Hi,

I have tiles built up from all the walls in my toilet. I would like to install hangers and mirrors onto the wall. Anyone can advice how to drill through the tiles while not breaking them?

I heard that try to drill at the edge of the tiles will reduce the cracking possibility. Shall i use hammer mode or drilling mode? Thanks.

Use pencil mark out the location of the holes. Eh.. I assume got no water /gas pipe or electrical conduit ard hor.

Paste masking tape on the location, and draw horizontal and vertical lines like a target box. Make sure the lines are long enough.. when the drillbit bite.. still can see the lines.

Use a hammer and the masonary drill bit and chip the centre of the spot. Gently pls.. this is to make the centre spot is deep enough, so that the drill bit at high speed will not run away. When chipping, if u hear hollow sound.. as if got hole behind the tile.. then need to take extra extra care.. not to use too much force. Tile crack is real possibility.

Choose a drill bit size, that fits the plastic wall plug u using. Wall plug must fit swee swee, not loose, not tight.

Then use a drill, NON HAMMER MODE, and slowly drill. Is more like grinding a hole rather than DRILL.

Ceramic tile is easy.. if homo tile.. take note.. some homo tile is so hard.. need the special granite drill bit. The hard kind of homo tile... normal drill bit wun make a diff.

So.. slowly add pressure to the drill.. grinding away. Once clear of the tile.. (see red brick/ cement grey dust spill out) then can switch to hammer mode. Drill as deep as the length of wall plug, or length of screw.

Be kind to neighbours.. mark out all the holes first.. then 1 time drill all the holes. Do not mark drill, mark, drill, mark, drill. By the time they come complain.. no more drilling liao, so dunno noise came from which unit.

After drilling and screwing, then act tired, hopefully wife will take pity and come clean up the mess.

Really good advice.. esp the act tired part..haha

wah, never know drilling got so many steps.

All i do is 1) marked point to drill 2)turn on vacuum cleaner 3) one hand on drill, the other hand on vacuum cleaner 4) wah lah hole done.

Drilling got only two step. 1) Ready 2) Drill

but ....

There are more steps to make sure no crack tile, no messy place and the best part.. no need to clear up any mess..haha

Thanks for the tips.

This is what I normally do:

1. Mark position of hole

2. Use a center punch to gently chip a tiny hole in the tile; this is to ensure my drill bit don't slip

3. Drill hole with a 3mm pilot masonry drill bit; small drill bit will not damage tile and will go to the desire depth very quickly

4. Use the exact size masonry drill to finish off

won't the tiles crack?

wah, never know drilling got so many steps.

All i do is 1) marked point to drill 2)turn on vacuum cleaner 3) one hand on drill, the other hand on vacuum cleaner 4) wah lah hole done.

You must be expert. One hand on drill, the other hand on vacuum cleaner.

I tot for safety. One should concentrate on drilling. Get another person to help hold the vacuum cleaner?

Please use a drill bit specially for tiles - can get easily from hardware stores

i will do this soon

Use a Tile/Glass drill bit in drill mode and once u have drilled thru the tile, then switch to a masonary drill bit in hammer mode to deepen the hole to the desired depth to fit your wall plug. Using the tile bit all the way is more difficult and will spoil the bit..

wah, never know drilling got so many steps.

All i do is 1) marked point to drill 2)turn on vacuum cleaner 3) one hand on drill, the other hand on vacuum cleaner 4) wah lah hole done.

that's exactly wat i do too. hold the vacuum head wif hand and put it right up to the drill bit as close as possible. so i wun hv much dirt and dust after drilling.

oh bt be sure to keep the vacuum head at the drilled hole when withdrawing the drill bit frm the hole. cos the drill bit will "pull" more dirt out. and once the drill bit is completely out, make sure to vacuum the newly-drilled hole. otherwise, when you "hammer" the wall plug in, you will see dirt coming out thru the wall plug. den still nd to do clean-up liao.

thanks for all the tips.

it really helps alot.

Actually instead of vacuum, there is a product from karcher " Drill-Dust-Catcher " that will suck all the dust while you drill. cost about 50 or less in diy shop .. also see before at petrol kiosk

cheers