Feb 6, 2010
How to install bathroom cabinet onto a wall that is tiled with porcelain?
ummar asked:
Our bathroom is tiled entirely with porcelain tiles (30 cm by 60 cm), floor to ceiling. We want to install a bathroom cabinet above the sink, onto the wall.
Our bathroom is tiled entirely with porcelain tiles (30 cm by 60 cm), floor to ceiling. We want to install a bathroom cabinet above the sink, onto the wall.
Is it safe to drill into the tile? Do we need a special drill? My dad is pretty good with handy work and he says we could drill int he grout between the tiles but I am not convinced!
I want to do this the right way so please advise. Many thanks.
It should be easy to drill through the grout joint, but sometimes the place you need to drill is not at a grout joint.
In this case you can drill through the tile. I recommend a diamond drill bit. You can buy one a lowes for about $15. They also make carbide tipped blades for ceramic tile, but porcelain tile is much harder and the diamond bit is better.
You dont need a special drill but you need a special drill bit. Visit your local hardware store,they will help you.You may also need wall anchors if your holes dont land on a stud.Ifind that the metal anchors with the screws aleady with them(the shaft opens as you screw)work best for this application..
If the wall tile is in fact porcelain (as compared to ceramic), then you will need to use a diamond bit (porcelain will just smoke carbides). A hammer drill would be nice, but not mandatory. Little tip, place a square of duck-tape over the point at which you wish to drill (this keeps the bit from wondering until you get it started)
If you can go to the next room and look at the same wall you are planning to drill into, do it. Say the bathroom wall backs up to the bedroom. Go into the bedroom and see if you can find the studs with a magnet or stud finder, or even look with a light to see if you can see where nails were hammered into the wallboard. Then measure from the outside wall and judge the distance where the studs are. You can always add a wooden piece to the inside of the back of the vanity so you could drill anywhere in the length of it. If you watch the DIY shows on TV, they put a 2×3 or so on the wall, then set the vanity on top of it and attach it by drilling down into the piece they attached first. Good luck