How to Bore a Hole in Slate Tile

Wear a pair of safety glasses or safety goggles before drilling. Slate will chip and the drill will cause those chips to fly.

Place two pieces of heavy tape in an X across the slate where you will drill a hole. Painter’s tape or duct tape are good choices. Re-mark the location of the hole since the tape covers it. If you are drilling holes in slate that is not mounted, place another X of tape on the back of the tile to help prevent the material from chipping out when the bit exits.

Chuck a carbide-tipped masonry drill bit into a power drill. Masonry bits are designed to bore through porcelain, ceramic, concrete and slate. High-speed steel bits and common twist-style bits do not have the biting power to cut through these hard materials.

Bore the hole through the tape and into the slate below. The tape will guide the bit, eliminating its wandering tendency. You will be able to feel the bit strike, then penetrate into the slate once it has gone through the tape. Don’t force the bit by pushing too hard. Let the cutting action of the masonry bit do the work.

Slow the bit penetration slightly just before it exits the back side of the tile. That will help keep the hole clean all the way through.