OK, you have this great-looking granite countertop or flooring. However you want to change out the sink faucet, perhaps add a soap dispenser. So you’re going to have to put a hole into your stone. Because of granites hardness and brittleness, it can be a tricky material to work with. To do the job correctly you will need some special tools that you can rent down at your local big box hardware store.
If you take your time and do it correctly, you will be pleased with the result. If you don’t, you method or drill will result in damaged granite and ruined tools.
First off, you want to be absolutely sure that you need to drill a hold where you think it needs to be. Consider you’re alternatives before you begin. If you are sure, you need to determine the correct hole size that your application requires.
Don’t forget to always wear safety goggles when using a power drill. This caution is especially important when working with high-speed drills and hard materials like granite or marble. A dust mask is also advisable when dry drilling.
To begin, mark off the area where you plan to drill. For small diameter holes, you can use a small dot on masking tape. For larger diameter holes, use a template (usually comes with your faucet or draw on masking tape the precise circle for the hole you’re drilling.
A clamped piece of wood onto your granite can help stop the drill bit from wandering. You also want to clamp a piece of stone scrap underneath the area where you will be drilling to prevent tear out chipping on the underside of the granite. If you don’t have extra stone, use another piece of wood. If you can, place clamps on both sides of the hole you’re drilling.
Remember to be sure that the drill bit you get is specifically designed for drilling through granite and that it can handle the depth of your granite. The rental tool shop should be able to assist you with this. Diamond core drill bits are good for drilling through granite. In fact, a new core drill should be able to go through a standard granite slab in about one minute.
Some drill bits require water to cool and lubricate the drill bit while drilling. Other drill bids don’t. Check with your rental tool store for your specific application. However, regardless of the drill bit used, a bit of water on the stone while cutting will reduce the amount of dust thrown up by the drill bit.
If your bit uses water, form a dam around the drilling area using plumbers putty. This will keep the water around the hole you are drilling. Also be sure to place a bucket under the granite to catch the water as you drill through the stone.
If you don’t use water, a shop vacuum can be used in conjunction with the drill bit to keep stone dust down.
Be sure that you apply even, steady pressure on the drill and continue to drill into the granite until you’ve gone through the scrap wood or stone underneath.
If you need to drill multiple holes, be sure to cool the drill bit with water in between holes.
