How to safely chip away at a tile to make room

Question

I need to install a shower against a tiled wall.
I have 2 issues :

I need to safely remove a tiny bit of the tile, to give me more access to the water outlet of the pipe. What tool and method should I use to avoid breaking the whole tile?

Behind the tile, there is some cement/concrete (I think). I need to remove it to have access to the water outlet, but without breaking everything (the tool I use will be very close to the tile). Should I use a drill or a chisel and hammer?

isherwood · Accepted Answer

You should use an abrasive grinding tool with a relatively fine grit or tooth, not a cutting tool. You don't want anything that can catch the tile and shatter it, and you want to operate at a fairly high rpm to reduce chatter and grab.
Apply pressure parallel to the face of the tile only--don't push inward or outward or you risk spalling the face of the tile. Keep the tool square with the wall.
High speed, low pressure. That's the name of the game.

Ecnerwal · Answer

Typically some sort of diamond saw is best for cutting tile without breaking the rest of the tile. In this case possibly a diamond "hole saw" or "core bit" would be your best option to cut access around the pipes (will cut both tile and concrete.)
If there is concrete remaining between the hole saw cut and the pipe, then you might carefully apply a chisel to remove that concrete.

Sam · Answer

I would use an oscillating multitool with a diamond blade.
A small rotary tool with a diamond blade might also work.
With either of these, I would have a spray bottle of water nearby and occasionally spray the tile with a bit to help the tile and blade stay cool. This will help cut/grind the tile more easily.

user2970721 · Answer

I would use a carbide tipped drill bit to drill a bunch of holes around the holes just deep enough to go through the tile at first so as to avoid piercing any pipes at first. Once you have enough holes, the tile will break from hole to hole with a small tap of a hammer and chisel. Then work your way slowly through the concrete a little at a time the same way again to avoid hitting any pipes that appear to be behind the concrete

Answered by user2970721 on June 8, 2021

How to safely chip away at a tile to make room

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