To drill a large diameter hole in tile:
- Mark the outline of the hole with an indelible marker.
- Use a nail set to punch a series of indentations around the perimeter of the tile.
- Use a 1/4″ carbide-tipped masonry drill bit to drill holes through the tile at each of the indentations.
- Cut through the glazing between the holes with a cold chisel.
- Use a hammer to gently tap out the plug of tile.
Watch the video above to find out more.
VIDEO TRANSCRIPT
Danny Lipford: There’s a number of situations where you may need to drill a large diameter hole in an existing ceramic wall, such as a plumbing stack that may be protruding through the wall.
Now you can buy the carbide tipped hole saws—really expensive, forty or fifty dollars—or you can try Joe’s inexpensive method of obtaining the same results.
Joe Truini: You start by marking the outline of the hole on the tile, and then use a nail set to punch a series of holes all the way around. Then take a quarter-inch diameter masonry drill bit, and drill a series of closely spaced holes all the way around the tile.
Then simply use a cold chisel to punch out the glazing from between each hole. Then you use your hammer to gently tap around the perimeter of the hole and knock out the plug of tile.
Danny Lipford: Now the perimeter of the hole may be a little rough around the edges, but your plumbing escutcheon will cover all of that up.
Joe Truini: This isn’t the type of tip you’ll use all the time, but when you need to drill a large diameter hole, it can really save you a lot of time and trouble.
