How difficult is it to cut wall tiles and to drill into them?

I am fitting a shower in my main bathroom, I really cannot afford to pay someone to tile it, So am doing it myself.

However obviously cutting will be involved as will drilling be, Is this difficult to do?

the drilling is for the pipes and things for the shower head sorry if I was vague

Not if you have the right tools.Obviously, a tile cutter.Make sure you get the measurements right, mark the line, hold the tilecutter against a ruler or straight- edge and score the tile.
It should then break, straight, with a sharp tap.
A good tip for drilling , without cracking or splitting the tile, is to stick a piece or a cross of masking/sellotape over the spot you want the hole in, before you drill. Also, you'll need a masonry or tile drill bit, not a wood drill one.
I think the hardest part is properly sealing the shower afterwards. I speak from experience, living in a ground-floor flat and having had water pouring through my ceiling from upstairs-Dad-fitting-a-shower job!
Good luck.

WOW a lot of answers.

I tile every day of my life and the DRILLING is risky at best. Hopefully you have extra tiles.

I do have a variety of tools appropriate.

Wet Saw
Dry Diamond Blade Saw
Diagonal Grinder with a Diamond blade (my fave)
RotoZip spiral, with diamond bits and wheels

I have a BREAK but find them to be iffy, as is the square head/blade "nippers"

Best tool on the market I've found is pricey but effective. FEIN Multimaster, Multipurpose tool. It Oscillates and is easy to control.

Without knowing at all WHY drilling, beyond plumbing fittings, and with no offense meant to any suggestions, Hopefully even a bit made for the purpose (IE: TAP CON) should still be considered something you may want extra pieces of tile for. My thought has nothing really to do with the tile, which is essnetially glass, fired at up to 3600 degrees. It's more with the tool and the operator, any instability in the process, and the SIZE hole you eventually need. Again, and with no offense TAPE might mark your place, but has nothing at all to do with the action of the bit, or the drilling process. In fact a likelyhood is that the tape will be gathered by the bit and have to be removed to actually see what you're doing.

Without knowing also, the size tile you're using, or the meaurements in plumbing placement, you might adjust the install to edges of the tiles, then cut in a piece you need to allow the plumbing, then covered, grouted, sealed and hidden by the fixture plates for spouts, faucets, etc.

Steven Wolf
just my two "sense"

Just an added thought. PRACTICE... UM and try drilling a piece of window pane once.

i got myself a tile cutter its simple to use as for drilling use some masking tape it really does work

Cutting tiles can be a very tricky job, so have a few(dozen!!) spare. If it is a straight cut then use a tile cutter, but if it is a shape then use tile nippers or pincers. Mark off the part to be removed and gently bite into it, a small piece at a time. Or, you could use a tile saw which has a special blade, good for straight cuts.

When drilling a tile mark where the hole is to be and gently tap through the glazed surface with a punch. Then drill at a moderate speed until you get through the glaze. After that drilling should be easy. If you are careful then you will have no probs.

if you have the right tools it is not to hard GET A GOOD TILE CUTTER or a cheap electric one

do not drill a tile before its on the wall you will crack it

Drilling is easy,just place some masking tape over where you want to drill,this will stop cracking and will help the drill purchase on the tile without wandering.Make sure you have a tile cutter and a good tile saw (like a junior hacksaw with round blade)Also you wil need a pair of pliers for the fidly bits.

Easy.

Home Depot/Lowes sell tile cutters fairly cheap, $20-30, but they only cut straight lines. The cutter scores the tile, then you push down on the handle, and it snaps the tile on the scored line. Easy.

For small holes, buy a tile hole cutter for your drill. $20. They're pretty easy to use, but take it slow.

If you buy your tiles at a place like Home Depot/Lowes, you can take complex cuts back for them to cut. Mark the tiles carefully, and they will cut them for you. They will charge you a small fee, or do it free, but don't take a huge stack of tile to cut. They will only do a very few.

You can buy a tile saw, but they are either expensive or junk. They're great to use, but are too expensive for just one job.

I'm not a carpenter, but I've used all the tools I've mentioned here and have had no trouble with any of them. You can try to use your "regular" tools, but you'll break a lot of tiles; don't waste your time.

Once you get started (with the right tools) you'll find setting tile is child's play.

Yes, it is difficult, but if you have the right bit and saw blade, it can be done. Just don't use too much pressure.

I think with just regular tiles you will score it with a special blade and then they have some clipper things that you use to break away the part you don't need. but i think you will be able to do it yourself. when you get your tile you should be able to ask the seller to get you the proper tools to do this.
I think a diamond tip drill bit will be needed to drill a whole...

harder surfaces may need a water jetted cutter so that your blade doesn't get hot...

Good Luck

buy a tile cutter they are only cheap
to drill a tile put a piece of masking tape on the tile where you want to drill this will stop the drill skipping over the tile

you can drill the tiles very easy as long as you use a proper tile drill bit not that pricey about 2 quid in b&q

certainly can be, some tiles can crack when you try to drill. I really cant help you very much, but i can say its difficult and i couldnt do it by myself.

Hire an electric cutter - much much easier if you have strange shapes to do. as to drilling into them, use masking tape in an x shape across where and drill through with a masonary drill slowly and carefully.

Not all that difficult..but you need the proper weapons..You can buy blades for your saw..& an assortment of concrete bits for your drill..

Difficult is utimately going to be defined by you. My most common advice to someone thinking of working on their own home is to not learn on your own home. So that said you can cut and drill your own tiles but two things I strongly recommend are extra tiles (many) and patience with plenty of forgiveness for yourself. This is not a DIFFICULT job but you may find it to be challenging. So take your time and you should be fine. depending on where you are located you may want to put a laticrete membrane behind your tile for waterproofing. Your best bet is to find a small tile store that can advise you on this, you may also have luck hiring a contractor as a consultant that way you can ask some questions, but not have to pay as much, when they arise. M

it`s not very difficult.

not difficult, buy a tile cutter which you scroll along the tile then break the tile over 2 matchsticks by pressing down with your thumbs, or buy an electric tile cutter which again is easy to use, to drill place masking tape over the area you wish to drill in an x shape this will stop the drill bit sliding about

i have tiled my kitchen and bathroom and i managed fine, it might not be a professional job but it looks good enough

good luck

if u are to drill holes in the tiles..get sum electricians tape about 50 p each,make a cross on the tile with tape,making sure where u drill,that is the centre of the cross.the tile won`t crack