Best drill bits for porcelain tile how to#

Most tile drill bits will malfunction if they’re used on soft materials like wood and plastic. Before you start using the tile drill bit, you should ensure that you know the type of tile material in your home.

Best drill bits for porcelain tile how to#

How to Use a Tile Drill BitĪfter you buy a drill bit and place it on a drill of your choice, it’s time to put the new tile drill bit into action. While anything with diamonds might seem expensive, drill bits are usually affordable due to their small size. They usually have a solid, flat-end tip available in sizes as small as 1/16 inch to 1/8 inch. However, there are many applications for diamond-tipped drill bits, and a small diamond drill bit is recommended for tiles. It can drill through glazed ceramics, porcelain, and glass tiles, so there is no need for changing bits on different tile materials. When in doubt of what type of drill bit to use for most types of material, diamond-tipped bits are the best option to choose. You can use carbide drill bits for making shallow holes on tiles, but most experts prefer using them for deeper holes. The drill is especially good at drilling bathroom ceramic tiles since a regular twist-drill bit can’t cut through the fire-hardened glaze. Carbide is a known strong material that cuts through most hard elements that regular drills cannot get through. Ceramic tiles, on the other hand, whether for wall or floor use, have a glaze on top of the surface, giving its color and finish and preventing them from absorbing water.Ī carbide-tipped masonry bit is the best tile drill bit to use for drilling glazed ceramic tiles. Porcelain tiles may be glazed, but most are not, as they do not need a glaze to be waterproof.Įven when glazed, not much changes in porcelain tiles, which often have the same color as the clay body beneath the tile. The easiest and fastest way to tell the difference between the various tiles is by looking at their edges. Don’t worry if you don’t know which type of tile is installed in your house.