Fixing into tiles: drill bit, plug and strips
The plug, screw and load come from the wall behind the tiles; the tile changes the drill bit you start with. For light things, tesa rates strips made for tiles.
What fixing do I use on a tiled wall?
The one for the wall behind the tiles. Bosch, which makes drills and bits, says Remember that the wall anchor can only hold as much weight as its wall
, and The depth of your hole will depend on the wall plug you’re using.
In What's my wall?, choose Tiles over a wall and then the wall behind them: the fixing, screw and load come from that wall's rows, and the ticket names Bosch's tile bit before the bit for that wall.
Over plasterboard, the tile makes the wall deeper, and a cavity fixing is chosen by thickness. Plasplugs: Plasterboard walls vary in thickness because boards come in different gauges and wall coverings, like tiles, also make walls deeper.
fischer, of its HM: The fixing should be selected based on the thickness of the board building material, to allow the very best expansion in the cavity.
Sources: Bosch DIY, How to drill into tiles: Tips for damage-free holes in tiles. Checked ; Plasplugs, Plasplugs Wall Fixings brochure, 2024/5 edition. Checked ; fischer, fischer Metal cavity fixing HM product page. Checked .
Can you put things up on tiles without drilling?
Yes, within the maker's rating, with strips made for tiles. tesa's figures, for each strip:
- tesa Adhesive Strips for Tiles & Metal 2kg:
For objects up to 2kg per strip
.For smooth and solid surfaces like tiles indoors
. - tesa Adhesive Strips for Tiles & Metal 3kg:
For objects up to 3kg per strip
.For smooth and solid surfaces like tiles indoors
. - tesa Waterproof Strips Xtra Large:
Self-adhesive strips for hanging and mounting objects in bathrooms of up to 3 kg
.Adheres to glazed tiles, marble, metal, glass, wood, and plastics (ABS, PS, Acrylic Glass)
.
tesa says of the tiles and metal strips: Strip can also be used alone without a nail
. Their product sheets, for the 2kg and 3kg strips alike, list Humidity resistance no
, so we do not offer them for a bathroom. The Waterproof Strips are the ones tesa describes for bathrooms. Its sheet applies them with the supplied primer, Wipe the waterproof primer over the surface using the primer tissue- wait for 10 seconds to allow the primer to evaporate
, and gives Application temperature from 15 °C
.
tesa lists each strip's holding power under Technical Information (average values)
on its product sheets, and says of that section: The values in this section should be considered representative or typical only and should not be used for specification purposes.
The maker's figure is the most it is rated for, not a target, and Will it hold? compares your own item with it exactly.
Sources: tesa, tesa Adhesive Strips for Tiles & Metal 2kg, Product Information BNR 77760, en-GB, as of 16/08/25. Checked to ; tesa, tesa Adhesive Strips for Tiles & Metal 3kg, Product Information BNR 77761, en-GB, as of 25/02/25. Checked to ; tesa, tesa Waterproof Strips Xtra Large, Product Information BNR 40519, en-GB, as of 25/02/25. Checked .
What drill bit do you need for tiles?
A tile, glass or diamond bit for the tile, then a masonry bit for masonry behind it. Bosch: Choose the right drill bit. Use glass and tile drill bits for soft and medium tiles and diamond drill bits for drilling porcelain and natural stone tiles.
Always switch to a masonry drill bit to drill into the masonry behind the tile.
If the wall behind is plasterboard, Bosch's tile guide does not say which bit to change to. For plasterboard itself, B&Q says If you're drilling into a plasterboard wall, a multi-surface drill bit is recommended. For brick walls, always use a masonry drill bit.
Sources: Bosch DIY, How to drill into tiles: Tips for damage-free holes in tiles. Checked ; B&Q, How to fit wall plugs. Checked .
How do you drill through tiles without cracking them?
Slowly, with the hammer action off. After the checks on Before you drill, Bosch's steps in plain words, with its pressure and speed step in its own:
- Check first whether you need to drill the tile at all, or whether another way will do, such as drilling the joint or using adhesive tape.
- Make sure there is no hollow under the tile: tap gently around it, and if it sounds the same everywhere, the tile is firmly on the wall behind.
- Centre-punch the spot so the bit does not slip, with masking tape over the mark for extra grip.
- Switch off the drill's hammer or percussion action: Bosch says the vibration could damage the tile.
Apply a low pressure when drilling tile, as excessive force could cause the entire tile to crack. The drill speed should not exceed 1,000 rpm.
- Drill straight into the tile at a right angle, with a stencil or drilling template if you need one: a tilted bit can damage the tile.
- Check the bit's temperature now and then, and cool it with water if it needs it.
- Once through the tile, change to a masonry drill bit for masonry behind it.
- Carry on into the masonry at normal speed and with enough pressure. If it makes no progress, Bosch says you can switch the hammer or percussion action back on.
Source: Bosch DIY, How to drill into tiles: Tips for damage-free holes in tiles. Checked .
Then fit the plug for the wall behind, as its own wall page describes.
Can you drill into the grout instead of the tile?
Yes, for small fixings only, says Bosch: Instead of drilling directly into the tiles, you can drill through the tile joints instead.
However, only holes and wall plugs that are smaller than the joint itself are suitable. You cannot attach heavy cabinets like this.
Drilling through joints is much like drilling into tiles, except you use a masonry drill bit from the start.
The checks on Before you drill come first here too.
Source: Bosch DIY, How to drill into tiles: Tips for damage-free holes in tiles. Checked .
Questions
Which fixing for tiles over plasterboard?
A metal cavity fixing chosen by the board and the tiles together. Plasplugs notes Plasterboard walls vary in thickness because boards come in different gauges and wall coverings, like tiles, also make walls deeper.
fischer says of its HM: The fixing should be selected based on the thickness of the board building material, to allow the very best expansion in the cavity.
fischer rates its DuoPower by bare board thickness, so we do not use it over tiles, and it gives the HM's loads only in kN, so we make no load comparison. The fixings, bits and screws are on Fixing into plasterboard.
Which fixing for tiles over brick?
A plug from fischer's brick table, which shows its solid and vertically perforated brick figures, and we compare with the lower. Bosch says Always switch to a masonry drill bit to drill into the masonry behind the tile.
The table and B&Q's steps are on Fixing into brick.
Which fixing for tiles over concrete or block?
The plug for that wall, from fischer's Concrete ≥ C20/25 or Aerated concrete ≥ AAC 2 rows, or the Plasplugs chart for dense block. They are on Fixing into concrete and block.
Can you drill a tile with a masonry bit?
Bosch's two tile guides differ. Its longer guide says Masonry drill bits have limited suitability when drilling tiles and are best used when there is already a hole in the surface and the bit reaches the wall behind.
Its shorter guide says For drilling through a tile with a medium hardness (three to six), you should use a masonry drill bit.
We follow the longer guide, which also gives the steps above.
Sources: Plasplugs, Plasplugs Wall Fixings brochure, 2024/5 edition. Checked ; fischer, fischer Metal cavity fixing HM product page. Checked ; Bosch DIY, How to drill into tiles: Tips for damage-free holes in tiles. Checked ; fischer, Loads, DuoPower, recommended loads for a single anchor. Checked ; Bosch DIY, How to drill a hole into a tile. Checked .