How to Drill a Hole Through Porcelain Tiles for the Kitchen Sink Hot & Cold Pipes

There are many times during a tile installation when a hole must be bored through the tiles to accommodate pipes, valves and other fittings. Kitchen hot and cold water supplies are typically 1 1/4 inches in diameter, requiring a hole drilled of at least that size through the porcelain to make room for piping. Porcelain tiles are amongst the hardest and densest materials on the market, so these holes must be drilled with a diamond or carbide-encrusting hole saw.

Measuring tape
Masking tape
Pencil
Drill with 1-1/2 inch hole saw and guiding bit attachment
Cooling oil

Instructions

- 1
  Measure out on the tiles where the hot and cold water supplies will be placed and attach a piece of masking tape to this area. Find the center of where each hole will be drilled and make a mark with a pencil on the tape.
- 2
  Attach the hole saw with the guiding bit to the drill. Dip the end of the guiding bit into the cooling oil. Porcelain is extremely dense and the drill may become too hot as it bores through. The cooling oil will help prevent overheating.
- 3
  Line up the guiding bit with the pencil mark on the tile and twist the drill back and forth slightly to help it make purchase. Turn the drill on slowly and let the guiding bit sink into the porcelain. Once the guiding bit is through, the hole saw will make contact. Increase the speed of the drill until the hole saw goes straight through the tile. If at any time, the drill turns red or smoke emerges, stop and pour cooling oil onto the hole.

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