drilling th rough tile

[micky]

So I have the grab bar** and I have to drill, I guess, 3 holes at each end to hold it.

Any suggestions about drilling through tile, ceramic tile, I guess. I've never done that.

Carbide? I have some of the cheapest carbide bits you've ever seen. I don't know where I got them but they were almost free.

Worth buying better?

Should I start with a small hole and enlarge it?

Diamond? A set of five diamond bits are only $7 or 10.

Anything else to know?

**I'm keeping the one I have. Even the non-peened is not perfectly smooth and I hate to return something they'll be scared to touch because of the virus. And it's a nuisance for me too, to return and buy another.

[Ed Pawlowski]

If typical ceramic tile it is easy. The trick is to break the glaze where the hole is to go so the tip does not wander. I've used regular bits and fill size since it is only about 1/4 inch or so. Use the corner of a sharpening stone, file, anything abrasive.

'There are special bits for tile that are in a plastic case for water too. I've seen them but never used one. If you do a lot of drilling would be worth it.

[gfretwell]

Some tile is really hard, Other stuff drills pretty easy. Your real question should be, what are you screwing into on the other side? Have you found the studs? By the shower door, I was able to hit a stud but the back wall was concrete block so I used 3" TapCons into that. If you really have that hard tile, a Bosch bit, in a hammer drill and some water in a Zep bottle does the trick but it is still slow.

[Ralph Mowery]

Go here for an explination. You have to break through the glaze on the tile before you can do much hole drilling.