Drilling through wall tiles without cracking them

Learn to drill a clean, crack-free hole through wall tiles using the right bit, speed, and technique.

TT-01Understand what you're actually drilling throughA tiled wall is two different materials stacked together: a hard, glassy tile on top, and something softer underneath - usually plasterboard, brick, or block. The tile is brittle and can crack or shatter if you rush it or use the wrong setting. The wall behind it decides what drill bit and technique you need once you're through the tile.

TT-02Get the right bit and drill settingUse a tile bit (also called a spear-point bit) for the tile itself - it has a flat, arrow-shaped tip designed to cut glaze without grabbing. For the wall behind, you'll likely need a masonry bit if it's brick or block, or a plain wood/multi-purpose bit for plasterboard. Set your drill to normal rotary drilling with no hammer action - hammer action is what shatters tiles. Safety glasses are worth wearing; tile dust and chips can flick up.

TT-03Mark the spot so the bit can't skateTile glaze is slippery, and a spinning bit will skid sideways across it if you just eyeball a starting point - this is the most common beginner mistake. Stick a small cross of masking tape or a strip of painter's tape over your marked spot. The tape gives the bit grip so it bites straight down instead of wandering.

1 roll · Masking tape

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TT-04Check what's behind the wall before you drillBefore you drill any deeper than the tile itself, assume there could be a cable or pipe behind that spot - even if you've used a detector. Detectors help, but they can miss cables that run deep, sit in metal conduit, hide behind metal-backed plasterboard, or simply don't follow the 'safe zones' that older or amateur wiring often ignores completely. If there's any doubt at all, isolate the circuit at the consumer unit before drilling near anything electrical, and turn off the water at the stopcock before cutting into anything that might carry a pipe.

TT-05Drill the tile itself, slowly and gentlyWith the tile bit in place on your taped mark, start the drill on a low speed with light, steady pressure - let the bit do the work, don't lean on it. You'll feel resistance as it cuts through the glaze and body of the tile; this takes longer than you expect, and that's normal. Pushing hard or speeding up is what cracks tiles, not patience.

TT-06Switch technique once you're through the tileYou'll feel the resistance suddenly drop as the bit breaks through the back of the tile into the wall behind - that's your cue to stop and switch bits if needed. If the wall behind is brick or block, swap to a masonry bit and you can now use hammer action. If it's plasterboard or timber, keep going gently with a normal bit; hammer action isn't needed and can damage plasterboard.

TT-07Check you've done it rightA good hole has no cracks or chips radiating out from it, and the edge of the tile around the hole looks clean, not crumbled. The hole should be round and roughly the size of your bit, not oval or ragged from wandering. If you're fixing something in, a wall plug should push in snugly and sit flush, not loose or forced.

1 each · Wall plug (Rawlplug)

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