drilling tiles with an SDS drill

[normalnorman]

Hi, I'm doing a shoestring refresh on my bathroom. I used a two part rule refresh pack and it don't look too bad at all.

However I'm tormenting myself drilling into the tiles. I only have an SDS drill at the minute which I'm using a Chuck adaptor with regular masonary drill bits. I'm find it hard to make the hole exactly where j want it and once through its some really hard brick.

Would using a tile drill bit help the get the initial hole where I want it and if I switch to a regular SDS drill bit once through the tile can I use the hammer without wrecking the tile? Its for a grab rail so I need to get the hole deep enough.

 

[Notch7]

I think Id drill a hole through the tiles bigger, so when you drill through with a masonry bit you dont touch the tile.

And I would be tempted to switch off the drill and let the bit stop before retracting it or I can see the TCT tip clouting the back of the tile.

You can drill the hole in the brick with a few different bits starting with a 3mm or 4mm. I use dewalt extreme masonry for small holes -they wander less

 

[johnny2007]

Drill the tile without hammer action and using a tile/diamond bit slightly larger than the plug you need.
Then change to masonry to go through the bricks.
For example, if you are using 8mm plugs, drill 10mm tiles and then 8mm bricks.
The extra width will prevent the tile from cracking.

 

[normalnorman]

Thank you Notch and Johnny I'll get some better bits ordered and a larger tile/smaller masonary. If I do the larger hole for the tile can I use the hammer action or would.this still be dangerous for the tile?

 

[johnny2007]

Don't use hammer action on the tile, ever.
Once you have a hole in the tile, then you can use a smaller masonry bit to drill through the bricks with hammer action if necessary.

 

[normalnorman]

Thanks Johnny I'll give it a go when the new drill.bits turn up.

 

[normalnorman]

Drill bits arrived. Right tool is defo half the job. Grab up now thanks for your advice guys.

 

[johnny2007]

Drill bits arrived. Right tool is defo half the job. Grab up now thanks for your advice guys.

Definitely.
I remember being called on a job where they couldn't drill into porcelain tiles without breaking them.
My diamond 8mm went through like butter.
They gave me £50 for the trouble...

 

[normalnorman]

Aye, don't want to break too many of them before it gets expensive!