Hi all I have signed up to these forums to get your help on a topic which i could not find answers to! Apologies in advance if this has been posted before. I wish to install a new bath screen, but my tiles are a nightmare to drill into!! They are not smooth (please see photos attached) and so the drill bit slips, even with the use of masking tape. Do you have any suggestions? Also I have an SDS Plus drill, but there seems to be no SDS Tile bit on the market. Can I use masonry bits (4mm, then 6mm)? Thanks so much in advance Kind regards Omid
https://www.screwfix.com/p/erbauer-diamond-tile-drill-guide/84524 Would a drill guide help you? Wouldnt use any sort of hammer action either until you are through the tile.
Omidd, the only thing I can think of... Do not use an SDS drill on this. Use ordinary drill. Small masonry drill bit 4mm Cut a piece of flat wood (2x1) & wedge it between bath & ceiling. With cardboard to stop any damage. This will act as a guide for the drill bit. Pre drill the holes where needed in the wood.
Use your sds off hammer then when through the tile turn on the hammer if you need to. Just a normal 5.5 bit usually does the job.
I would use a diamond drill to get a clean hole in the tile first and then change to a masonry drill for the actual wall. https://www.screwfix.com/p/milwaukee-49560507-diamond-drill-bit-8-x-65mm/692hh. Drill tile 8mm using diamond cutter, change to 6mm masonry drill for wall, insert wall plug, use sealant around screw when attaching bath screen. Watch a YouTube video on how to use the tile drill
hold a thin point bradawl to the tile, tap gently with a hammer til there is a hole big enough to hold your actual tile drill ( shaped like a pointy heart ) in place to make hole big enough for the rawl plug. When retrofitting screens / new hose brackets I would mask tape a small paper bag to catch the dust. If its brick the dust indelibly stained the Dow Corning red.
Good call...... I use an old envelope a lot of the time when drilling, just to save time cleaning up, but same outcome really.
Don't use SDS, it will end in tears. You need a pointed tungsten tile bit using an ordinary rotary drill. Just stick some masking tape over where you want to drill, mark the hole with a pencil on the tape. And before you start the drill rotating gently press in and the bit will just cut in to the surface of the tile giving you enough of a start to gently start rotating without skipping.