Drill between or through bathroom tiles?

Get a proper 4mm, 5mm or 6mm diamond core drill and do the job slowly, with water, and properly...

I tend to use a small masonry (not SDS) bit to start with and then to re-drill with the final size (usually 6mm for a red plug). Take it gently and don't let the drill skip-about when starting the hole.

Don't forget that last month was Januhairy. Reversion in progress?

But Daniele can be Italian for Daniel, or a girl's name in France.

Ensure the plug goes through the tile so that there are no expanding forces on the ile itself.

Enough that a proper mirror will improve my life, I hope.

Daniele

Stick some masking tape over the hole position before drilling, easier to mark out and prevents the drill slipping as it starts.

Richard

Use a tile drill, between works OK IME and if you remove it, grout can mask most of the hole.

When putting up clocking/punch card racks in fully tiled factory areas (dairy/meat industries etc) I quickly found the easiest way with the limited installation tools provided by the company was to gently centre-punch the tile surface with a screw to break through the glaze then use a regular masonry bit NOT on hammer action to simply drill through the tile, switching hammer action back on if required to drill into the brick once the tile was safely drilled.

Drilling through the grout I'd think you're more likely chip the tile(s) as the drill-bit catches the side of the tile.

Pete

Don?t most men? To be fair, nearly all women do too.

Tim

Bosch multipurpose drills work extreemly well through tiles

Cover the part of the tile to be drilled with masking tape and operate the drill at a slow speed.

that's some hardcore shaving

masking tape solves that. Through the tile is neater than between

Spear bits are easiest, but it can be done with masonry bits.

NT

Where ever they have to go to get the mirror in the right place but I'd avoid within 1/2" of the grout.

As others have said mark up on masking tape, break the glaze at the right place with a center punch, screw, WHY... My preferrance for drill to use would be a Bosch multi drill for the entire hole and required diameter. Failing that a glass/tile drill to get through the glaze/tile then a masonary drill for the block/brick behind, again single pass at the correct size.

Much depends on the tile and how well its supported and what stresses are on it. I tend to always use a tape over where I drill and drill a tiny hole part way through first. I remember trying to fit a toilet roll holder by drilling between tiles, the result was that two tiles fell off the wall. Ahem... Brian

That is what the tape is there for. Brian

Keep clearing the hole - to avoid the debris forcing the tile off the wall

This is especially true if the tiles are porcelain. The surface of these is incredibly hard and I found normal TCT bits would barely scratch the surface. The Bosch multipurpose bit took it in its stride.

FWIW, I melted and ruined the tip of a diamond core bit by using too high a speed. :-(

Last time I fixed a mirror on a difficult surface, I used 3M Command tabs. Years and years later, at house move, took it off without any problem.

Of course, the safety of this approach does depend on the mirror's design and the likely stresses in use.

Otherwise, if you do go ahead with drilling, I concur with the through the tile, well away from edges, most replies advise.

Through, drilling at the edge is more likely to chip / crack.

I put some masking tape over the spot, to stop the drill wandering, and use a newish masonry drill. Take it slow.

I've used this technique for ordinary tiles and it has always worked. We've just had a new bathroom which has harder tiles and I'm not so sure about those- I watched the tiler (who was excellent) and cutting was obviously not easy, even with the proper tools.

Thanks for the advice, shaving mirror now safely installed.

I need not have been worried about drilling through the tiles. A little tap with a sharp point broke through the glaze and the rest of the tile was very soft.

Daniele