Should You Repair Drywall Before Tiling Backsplash

Download Commodity

Ceramic tile is both difficult and brittle, making it piece of cake to damage both tile and drill bit. Adopt a patient arroyo with the correct tools, and you have a high chance of success. Hopefully, you will not have to read the included instructions for repairing cracked tile.

one

Clean the tile'due south surface. Wipe the tile with a rag soaked in mild soap and water. Examine the cleaned surface for damage. If the tile is cracked, you'll need to supersede it before you keep.
2
Cull a drill bit. An ordinary steel drill bit may fail to penetrate the tile, or cause it to shatter. Instead, use an abrasive bit, similar a diamond drill bit.^[i] Search for an advisable bit using the following guidelines:
- Drinking glass or tile $.25 are shaped to reduce the take a chance of shattering brittle materials. These should exist carbide-tipped.
- Diamond $.25 are more expensive, merely tin can drill through extra-hard tiles. You may need these for mod porcelain tiles (made since the late 1990s), considering they're much harder than ceramic tiles.^[2]
- Masonry bits are made from carbide-tipped steel. These are stiff enough to drill through, but their shape increases the risk of shattering porcelain and other brittle tiles.
- As a last resort, utilise high speed steel (HSS) $.25. Look these to clothing down afterwards ane or two holes.^[3]
- If drilling a large hole for plumbing installation, use a hole saw bit made from one of the above materials. Make sure its central pilot bit is also fabricated from a suitable material.
Advertisement
3

Wear safety glasses. Ideally, the tile should not chip or suspension. In the upshot that it does, your optics should be protected.
4

Comprehend the area with masking tape. Tape over the area in an Ten shape, marking the site of the hole. This will aid give the drill scrap some traction, reducing the run a risk of information technology slipping. The tape likewise makes chipping less likely on the outer rim of the hole.
5
Tap the drill fleck in lightly with a hammer. A drill bit may skip and jump effectually on the tile's polish surface, unless y'all make a small pilot hole to steady it. Agree the drill bit over the centre of the X and tap it in with a hammer. Tap gently to avoid harm, repeating until you lot've made a small paring through the surface of the glaze.^[4]
- If you're using a solid drill flake larger than ^ane⁄₄ inch (0.6 cm), consider drilling a pilot hole with a smaller chip start.
6
Drill through the tile slowly. Set your drill to the lowest speed and use modest pressure to the surface. Work slowly, every bit this volition help forestall the tile from swell.^[5] This may take iii or four minutes.
- Applying also much pressure can cause the tile to blow out and crack on the backside, creating a weak spot in the tile and often a much larger hole than originally intended.
- Diamond bits are specially vulnerable to damage from fast drilling. Drill no faster than 600 rpm for diamond bits below ½ inch (ane.25 cm), or 450 rpm for $.25 from ½ to i inch (1.25—2.v cm).^[6]
7
Lubricate with h2o equally you drill. Friction from drilling difficult materials creates a not bad deal of rut, which can scorch the drill bit or even break the tile. Protect your project and extend the lifespan of the drill with a constant trickle of water. You may use a small hose, or an assistant with a eject bottle or glass of water.
- "Pump" the drill every 15 to twenty seconds with a tiny up-and-down movement. This draws water to the tip of the flake, where friction is greatest.^[7]
- The drill bit should never feel more slightly warm. If it gets hot, stop and wet it until it cools down.
- You tin likewise dip the drill bit into a little water periodically to go on it wet.^[8]
- As an culling, lubricate the drill with drilling oil.
8

Penetrate the backing board. You tin can switch dorsum to a regular drill bit for this process if you prefer. Proceed to drill slowly and patiently, every bit it is only every bit important to maintain the woods or drywall behind the tile. Damaging the bankroll lath can arrive hard to anchor your spiral or whatsoever you plan to insert.^[9]

Advertisement

ane
Fill up hairline cracks with epoxy or tile filler. You can repair hairline cracks without having to replace the tile, as long as the tile is still firmly set. You tin can employ specialized ceramic tile repair kits, but a 2-part ceramic epoxy will piece of work fine. Mix the two components together using a piece of scrap woods, then spread over the scissure using a make clean rag. Wipe upwards the excess using a second rag.^[10]
- Have care non to become the epoxy in the grout lines between tiles.
2
Add color to hide the repair. There are ii ways to make the repair invisible:
- Before filling, mix the epoxy with epoxy tint the aforementioned color as the tile.
- Or, after filling, pigment over the repair using an oil-based enamel paint marker.
3
Select a replacement tile for more severe damage. Purchase a replacement tile for whatsoever damage wider than a hairline crack. Bring the tile to a abode repair store to find a lucifer for size, shape, and pattern.
- Annotation the thickness of the tile equally well. A thinner replacement will need a layer of mastic to raise it.^[11]
4

Remove surrounding grout. Advisedly cut away the grout around the broken tile. A grout saw will make this job go faster, only y'all tin can use a hammer and chisel instead. Work slowly all the fashion around the tile, to allow for safety removal without damaging the environment.
5
Break away the rest of the tile. Use a hammer and large chisel to pause the tile apart. Angle it away from y'all and commencement from the eye to reduce damage to backing.^[12]
- Clothing gloves and safety glasses. Lay down fabric to protect surrounding surfaces from ceramic shards.
6
Supersede tile adhesive. Scrape off the existing adhesive using a putty knife. Spread a new layer of thin-set mortar onto the wall or floor.
- Follow label instructions for mixing the mortar. You lot may demand to wear a dust mask.
7

Press in the new tile. Make certain the tile is flush by tapping it in place with a prophylactic mallet, or a piece of wood wrapped in material.^[xiii] Scrape out whatever backlog mortar from the grout lines with a screwdriver.
8

Replace the grout. Permit the tile dry out overnight, or every bit specified in your mortar instructions. Mix the grout, then add a sparse line around the tile using a plastic putty knife. Subsequently a week, apply grout sealer over the grout to protect from moisture.^[fourteen]

Advert

Add together New Question

Question

Where can I detect a diamond drill bit?

Marker Spelman is a Full general Contractor based in Austin, Texas. With over xxx years of construction feel, Mark specializes in constructing interiors, project management, and project estimation. He has been a structure professional person since 1987.

Construction Professional

Practiced Answer
Question

How do you drill through ceramic tile without breaking information technology?

Art Fricke
Dwelling house Renovation & Repair Specialist

Art Fricke is a home renovation and repair specialist and the owner of Fine art Tile & Renovation based in Austin, Texas. With over 10 years of experience, he specializes in bathroom and kitchen renovations. Art focuses on a single contractor approach to customized renovation work, and performs projects such equally installing custom tile showers, fixing tiled shower leaks, replacing cracked tiles, and installing floor and wall tile.

Home Renovation & Repair Specialist

Adept Answer

Support wikiHow by unlocking this expert reply.

Ceramic tile tends to exist very brittle because it's mostly clay with a thin layer of porcelain backed on top of that. If you're trying to drill a hole, use an abrasive bit and piece of work very slowly. Too, keep the drill bit dampened with water and then it doesn't go also hot.

Ask a Question

200 characters left

Include your email address to get a bulletin when this question is answered.

Submit

Video

Things You'll Need

Diamond flake or carbide-tipped glass or tile flake
Drill
Masking record
Safety glasses
Glass of water or pocket-size hose

If you demand to supplant a tile, drill the holes into the replacement tile earlier you lot install it.
With practice, yous can skip the tape and starting pigsty. Instead, angle your drill bit steeply as y'all begin the hole. As soon as you've penetrated the coat, motion to a vertical position.^[15] This is but recommended if y'all take many holes to drill and need to relieve time.

Advertising

Accept care non to become water into the motor or bombardment areas of the drill.

Advertizement

About This Article

Article Summary X

Before you drill ceramic tile, clean the surface with soap and water and put masking record in the shape of an "10" over the area you lot're drilling. Then, concur the drill bit over the middle of the "X" and use a hammer to tap information technology lightly until you've fabricated a small-scale dent in the tile'due south glaze. Next, ready your drill on low speed and apply just a petty pressure to the surface. Every bit you drill, lubricate the bit with a constant trickle of water to protect both the bit and the tile from overheating. Continue drilling until you're through the tile's backing board. For more tips from our General Contractor reviewer on using the correct drill flake to drill ceramic tile, read on!

Did this summary assist y'all?

Cheers to all authors for creating a page that has been read 386,430 times.

Did this article help you?