What kind of bathroom tile is this, and what kind of drill bit does it require?

Question

I believe ceramic and porcelain tiles are the most common, but this looks like it might be some kind of polished stone. Will a carbide bit work on this tile, or does it require a diamond-tipped bit?

Answer 1

I still don't know entirely what type of stone this is, but a 1/4" carbide-tipped hammer drill bit went through it with no problem, and no cracking. I didn't end up using a hammer drill, just an impact driver. The main challenge is that the bit wanders at the beginning, but I think that is a general challenge of drilling in tile.

Answer 2

It appears to be an aggregate of stone and some type of mortar. I think you'll find that the stone is much harder than the mortar between the stones and you may have trouble drilling at or near an edge of a stone and keeping your bit from wandering.

I'd use a diamond-tipped here as that's going to be harder than the carbide one.

Answer 3

It's Hammer Time

A hammer drill, with an appropriate bit, is the tool of choice here. A regular drill (trust me...I've learned the hard way) will have a hard time (pun intended) getting through tile, no matter what type of bit you use.

If you are using a typical ~ 18V battery-powered drill/driver, see if the same manufacturer has a hammer drill so that you can share batteries and save a few $. Or see if one of your neighbors has a hammer drill that they can lend you for a one-time job.