Fixing toilet on "solid" floor
 

Hi all,

Don't know if any of you recall previous posts - but now about 50%
through a major bathroom overhall - lots of issues along the way - but
so far - so good!

Room gutted. New tiled floor laid. And need to fit a new toilet.

But - the floor tiles are *SO* hard - I can't drill the sods! Wasn't
an issue when fitting as could diamond-cut them and all pipes were at
the edge.

But the toilet has brackets you fix (screw) to floor - then screw the
toilet too. But there is little chance I can drill these holes in the
floor. (Tried on test tiles with decent drill and bits.... and only
just started to make a dent!!!

So - thinking of alternative means. Thinking that I could use clear
silicone sealant as a glue around (under) pedestal and use that to fix
to the floor? Is that suitable? Any other options?

Cheers!

wrote in message
ps.com...
Hi all,

Don't know if any of you recall previous posts - but now about 50%
through a major bathroom overhall - lots of issues along the way - but
so far - so good!

Room gutted. New tiled floor laid. And need to fit a new toilet.

But - the floor tiles are *SO* hard - I can't drill the sods! Wasn't
an issue when fitting as could diamond-cut them and all pipes were at
the edge.

But the toilet has brackets you fix (screw) to floor - then screw the
toilet too. But there is little chance I can drill these holes in the
floor. (Tried on test tiles with decent drill and bits.... and only
just started to make a dent!!!

So - thinking of alternative means. Thinking that I could use clear
silicone sealant as a glue around (under) pedestal and use that to fix
to the floor? Is that suitable? Any other options?

Cheers!


Have you tried a diamond tile bit yet?

http://www.screwfix.com/app/sfd/cat/...01250&ts=90129

lots to choose from here,

I was a dubious about drilling a hole in a tile, scared of cracking it, used
one of the little drills and it cut through it like butter and it felt like
there was no danger of the tile cracking

Paul

Don't know if any of you recall previous posts - but now about 50%
through a major bathroom overhall - lots of issues along the way - but
so far - so good!

Room gutted. New tiled floor laid. And need to fit a new toilet.

Hi! Sounds like we've had frighteningly similar weekends and you've beaten
me to post exactly the same topic. :-) I spent a large part of Sunday
reading through Google archives and various tile drilling web sites so here
are some of my findings...

Floor tiles are much much harder than wall tiles and (unfortunately) normal
3 quid tile drills do NOT go through them like butter :-(. Floor tiles seem
to be rated for hardness, from PEI0 (or is it 1?) to PEI5 (5 being the
hardest). The ones I've just laid are PEI4 and I've got at least 6 holes to
drill through the buggers - 4 for the toilet and 2 for the basin pedestal.
Potentially I've got another SIXTEEN to drill for the bath - that's just not
going to happen so I'm in the process of coming up with a 'plan B' for that
one.

Anyway, I tried my 'old' 6mm tile drill on an off-cut - it dented the
surface but wouldn't get much further than 1-2mm through the tile - that was
WITH copious amounts of water. It was at that point I started searching
'round the net and found these:-

http://www.screwfix.com/app/sfd/cat/...30926&ts=94327

I was prepared to spend £25 on a single 8mm drill bit BUT not another £40
for the arbor and £20 for the water cooling kit - especially since each bit
is only likely to last for around 15 holes (according to the Armeg web
site).

SO... went off to B&Q and bought a new normal 6mm tile drill and 2 x 10mm
tile drills. The 10mm bits were £9 each but I figured even if I have to buy
a few of them it's still cheaper than the Armeg route.

The trick is to keep the drill on a really low speed and use plenty of
water. Stop regularly to allow the bit to cool - you can also create a
little water reservoir around the hole with putty or the like (I used a
water spray). If the bit gets too hot it'll be knackered and you'll be £9
lighter. Even so I'm not expecting to get more than 3-4 holes out of one
bit. Took me a good 6-7 minutes to drill a single 10mm hole but it worked
on the test tile. The final w/c holes need to be drilled at an angle which
will add to the fun. Oh, and conveniently enough, our main gas pipe runs
directly under the floorboards where the toilet will be sitting so I've had
to buy special bolts that are exactly the right length (as opposed to the
w/c fixing kit type ones, which are hopeless for a tiled floor). Yet to try
it 'live' but will doubtless report back with findings...

....that's after my thumb heals from when I accidentally drove one of the
notches of the tile trowel under the nail. :-|

Andy

LOL!

I can cut through wall tiles - but as you say - the floor tiles are
like rock.

The weekend wasn't all work though - see
http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/ryanandmel/lot/index.html for another "how
not to...." photos. (involving thinking "I wonder what happens if I
lift off less than last time....").

I do have tile drills, and do have decent variable speed drill - and
tried everything - water/hammer/non-hammer and got nowhere :( I was
hoping there would be another alternative rather than back to screwfix
again :(. Hoping sealant would be sufficient by itself......

I'll pop to B&Q and take a look there.... Its lunchtime afterall!

Cheers!

Pecanfan wrote:
Don't know if any of you recall previous posts - but now about 50%
through a major bathroom overhall - lots of issues along the way -
but
so far - so good!

Room gutted. New tiled floor laid. And need to fit a new toilet.

Hi! Sounds like we've had frighteningly similar weekends and you've
beaten
me to post exactly the same topic. :-) I spent a large part of
Sunday
reading through Google archives and various tile drilling web sites
so here
are some of my findings...

Floor tiles are much much harder than wall tiles and (unfortunately)
normal
3 quid tile drills do NOT go through them like butter :-(. Floor
tiles seem
to be rated for hardness, from PEI0 (or is it 1?) to PEI5 (5 being
the
hardest). The ones I've just laid are PEI4 and I've got at least 6
holes to
drill through the buggers - 4 for the toilet and 2 for the basin
pedestal.
Potentially I've got another SIXTEEN to drill for the bath - that's
just not
going to happen so I'm in the process of coming up with a 'plan B'
for that
one.

Anyway, I tried my 'old' 6mm tile drill on an off-cut - it dented the
surface but wouldn't get much further than 1-2mm through the tile -
that was
WITH copious amounts of water. It was at that point I started
searching
'round the net and found these:-

http://www.screwfix.com/app/sfd/cat/...926&ts=3D94327

I was prepared to spend =A325 on a single 8mm drill bit BUT not
another =A340
for the arbor and =A320 for the water cooling kit - especially since
each bit
is only likely to last for around 15 holes (according to the Armeg
web
site).

SO... went off to B&Q and bought a new normal 6mm tile drill and 2 x
10mm
tile drills. The 10mm bits were =A39 each but I figured even if I
have to buy
a few of them it's still cheaper than the Armeg route.

The trick is to keep the drill on a really low speed and use plenty
of
water. Stop regularly to allow the bit to cool - you can also create
a
little water reservoir around the hole with putty or the like (I used
a
water spray). If the bit gets too hot it'll be knackered and you'll
be =A39
lighter. Even so I'm not expecting to get more than 3-4 holes out of
one
bit. Took me a good 6-7 minutes to drill a single 10mm hole but it
worked
on the test tile. The final w/c holes need to be drilled at an angle
which
will add to the fun. Oh, and conveniently enough, our main gas pipe
runs
directly under the floorboards where the toilet will be sitting so
I've had
to buy special bolts that are exactly the right length (as opposed to
the
w/c fixing kit type ones, which are hopeless for a tiled floor). Yet
to try
it 'live' but will doubtless report back with findings...

...that's after my thumb heals from when I accidentally drove one of
the
notches of the tile trowel under the nail. :-|
=20
Andy

The weekend wasn't all work though
Nice one - very jealous! Got a rally driving day coming up though, if I
ever get 'round to booking it... :-P

Hoping sealant would be sufficient by itself......
I wouldn't like to guarantee silicone on it's own would hold for any length
of time unless the toilet is really carefully sat on - fine for yourself but
not something you want to impose on your mates etc. - especially if they're
of a 'larger' build. I was considering contact adhesive or something, but
that might be a bit *too* permenant. That's my get-out plan though.

I'll pop to B&Q and take a look there.... Its lunchtime afterall!
Probably too late, but just so you know they don't do anything better than
normal tile drills.

Good luck!

Andy

On Tue, 29 Mar 2005 14:14:58 +0100, "Pecanfan"
wrote:

The weekend wasn't all work though
Nice one - very jealous! Got a rally driving day coming up though, if I
ever get 'round to booking it... :-P

Hoping sealant would be sufficient by itself......
I wouldn't like to guarantee silicone on it's own would hold for any length
of time unless the toilet is really carefully sat on - fine for yourself but
not something you want to impose on your mates etc. - especially if they're
of a 'larger' build. I was considering contact adhesive or something, but
that might be a bit *too* permenant. That's my get-out plan though.

I'll pop to B&Q and take a look there.... Its lunchtime afterall!
Probably too late, but just so you know they don't do anything better than
normal tile drills.

Hi,

Are the tiles down already?

cheers,
Pete.