes in those places where it is required, and not where it will turn out. For this work, you will need a hand drill, which is suitable for a diameter of not more than 12 mm. electric tool operating at minimum speed, as well as a cordless or conventional screwdriver. It will be more difficult with the choice of a drill, since simple ones for wood or concrete will not work.

Tile drills

Large diameter holes

You can drill holes much larger than average parameters using a diamond-coated crown or a special circular nozzle for ceramics. To do this, you need to mark the place where you need to drill, and then a drill with a crown is installed. suitable diameter, after which drilling is carried out from the front side. When using a reliable crown, an experienced specialist will carry out the work in a few minutes.

Crown, for drilling larger holes in tiles

If you need to drill a hole custom sizes, then a circular drill or a “ballerina” is suitable for this. The drill is selected according to the dimensions of the hole, after which the whole procedure is carried out. The whole process should take place at low speed, so it is best to hold the tile firmly with your hands, and also use safety glasses.

Special attention should be paid to constant maintenance drill perpendicular to the tile and prevent loosening of the tool during work. An ordinary drill tripod will perfectly cope with this task.

In order to perform drilling yourself, it is best to practice on already damaged workpieces. This, of course, will not make you a professional, but it will give you some experience.

Video instruction

How to drill a tile so that it does not crack: video, photo, tips

The answer to the question of how to drill a tile so that it does not crack is of interest to many home craftsmen who are independently engaged in the repair of their homes. The main difficulty of such a procedure as drilling tiles is that this product is very fragile and can easily burst even from a slight mechanical impact.

We drill tiles ourselves at the level of professionals

How to drill a hole in a tile without breaking it? To do this, it is recommended to use the appropriate tool and strictly adhere to all technological recommendations. Practically any specialist in tile work, when asked how to drill tiles correctly, will advise you to perform such a process at low speeds of the drill: after all, the efficiency of drilling largely depends on the speed of rotation of the latter.

Tile drilling equipment

When wondering how to drill a tile in order to get a quality result, you should carefully choose the equipment suitable for this. In this case, special attention should be paid to the range of revolutions in which it can operate. Drilling a tile so that it does not crack should be done at a drill speed in the range of 200–1000 rpm. Setting the rotation speed of the cartridge on a conventional household drill of 200 rpm is problematic, although upper limit(1000 rpm) such equipment may well reach. In this regard, for drilling high-quality holes in ceramic and tile, it is better to use a cordless or corded screwdriver, the upper limit of the cartridge rotation speed is 800–1000 rpm.

It is also possible to drill a tile so that it does not crack with a hand drill, if it is not possible to use an electric one. Of course, you won’t be able to quickly drill tiles in a bathroom or toilet using a hand drill, however, the result will be accurate and accurate. It should be borne in mind that a hand drill will not allow you to drill a large hole in the tile, since such a device cannot work at high speeds.

How to drill tiles? To work with such a hard and brittle material that can easily crack, you need to choose the right drill. The recommendations given in the next section of the article may help in resolving this issue.

Drill selection

When choosing equipment, you should pay attention to Special attention how to drill ceramic tiles. If you choose the wrong tool, you can use it only a few times, after which it can be thrown away, as it will become completely unusable. To drill tiles without such negative consequences, you need to choose the right drill.

You can drill a hole in ceramic tiles with high quality using a spear-shaped drill, which has a long service life. If you are thinking about how to drill a tile for a dowel, choose a tool of this type. It is also important that spear-shaped drills are distinguished by an affordable price.

When drilling tiles with a lance drill, use a household vacuum cleaner to remove dust

Carbide with one-sided sharpening

How to drill tiles to get a quality result? For this purpose, a drill with carbide plate sharpened on one side. Sharpening of the cutting part under acute angle not only reduces the risk of overheating of the drill, but also allows it to more easily drill through tiles, which are characterized by high strength and fragility.

Crown type diamond-coated

Quite often, it is required to drill a tile in order to get a large diameter hole in it, designed for installing pipes and electrical sockets. Such a hole in the tile can have a diameter of 10 to 70 mm. In this case, it is best to use core drills, on the working part of which diamond coating is applied. A tool with a center drill can be used in conjunction with a hand-held electric drill, and without it - only with the help of stationary drilling equipment.

Diamond crowns are often sold in sets with one support plate for several bits.

When drilling ceramic tiles with a diamond crown, keep in mind that this tool is quite critical of overheating, so it must be subjected to water cooling during processing.

Diamond-coated core drills are used at 200–500 rpm, while they must be cooled with water. The resource of such a tool, if you follow all the rules for its use, is enough for 20–50 drilled holes, which is a fairly good indicator.

By the way, diamond crowns are also of small diameter.

Slotted tungsten carbide coated

How to drill ceramic tiles without defects? Core drills of this type make it easy to solve this problem. They can also be used to process porcelain stoneware, marble and brick. The most significant disadvantage of such a tool is its high cost, but given its versatility and high efficiency, such a price is fully justified.

A set of tungsten crowns for tiles and tiles

With adjustable incisors (ballerina)

When deciding how to drill tiles in the bathroom in order to get a large diameter hole, many home craftsmen choose the so-called ballerina. This drill can drill holes with a diameter in the range of 30–90 mm.

The ballerina includes a central drill and a bracket along which clamps with cutters move. With the help of the latter, a groove is cut on the surface of the workpiece. The ballerina is most often used when it is required to drill a hole of a non-standard diameter on the surface of a tile in a bathroom or toilet. If you decide to use a ballerina, keep in mind that the hole obtained with it has uneven edges, which will later need to be covered with something.

"Ballerina", although it does not provide the ideal quality of the holes, it always helps out in the absence of crowns desired diameter

How to drill a dowel hole in a tile

Before fixing any object on a surface finished with ceramic or tile, you need to learn how to properly drill a small-diameter hole in such material in which the dowel element will be fixed. This procedure is performed in the following sequence:

Formation of holes of large diameter

There are several ways to solve the question of how to drill ceramics or tiles in order to form a large diameter hole in them.

• You can drill tiles with a ballerina. If you do not know how to drill ceramic tiles with a ballerina, practice on unnecessary pieces of ceramic, previously soaked in water.
• You can also drill a large hole in the tile with a hole saw, which even a non-professional can use. Using such a tool and putting pressure on it medium size, you can drill a large hole in the tile in just five to seven minutes.

In extreme cases, you can use a small diameter drill, marking the desired circle and making a series of holes.

For high-quality drilling, tiles can be soaked in water, which will make the material of its manufacture softer and more pliable. In order for the drilling of tiles to end with a satisfactory result, it is enough to follow the following rules when performing this process.

• It is necessary to choose the right tool with which the processing will be performed.
• The drill used for drilling must be set to minimum speed.
• To avoid overheating of both the tool and the tile, the treatment area must be constantly moistened with water.
• A hole in a tile or ceramic tile must not be placed too close to the edge of the workpiece.

A simple plywood template will help you quickly make a neat hole.

What other tools can be used

It is possible to drill ceramic and tile so that it does not crack, using other tools. One of them is a core drill, the working part of which is equipped with cutting teeth from pobedit plates. The main disadvantages of such a tool are a small resource of work and uneven edges of the formed hole (they always have chips, no matter how carefully the processing is performed).

An alternative option is to cut a hole with a grinder with a circle of small diameter

AT individual cases when there is no special tool at hand, you can also drill a hole in ceramic tiles using a concrete drill bit. Using this tool, which is not designed to work with tiles, it is necessary to sharpen its cutting part as sharply as possible and be extremely careful so as not to damage the workpiece.

The crown diameter does not match the hole size? This is not a reason to run to the store, there is a way out - watch the video.

How to drill tiles

Practice shows that in whatever room the tile is laid, the subsequent drilling of holes in the ceramic tile will become an urgent need. Whether it's the kitchen or the bathroom, we'll always want to put some extra space to good use by hanging a few shelves or a mirror on the wall.

However, drilling tiles is a process that requires care and strict adherence to instructions. How to carefully and correctly drill the tiles yourself, is described in our article.

It is best if you plan the use of hanging furniture and other home gadgets on the walls in advance, before the tiles are laid. In this case, making a hole in the tile will be much easier and safer for the rest of the cladding. You will work with one tile without fear of damaging the others. In case of failure, you can easily do correct hole on another tile sample.

In general, the technology used to drill ceramic tiles is the same in both cases. The only difference is the price of the mistake you can afford to make.

In this article, we will focus on how to drill through tiles on a wall. That is, we will describe the most difficult variant in execution.

So, let's begin. First you need to decide on the tool with which we will carry out our plans.

How to drill tiles? Choose a tool for drilling holes.

Ceramic tiles are durable and durable material. However, we all know that with the careless use of various kinds of weights or blows with sharp objects, the tile can crack.

Therefore, the fundamental principle for safe and efficient drilling of tiles is the absence of vibration and sudden movements during work. Accordingly, various percussion instruments, capable of damaging the rather fragile glaze on the surface of the tile, are not suitable for us.

A hammer drill or impact drill can only come in handy when the hole in the tile has already been made, and we need to make a hole in the wall itself.

You can drill tiles using several tools:

Modern ceramic tile is an excellent finishing material, actively used in construction and repair.

Its excellent characteristics make it an almost indispensable material for finishing walls and other surfaces.

It is beautiful, durable, waterproof, practical, hygienic, easy to care for, and reasonably priced. If desired, anyone can learn, albeit not professionally, but accurately and efficiently lay tiles.

Is it possible to drill tiles with your own hands? After all, whatever one may say, sooner or later holes will be needed: for and various accessories, for hanging, for carrying out various, for, and for other possible needs.

What can complicate the work with the material? Let's take a look at how it's made.

Material properties

The simplest, already forgotten by some, manual. For making small and not too deep holes, it is usually quite enough. In addition, there will definitely not be any problems with adjusting the rotation speed. In some cases, even a banal brace is used.

Special devices - conductors: they can be used to facilitate the process of drilling even holes. With the help of suction cups, they are attached to the surface, preventing the drill, especially at the beginning of work, from going to the side.

Special superchargers. Under low pressure, they supply water to the workplace, which cools the hot tool.

Drill

Special spear-shaped (feather) drills specially designed for tiles. They are very convenient to make holes of small and medium diameter (for dowel fasteners).

For secure clamping in the chuck, the tool can be equipped with a cylindrical shank. Drills with a hexagon are produced to the size of standard bits - they are used in working with.

In an ordinary tile, such a drill can make an average of no more than thirty holes before failure. If you have to work with porcelain stoneware, then this figure is reduced to two or three pieces.

Core drills with corundum or diamond coating, which are included in the category of professional tools: they will do an excellent job not only with tiles, but also with porcelain stoneware.

Such drills are like a hollow tube, thereby significantly facilitating the workflow. Waste is removed through the cavity without interference. Usually made for making sufficiently large holes.

Drill "ballerina". It can be used for one-time work when you need to make a hole of a significant diameter. It has a low cost, and easily copes with the task.

Drills with heavy-duty tungsten carbide tips. This option is not among the most successful, since it may be difficult for the mechanism to pass through the upper, most durable tile layer. They are more suitable for deepening holes that have already been made by other nozzles.

Carbide heavy-duty drills with acute-angled single-sided grinding. The hardest, outer layer of the tile passes perfectly. Such products, made by a good manufacturer, will work for quite a long time.

Reminiscent of those just mentioned tungsten carbide coated drills. They are used not only for drilling ceramics, but also hard natural materials, such as granite and marble. They go on sale mainly in sets of various diameters, they are used more often by professionals.

How to drill through tile

How to drill small holes in wall tiles?

Such holes are usually needed when you want to place a cabinet, shelf, mirror, hanger, piece of furniture or other accessory on the wall. Most often used plastic dowel pins up to 12 mm in diameter.

Consider the option when the wall is already completely tiled, under which there is a completely cured mortar or glue.

What kind of drill to make a large hole in a tile?

Large holes (from 20 mm or more) are usually made in the material before it is laid on the floor or walls. The tile is placed on a workbench, after which a thorough marking is carried out.

Ceramic tile is an excellent finishing material that is widely used in private construction and when carrying out repairs in apartments. Durability, water resistance, high hygiene, practicality, ease of maintenance, relatively low price and plus all this - excellent decorative effect make the tile an almost indispensable material for kitchens, baths, bathrooms, for decoration entrance groups- porches, verandas, hallways, etc.

Learning is quite affordable for the average owner of a house or apartment: a little diligence, diligence - and experience will come very quickly. But it is equally important to know how to drill through tiles. Holes, one way or another, will be needed, for example, for hanging furniture, interior accessories, for wiring pipes or other communications, for mounting sockets and switches, and for other needs. It's okay - we will learn to drill ceramics.

What you need to drill ceramic tiles

What, in fact, is the essence of the whole problem of drilling ceramics? Peculiarities technological process production of tiles - high-temperature firing, the high density of the material and its surface strength (especially if there is a layer of glazing) have, in addition to the obvious advantages, a logically consequential disadvantage. Ceramic products it is distinguished by fragility, the absence of any kind of plasticity, and the tile, with careless handling, cutting or drilling, can easily crack, chip, or even fall apart into several fragments.

In addition, the material itself during processing has an effect on cutting tools very strong abrasive action, and ordinary drills will become blunt in a matter of seconds.

Conclusions - for drilling it is impossible to apply excessive load, vibration action, a large number tool revolutions. And, accordingly, the drills themselves must be made of high-strength materials that can pass through a dense structure, and have an appropriate configuration or sharpening.

So, what you may need to drill tiles:

Picture	Short description
	Electric drill. The main condition for it is the mandatory presence of smooth speed control.
	A high-quality screwdriver with a powerful autonomous power source may well be enough.
	No need to write off and already forgotten hand drills. For drilling small holes, such a tool will be quite enough, and adjusting the speed of rotation is generally not a problem. By the way, sometimes even a regular brace can come in handy.
	Standard carbide-tipped drills. Frankly, not the most the best choice- this sharpening option will create difficulties when passing through the most durable top layer of the tile. Rather, they will be needed to deepen into the thickness of the wall after the holes in the tile are made with other drills. More designed for shock-rotational action.
	Special spear-shaped drills for working with tiles. Very convenient when making holes of small diameter (for example, for dowel fastenings). They may have a conventional cylindrical shank for clamping in a drill chuck. There are also drills with a hexagon, the size of standard bits - it is convenient to work with them when using a screwdriver. Typically, these drills are enough for a couple of dozen holes in a regular tile. It is more difficult with porcelain stoneware - they cannot overpower more than two or three holes.
	Special tungsten carbide drills with one-sided sharp-angled sharpening. Well "bite" into the tile, easily pass the outer, most dense layer. Similar drills from good manufacturer will work a lot.
	Special core drills with diamond or corundum coating. Already categorized professional tool, are able to cope with both tiles and porcelain stoneware. They are a hollow tube, which facilitates the drilling process - there is a free outlet for waste. Most often produced for large diameter holes.
	Similar to those already mentioned - crown drills with tungsten carbide coating. Can be used not only for ceramic tiles, but also for natural materials– marble, granite, etc. Usually they are sold in sets for a number of diameters, that is, they are purchased more often by professionals who are constantly faced with such a technological operation.
	For one-time work, if it is necessary to make holes of large diameter, it will be more profitable to purchase a special drill - a "ballerina". It is inexpensive, but allows you to completely cope with the task in the range of diameters from about 30 to 90 mm. The design is simple - a central drill (usually spear-shaped) and a leg parallel to it with carbide brazed. the leg outreach can change - this is how the desired hole radius is set.
	Some models of tile cutters are equipped with a built-in manual "compass" - a device that allows you to cut a hole in the tile without resorting to other tools. The scheme is similar to the "ballerina", and the rotation is transmitted manually, using a handle.
	For the convenience of work, for precise drilling of even holes, special devices can be used - conductors. They are attached to the surface, usually with suction cups, and do not allow the drill to go to the side, which is especially important when starting drilling.
	When drilling some types of tiles, the tool quickly becomes hot, and the quality of work decreases. Have to resort to artificial cooling with the help of water. To do this, use special superchargers that supply water under low pressure to the cutting site.

After you have decided on the tool, you can proceed to practical work.

Prices for the popular line of electric drills

Electric drill

First, a few general tips:

• If possible (there are fragments of unnecessary tiles), then it makes sense to start with a little training. When everything starts to turn out, it will be possible to proceed to the execution of the desired task.
• It is very important to do accurate markup. You can, of course, apply the future drilling point with a pencil or marker directly to the surface of the tile. However, firstly, not every pencil will leave a trace on a tile (especially on a glazed one). Secondly, this mark is very easy to smear with an awkward movement. A very simple way seems to be optimal - the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe hole is sealed with a piece of ordinary masking tape, and after that you can already mark up - everything will be perfectly visible.

The positive "influence" of adhesive tape is not limited to this. Practice shows that it is much easier to start drilling this way - the sharply sharpened edge of the drill will not slip from the intended point. This is much better than trying to core the center. When working with a core (let it be a hardened dowel-nail or a sharp needle file), there is always a chance of damaging the surface of the tile or even allowing a chip (crack).

• Never use high speed when drilling tiles. Speed ​​range - from 100 to 400 rpm. Exact value it is difficult to specify - it depends on the type of drill, and on its diameter, and on the thickness and material of manufacture of the tile itself. But in practice, the required frequency is very quickly found empirically.
• It is necessary to take it as a rule - if a drill is used that has an impact function, then it is imperative to check that this option is disabled before starting work.
• If a tile that has not yet been laid is being drilled, then for work it is necessary to prepare a convenient workplace. The surface must be flat, stable and not vibrate. From below, material should be laid that will not become an obstacle to the drill - it can be wood, plywood, or even an unnecessary piece of drywall.

It is imperative to check that there are no solid fragments left on the desktop that will prevent the tile from firmly adhering to the surface.

• The cutting tool can get very hot during operation, and overheating of the drilling site often leads to cracks in the tile. This means that excessive efforts should not be applied - it is better to give a little more time to get the hole. It is fashionable to periodically cool the drill itself, lowering it, for example, into engine oil. Sometimes, when working on horizontal surfaces, they resort to “local cooling” - an annular shaft is fashioned from plasticine around the intended center of the hole, and the resulting “ container" is filled with water.

If the hole is drilled on, then you need to be extremely careful with the oil setting of the drill - drops of oil can get into the grout, and you will have to suffer a lot to get rid of such spots.

Sometimes you have to resort to the forced supply of coolant. Many professionals have for these purposes special tool- usually this is a blower vessel in which hand pump excess pressure, and a special jig, which centers the drill and ensures the flow of fluid into the drilling area.

• The drill should always be perpendicular to the surface of the tile - if there are no special holding devices, then you will need to constantly monitor this yourself.

• Drilling ceramics (especially when making holes of large diameter) can be accompanied by the scattering of microscopic, but very sharp fragments. We should not forget about this - it is necessary take action to protect the hands and especially the eyes.

Now that the basic concepts have been outlined, we can proceed to consider the most typical ceramic tile drillings - small holes for dowels, and large diameter holes - for laying communications and installing plumbing, sockets or switches

Drilling small diameter holes

A typical situation is when you need to hang some piece of furniture, a mirror, a towel rack, a cabinet or a shelf, or another bathroom or kitchen accessory on the wall. In this case, driven plastic dowels are usually used, with a diameter of up to 12 mm. The situation is considered when work is carried out on an already tiled wall, the glue under which is completely frozen.

First of all, you need to determine the location of the hole. The fact is that it is desirable that it be located no closer than 15 mm from the edge of the tile. Otherwise, it is very likely that either the drill will slip into the seam between the tiles, or the edge from overheating or vibration during drilling will simply crack or even break off.

• After marking, it is necessary to insert a drill of the desired diameter into the drill chuck. We proceed from the dimensions of the dowels being prepared for installation - the hole in the tile should be 1 ÷ 2 mm wider than the diameter of the dowel plug.
• The drill is installed in the intended center (adhesive tape should not allow the tip to slip), and then drilling begins at low speeds. The most difficult thing is to go through the top layer of tiles - further drilling will go "more fun".
• As soon as the thickness of the tile has been passed, and the drill has reached the wall, it is removed - it makes no sense to blunt an expensive tool. Is taken conventional drill for perforating walls, with a diameter that exactly matches the size of the dowel.
• The drill should pass freely through the hole in the tile, and then you can continue drilling in the wall itself to the required depth. Of course, this is done very carefully so that the edges of the hole in the tile are not damaged by accidental distortion, since a long drill may have a slight “beat”.
• Then it remains only to put the dowel into the hole made and carefully hammer it. Remember, an awkward movement can ruin all the work done - from an accidental blow to the surface, the tile can crack.
• After that, nothing should prevent screwing in a hook, self-tapping screw, or other fastener.

Drilling large diameter holes

Holes of large diameter (from 20 mm and above) are most often drilled in tiles even before laying it on the walls or. Careful marking is carried out with the definition of centers, and the tiles are laid on a workbench.

Here, the drilling technology may vary somewhat - it largely depends on the type of drill used.

1. If a “ballerina” is used, then for a start it is advisable to go through the tile in the center with a drill of small diameter (about 3 ÷ 4 mm) - this will greatly simplify the further process.

When installing the ballerina's movable leg, do not forget that in this way we set the radius, that is, half the diameter - do not make a mistake here. After setting the desired radius, the locking screw is tightly twisted, with force so that the movable leg does not move under the influence of vibration and centrifugal force.

When drilling, small revolutions are maintained, the position of the drill is perpendicular to the surface and not too large, but constant, uniform downward pressure. With excessive force, the drill can jam, and it will be extremely difficult to keep the tile on the surface of the workbench. The sharp cutting edge of the tool should do its job.

Care must be taken to maintain the same depth cutting along the entire length of the resulting circle.

Sometimes the edges of the hole will require a little refinement - this can be done with pliers, and then sanded with sandpaper.

When drilling with a ballerina, extra care should be taken - it is an eccentric in itself, so the process may be accompanied by increased vibration. For greater safety, it is recommended to use a "ballerina" with a protective plastic casing.

2. If the master has diamond, corundum or tungsten carbide crown drills, the process is simplified.

Such drills may have their own shank for fixing in the drill chuck, or be collapsible structure with interchangeable crown for several diameters.

Please note - the photo shows crowns with a central pilot drill. Working with them should not be particularly difficult - the center is set at the intended point, and then drilling is performed with a little pressure at low speeds. The holes usually come out very regular, with smooth, unrefined edges.

However, you can find crowns that do not have a central drill - this is especially true for small diameter tools.

How to center them, how to correctly set the center of the drilled hole? For this, the already mentioned devices are used - conductors. Often they are even sold in one set with drills.

The conductor is attached to the wall (usually on a suction cup) so that the hole of the desired diameter on it is located exactly above the intended center. After that, it will be simply impossible to make a mistake - drilling will take place exactly where necessary.

There are also "light versions" of such a device - templates that are applied or glued with tape to the wall in the right place, and then a hole is drilled. Convenience, of course, in this case is less, but the accuracy will be observed. By and large, such a template is necessary only until the moment when the crown does not deepen slightly into the surface of the tile. By the way, some craftsmen, saving money, cut out such patterns for themselves from a regular sheet of 10 mm plywood.

3. Finally, we can mention the most "folk" way of making holes of large diameter in ceramic tiles. They resort to it when there is no way to find a suitable drill.

The point is that a series of holes of small diameter are drilled along the intended circle. Then it will be necessary to carefully break out the central fragment, and then refine the resulting opening to the required round shape - with files, needle files or sandpaper.

You can’t call this method quick and easy, but nevertheless, it has the right to exist.

And at the end of the article - a visual lesson on how to drill tiles from a professional:

Video: several options for drilling ceramic tiles