Cutting clean holes for shower valves, pipes and fixtures separates pros from weekend warriors. Here's the tooling and technique to cut holes in tile without cracking it.
Pick the tool for the hole
- Diamond hole saws — for round holes (mixer valves, pipes). Use a wet diamond hole saw on porcelain and stone; dry-cutting overheats and chips.
- Diamond drill bits — for small holes (anchors, towel bars). Start on an angle to bite, then bring upright.
- Tile nippers — for irregular shapes and trimming around odd cuts.
- Angle grinder + diamond blade — for square cut-outs (outlet boxes) when paired with a hole-saw start.
The technique that prevents cracks
Keep the bit cool with water, use light steady pressure (let the diamond do the work), and never force it. On hard porcelain, start slow to set the ring. A guide jig or a strip of painter's tape stops the bit from wandering.
Porcelain and stone need diamond
Carbide will struggle and crack hard porcelain — use diamond hole saws and bits rated for the material. For natural stone, keep it wet and go slow to avoid blowing out the back.
Build the kit once
A set of common hole-saw diameters (for valves and pipes), a few diamond bits, and a quality nipper handles almost every bathroom and kitchen job. Find drilling and cutting tools in our tiling tools collection, and see our guide on how to drill tiles.
FAQ
What drills holes in porcelain tile? A wet diamond hole saw (for big holes) or a diamond drill bit (for small ones) — not carbide.
How do I stop the tile from cracking? Keep it wet and cool, use light pressure, support the tile, and never force the cut.
How do I cut a square hole for an outlet? Drill the corners with a diamond bit/hole saw, then connect with an angle grinder and diamond blade.
Outfitting a crew? Get hole saws, bits and nippers at contractor pricing and earn points with the PlaceForPros Pro Program. Shop tile drilling tools →