OX Tools Tile, Glass & Diamond Drill Bits
OX tile drill bits are made for clean holes in tile, glass and porcelain without skating, chipping or cracking the face.
If you're fixing shower screens, running pipework through porcelain, or mounting accessories on glazed surfaces, these are the bits you reach for. OX diamond drill bits cut cleaner than standard masonry bits and hold up better on harder finishes. Match the bit to the hole size, keep the speed steady, and you'll save yourself broken tiles and needless snagging. If you need matching cutting kit as well, look at OX tile cutters and get the right setup first time.
What Are OX Tile Drill Bits Used For?
- Drilling neat fixing holes through ceramic wall tiles when fitting mirrors, brackets, soap dispensers, and bathroom accessories without blowing the glaze apart.
- Cutting through hard porcelain tiles for pipe penetrations and waste outlets where a standard bit will just skid, burn out, or crack the tile face.
- Working on glass panels and splashbacks where controlled cutting matters, because OX glass drill bits are designed to bite cleanly with less chance of star cracks.
- Opening out tiles on kitchens, bathrooms, and refurbs when second fix starts and there is no room for chipped edges or a ruined finished surface.
- Handling smaller, accurate site drilling jobs alongside OX drill bits when you need the right bit for tile, glass, masonry, and general fixing work in one loadout.
Choosing the Right OX Tile Drill Bits
Sorting the right bit is simple: match it to the material and the hole size, not just what is nearest in the van.
1. Tile, Glass, or Porcelain Hardness
If you are only drilling softer ceramic wall tile, a lighter-duty ox tile and glass drill bit will do the job. If you are into hard porcelain floor or wall tiles, go straight for an OX porcelain drill bit or diamond-tipped option or you will waste time, overheat the bit, and risk cracking the finish.
2. Hole Size Needed
If it is a small fixing hole for screws and plugs, use the exact diameter and keep it steady. If you need clearance for pipes, wastes, or fittings, an OX diamond core drill bit is the better answer than trying to open a small hole out and wrecking the tile.
3. Drill Speed and Control
Do not use hammer mode. If your drill only really works flat out, it is the wrong setup for tile and glass. Lower speed, steady pressure, and a clean start matter more here than brute force.
4. Dry Drilling Versus Repetitive Work
If you are doing one or two holes for a small fit-off, most trades just want a bit that starts clean and gets through. If you are drilling repeated holes all day in hard porcelain, pay attention to diamond quality and heat build-up because that is what decides whether the bit lasts or gives up halfway through the room.
Who Uses These on Site?
- Tilers use OX tile drill bits when the cutting is done and the room needs finishing properly, especially for shower valves, pipe exits, and sanitaryware fixings through porcelain.
- Plumbers swear by them for drilling finished bathroom walls without smashing a tile just to get pipe clips, brackets, or screens fixed in place.
- Kitchen fitters reach for OX glass drill bits when working around splashbacks and tiled upstands where a chipped visible edge means an expensive callback.
- Bathroom installers and maintenance teams keep a few common sizes in the van for snagging and retrofit work, because you rarely get a second chance once the tile is on the wall.
The Basics: Understanding OX Tile Drill Bits
Tile and glass bits are about controlled cutting, not smashing through. The right type saves the finish and stops the job turning into a tile replacement.
1. Spear Point Bits for Smaller Holes
These are used for neat fixing holes in tile and glass. They start carefully on smooth surfaces and help you avoid that first slip across the glaze that scratches the face before you have even started.
2. Diamond Bits for Harder Materials
OX diamond drill bits grind their way through hard finishes rather than punching them. That is why they are the better choice for porcelain and other dense tiles where ordinary bits just overheat and stall.
3. Core Bits for Bigger Openings
If the job needs a larger hole for pipes or fittings, a diamond core drill bit cuts a ring instead of trying to chew out the whole centre. It is cleaner, puts less stress into the tile, and gives a better finished result around visible penetrations.
Tile Drilling Accessories That Save You Breaking the Finish
A few simple extras make tile and glass drilling far cleaner, safer, and less wasteful on site.
1. Drill Guides and Positioning Jigs
These stop the bit skating off across a glazed tile when you first pull the trigger. Worth having when you are drilling visible bathroom walls and cannot afford a scratch or chipped edge.
2. Coolant or Water Feed Aids
Keeping the bit cool matters, especially on porcelain and repeated cuts. It helps the diamond edge last longer and stops you cooking an expensive bit halfway through the job.
3. Masking Tape and Marking Tools
Simple, but it works. A marked tape cross gives the bit something to bite on and helps you keep the hole exactly where it needs to be on smooth tile or glass.
4. Spare Diamond Blades
If you are cutting and drilling in the same room, keep OX diamond blades to hand so you are not swapping back to blunt cutting gear and ruining the finish on trims or tile edges.
Choose the Right OX Tile Drill Bits for the Job
Pick the bit by surface, hole size, and how visible the finished hole will be.
| Your Job | OX Bit Type | Key Features |
|---|---|---|
| Fixing mirrors or brackets to ceramic wall tile | Tile and glass drill bit | Clean starting point, controlled cut, reduced skating on glazed surfaces |
| Drilling through hard porcelain for pipe clips or fixings | OX porcelain drill bit | Better wear resistance, improved cutting on dense tile, less risk of overheating |
| Making neat holes in glass splashbacks or panels | OX glass drill bits | Gentle cutting action, accurate entry, less chance of cracking with the right technique |
| Opening larger penetrations for pipes and fittings | OX diamond core drill bit | Ring cutting action, cleaner large holes, less stress on finished tiles |
| Mixed bathroom or kitchen fit-out work | OX diamond drill bits | Good all-round option for repeated drilling across tile, porcelain, and similar hard finishes |
Common Buying and Usage Mistakes
- Using a standard masonry bit on tile usually ends with the bit wandering, the glaze chipping, or the tile cracking. Use a proper ox tile drill bit or diamond option instead.
- Leaving the drill in hammer mode is a fast way to wreck finished surfaces. Turn hammer off and let the bit cut at a steady speed.
- Buying only for diameter and ignoring the tile type wastes money. Soft ceramic and hard porcelain do not drill the same, so match the bit to the material first.
- Pushing too hard overheats the bit and shortens its life. Light pressure and patience get a cleaner hole and save the diamond edge.
- Trying to make a pipe hole with a small bit and then forcing it bigger often breaks the tile. Use a diamond core drill bit when the job needs a larger opening from the start.
Tile and Glass Bits vs Porcelain Bits vs Diamond Core Bits
Tile and Glass Bits
Best for smaller, neat fixing holes in ceramic tile and glass. They are the right choice for screws, plugs, and light fittings, but they are not the fastest answer for larger penetrations.
Porcelain Bits
Built for denser, harder tile where softer bits struggle. If most of your work is modern porcelain bathrooms and kitchens, this is the safer buy because it copes better with tough glazed finishes.
Diamond Core Bits
These are for bigger holes where pipes, wastes, and fittings need to pass through cleanly. Slower to set up than a small bit, but far better than trying to force a large opening and ruining the tile.
Which One Should You Buy
If you mainly fit brackets and accessories, start with tile and glass bits. If you regularly hit hard porcelain, go diamond or porcelain-specific. If the job needs larger penetrations, buy the core bit and save yourself a cracked tile.
Maintenance and Care
Keep the Cutting Edge Clean
Wipe slurry, tile dust, and debris off after use so the cutting edge does not cake up. A dirty bit runs hotter and cuts slower next time out.
Avoid Overheating
Heat is what kills tile and diamond bits early. Use sensible speed, do not lean on the drill, and cool the bit when you are doing repeated holes in porcelain.
Store Them Separately
Do not chuck them loose in the bottom of the case with masonry bits and screws. Keep them in sleeves or a bit case so the tips are not knocked about in the van.
Replace Worn Bits Early
If the bit is taking too long to start or forcing you to push harder, it is usually done. Carrying on with a blunt bit is how tiles get overheated, chipped, or cracked.
Use the Right Kit Together
Good drilling starts with proper prep. Pair these with OX tiling tools and OX tiling hand tools so the hole, cut, and finish all stay clean from start to handover.
Why Shop for OX Tile Drill Bits at ITS?
Whether you need a single ox tile and glass drill bit for a bathroom snag or a tougher ox diamond core drill bit for porcelain and pipe penetrations, we stock the full OX range in all the useful sizes and types. It is all held in our own warehouse, in stock, and ready for next day delivery so you can get the right bit on site without hanging the job up.
OX Tile Drill Bit FAQs
What drill bit do I need for tiles?
For tiles, use a proper tile and glass bit or a diamond bit, not a standard masonry bit. Ceramic wall tile is usually straightforward, but once you get into porcelain, an OX diamond drill bit is the safer choice because it cuts the surface instead of battering it.
Can you drill through porcelain tiles?
Yes, but porcelain is hard stuff and it catches people out. Use the correct OX porcelain drill bit or diamond bit, keep hammer mode off, run the drill at a controlled speed, and do not force it. Let the bit work and you will get through cleanly.
Are OX diamond drill bits any good?
Yes, they are solid trade bits for tile, glass, and tougher finishes where ordinary bits give up. They are especially useful on porcelain and repeated bathroom or kitchen fit-out work. Like any diamond bit, they last far better if you keep speeds sensible and avoid overheating them.
How do you drill glass without cracking it?
Start slowly, support the glass properly, and use a dedicated glass or tile bit with very light pressure. The main thing is not to rush the first contact. Once the bit is located, keep the speed steady and the heat down. Too much pressure is what usually causes cracks.
What is a diamond core drill bit?
It is a hollow bit with a diamond cutting edge that cuts a ring rather than grinding out the whole hole. That makes it the right choice for larger openings in tile and porcelain, especially for pipes, wastes, and fittings where you need a clean visible finish.
Can I use these in an impact drill?
You can use the drill, but not the hammer action. Put it in rotary only. Hammer mode is the quickest way to chip glaze, crack porcelain, and blunt the bit before it has earned its keep.
Will one bit do tile, glass, and porcelain?
Sometimes, but do not assume one bit covers every surface equally well. Softer ceramic, glass, and dense porcelain all behave differently. If porcelain is a regular part of the job, buy for porcelain first and you will avoid slow drilling and burnt-out bits.
