How to choose drill bits for tile drilling?

The most popular way to decorate a shower or bathroom is considered to be wall cladding with tiles. This material is perfectly cleaned and is considered the most waterproof, but the tile is difficult to process, especially drilling. Drilling holes is necessary to accommodate the mixer, sockets or wall cabinets and is carried out using special drills.

Drill bits are cylindrical drill bits. On the one hand, these drills have devices for fixing in a hammer drill or drill. On the other hand, there are teeth, on top of which spraying of various compositions is often applied. Such cutters are used for cutting ceramic, porcelain stoneware, tile or mosaic tiles.

Cutting with a crown on a tile is possible only with a special drill or a special perforator. The first one should have the option of low revolutions, and the second one - the function of disabling the "percussion mechanism". Thanks to this, drilling holes, for example, for a switch or a socket, will be easier and more efficient. By the way, The most popular crown diameters are 40, 68, 100 and 110 mm. This is enough to carry out all the work in the bathroom.

Cutting any tile is difficult without knowing which tool to choose. On the Russian market, experts identify two of the most common and demanded types of crowns. This is a diamond coated tungsten carbide coated tip.

Let's consider each type in more detail, learn about their areas of application, advantages and disadvantages:

This type is sputtered with diamond chips along the edge, which is in contact with the working surface. This compound has high strength and allows better processing of hard tile surfaces. The industry produces diamond-coated bits of various diameters: from 10 mm and more. They are often sold in a set of several pieces of different sizes.

To work with such a part, you can use a conventional drill, but in this case, the holes are often uneven, and the edges need to be worked out. So the best option would be to use a stationary machine, provided it is cooled with water. In addition, for best results, the tool is operated at low speeds and the cutters are held in place with special attachments. They allow the crown to be securely held in place.

Of course, working with such tools requires a certain amount of experience. However, if paper adhesive tape is glued to the work surface, the crown will not slide off the smooth surface. In general, diamond sputtering of core bits is considered the most reliable and effective, especially for ceramic tiles. The only drawback is their cost, which is higher than that of other species.

Designs of this type are distinguished by the presence of a centering carbide drill, which allows you to use a simple electric drill in work. More often than others, this type is sold in a set of three to four nozzles of different diameters with one base.

Unlike a diamond drill, a tungsten carbide coated product is generally cheaper. Prices also depend on the diameter - the larger the size, the more expensive any type of crown. Another advantage is that there is no need for constant liquid cooling. But, like the other species, it requires the use of a drill speed below 500 rpm.

Tile is a very fragile and at the same time very hard product, so the process of cutting or drilling it is extremely difficult and requires accuracy. With all the huge variety of drills on the modern Russian market, making the right choice of tool is not easy. The above described bits of the crown type and its varieties, which are designed for drilling holes in various types of tiles.

Below are the characteristics of crowns that you need to pay attention to before purchasing in a store:

• The first thing to focus on is bit shank, or rather, its type, it must correspond to the type of connector in an electric drill or hammer drill. A thin shank with a smooth surface is the most common, but also the most short-lived. Its unreliability is due to its weak fixation in the instrument. It is preferable to use the type with three, or better with a hexagonal shape. It is more reliable in operation, although not as common.

• Diameter - this is the second important characteristic of the drill, not only the size of the hole to be drilled depends on it, but also the price of this device. The diameter of the crown is selected depending on the dimensions of the products for which you want to drill a hole, for example, the diameter of the pipe or the size of the mixer. So, to install the outlet in the bathroom, a crown d = 68 mm is used.

• The third parameter when choosing crowns is drill length. It affects the quality of the result when working in a hard-to-reach place and depends on the thickness of the tiles used. For example, for thin ceramic materials, a short drill length will suffice. Such a feature of the product as its cost perfectly characterizes the quality. So, the most durable diamond core bit is more expensive than other types. Therefore, it is better to choose crowns from trusted manufacturers and in specialized stores.

• Another significant parameter on which the selection of the cutter depends is type of tile drilling. A distinction is made between wet and dry drill bits. The first involves supplying a liquid to cool the crown and flush away tile dust during the drilling process. This type is considered the best and is usually used for diamond core bits. If the water supply is difficult, then use the dry drilling method.

In addition to general advice, you can pay attention to the recommendations of craftsmen and specialists in working with cutting tiles. Thanks to them, even beginners will be able to drill holes without chips or cracks. Many people note the obligatory presence of a crown diameter sign. Others emphasize the presence of a high-quality set of teeth, since cheap materials may not have them at all. Such a low-grade crown cannot drill through a tile covering.

Experts note that red clay tiles can be cut with either a tungsten carbide or diamond-coated bit... In addition, the precious-coated tool can handle even natural stone or porcelain stoneware. But metal crowns with a cutting edge are not suitable for working with tiles, since their purpose is to drill holes in wood.

The next recommendation is to purchase a set of crowns: this will save you money and avoid making mistakes when choosing the right diameter.All masters give preference to collapsible types of crowns. They argue that it is much easier and cheaper to replace one damaged item than an entire part.

Thus, we can conclude that crowns are indispensable for drilling ceramic, porcelain stoneware, tile and even mosaic tiles. Thanks to the competent choice of this part, the holes are smooth, without chips and cracks.

See below for a description of the different types of crowns and how to use them.