Tools and Materials
Product costs, availability and item numbers may vary online or by market.
Key Takeaways
- You can learn how to drill a hole in glass as long as you’re working with annealed glass, also known as plate glass, a power drill and glass-drilling bits.
- Don’t attempt to drill tempered glass, also known as safety glass.
- Wear eye protection, a respirator and work gloves while drilling glass.
- Practice before you drill your project piece.
- Secure the glass to a scrap piece of plywood, place painters tape over the drilling location and mark the tape for the hole.
- Apply water to the location as lubricant and use a 1/8-inch or 5/32-inch glass bit to slowly drill a small depression.
- Remove the tape and use a larger bit, applying water as you work, to drill until the bit tip exits the other side of the glass.
- Flip the glass over, complete the hole and smooth the edges with silicon carbide sandpaper or a diamond-grit file.
Preparing to Drill a Hole in Glass
Before you begin, make sure you’re working with the correct type of glass and you have the right tools and safety equipment.
Check the Glass Type
Drilling in standard plate glass or annealed glass can be a DIY project, but drilling tempered glass or safety glass is a job for a professional. Tempered glass shatters if you drill it incorrectly or with the wrong tools. Tempered glass should have an etching in a corner indicating the material is tempered. If you’re not sure whether the glass is annealed or tempered glass, leave the work to a pro.
Put on Safety Gear
Protect yourself from glass shards and silica dust:
Get the Right Tools
You’ll need a variable-speed drill and a glass bit or hole saw:
- Glass-Drilling Bits: Glass-drilling bits typically have an arrowhead-shaped carbide tip and don’t have spiral flutes like standard drill bits.
- Diamond Hole Saw: A diamond hole saw designed for glass uses a diamond-grit edge to bore larger holes through glass.
How to Drill Glass, a Glass Bottle or a Glass Mirror
These steps give you tips on how to drill a hole in annealed glass or a standard glass bottle using a drill and a glass bit. Use these steps as a general guide only and follow the use and safety instructions for the drill and bit you use.
Practice the technique below on a scrap piece of glass. Get a feel for the process before you work on your project piece. It gives you a better chance of avoiding damage and creating straight, clean holes.
Drilling glass takes time. Work slowly for the best results.
Clamps with padded jaws help protect the glass. Placing a rubber mat between the glass and the plywood also provides protection but note that you’ll probably damage the mat.
Step 2: Mark the Drilling Location
- Make sure the drilling location is at least 3/4 of an inch away from any edge.
- Place an X of painters tape over the location to reduce the risk of the bit slipping.
- Measure and mark the exact drilling point on the tape.
Step 3: Drill a Pilot Hole in the Glass
- Use plumbers putty to create a small barrier around the drilling location.
- Spray the glass inside the barrier with water to lubricate the bit and reduce heat buildup.
- Install a 1/8-inch or 5/32-inch glass bit on your drill.
- Hold the drill so the bit is at a right angle to the glass.
- Use a low drilling speed and light pressure to begin drilling into the glass.
- Stop when you have a small pilot hole or depression in the surface — don’t drill completely through.
Don’t force the drill. Let the drill and bit do the work.
Step 4: Finish Drilling Through the Glass
- Install a larger drill bit.
- Spray water over the pilot hole.
- Using a larger glass bit at a low drilling speed, enlarge the pilot hole and continue drilling through the glass, applying more water to keep the drilling location wet.
- As the bit nears the other side of the glass, reduce pressure on the drill and stop when the tip exits the glass.
- Remove the putty, turn the glass over, apply water and complete the hole.
- Use 600-grit silicon carbide sandpaper or a diamond-grit file to smooth the edges of the hole.
- With your gloves on, use a damp cloth to clean away any remaining glass dust or fragments on the glass and work area.
- Remove the painters tape.