How to drill holes in glass splashback?

[edw101]

I need to (slowly) drill 2 new 14 mm holes to fit replacement range hood in kitchen with gravity toggles. Through the wall splashback and the gyprock. 

The largest TCT glass/tile bit available seems to be 12 mm, then you have to go to diamond core drill 15 mm, so more tricky to get centred to the drill spots marked on masking tape.  The splashback is already on the wall. Any hints? Or even anyone like to do it for me?

[EricL]

Hello @edw101 

Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community. It's sensational to have you join us, and thanks for sharing your question about your splash back.

It's very likely that your splashback is made of safety glass, I don't recommend drilling into it. It's not advisable to drill into safety glass because it is designed to resist impact and stress. Drilling creates concentrated pressure that can cause toughened glass to shatter completely, as it is under internal tension. 

As an alternative, I suggest adjusting the height of the rangehood so that it sits above the splashback. Just to give you a point of reference, splashbacks often have a height of 600mm for electric cooktops and 700mm for gas cooktops. The rangehood usually sits above the top of the glass or is anchored into a rangehood cabinet. Would it be possible for you to post a photo of your rangehood and rangehood location? Perhaps we can offer recommendations in regards to its installation. 

If you have any other questions we can help with, please let us know.

Eric

[Nailbag]

Hi @edw101 

I’ve drilled a lot of holes through both glass and tile over the years and It’s still a very stressful application. Last year I discovered these bit which I have found the durability to be triple that of any other brand I’ve used. 

The larger the hole will require multiple bits by stepping up with each hole when it comes to glass. Always start slow with minimal pressure and anticipate the breakthrough. 

Nailbag

[edw101]

And I suppose you are a million miles from Brisbane?

[JacobZ]

Hi @edw101,

Unfortunately, @Nailbag is not in Brisbane, so it would be very unlikely that he'd be able to assist.

If you are looking for a tradesperson in Brisbane to assist, I'd suggest looking for a glazier using a service such as HiPages or Airtasker.

Let me know if there is anything else I can assist with.

Jacob