How to Drill a Hole in Glass

Before you can drill glass, prepare your worksite. To keep the glass from sliding around, you need to secure it to something. A piece of plywood works well. Choose a piece that is slightly larger than the glass. It's okay to recycle a piece of plywood you used for another project as long as it's the right size.

Clamping glass places pressure on it and could break it if you're not careful. Make breakage less likely by padding the wood. Use a rubber sheet that is roughly the same size as the plywood. Layers of newspaper may also work but won't provide as much protection.

Once you have the materials, place the plywood on a flat surface and put the padding on top of it. Then, carefully lay the glass in place. If necessary, hold the glass in place by attaching strips of wood around the perimeter of it, against the edges to keep it from sliding. Attach the strips of wood to the plywood base with clamps or screws.

Safety Tip: Don't try to drill tempered glass yourself. Tempered glass usually has smooth edges, while regular plate glass has rough edges. Drilling or cutting tempered glass will cause it to shatter.

Use painter's tape to make an "X" over the area where you want the hole to go. You don't need to find the exact drilling spot yet. The tape is simply to keep the drill from drifting while you work.

Tip: To reduce the risk of breakage, drill at least 3/4" from the edge of the glass.

Use a tape measure to measure the glass. Hold the tape flat and keep it from kinking or bending. If the glass is large, have someone else take one end of the tape measure.

Find the exact spot where you want to make the hole. Mark the spot with a permanent marker in a dark or bright color that’s easy to see.

A variable-speed power drill is best. It's easier to start slowly and then increase the speed once the hole is started. If you don't own a power drill, use our tool rental service.

There are two main types of drill bits to make holes in glass. A bit with a pointed carbide tip is used for smaller holes. Larger holes can be drilled with hole saws that have a diamond-coated abrasive edge instead of saw teeth.

Safety Tip: Wear safety goggles, cut-resistant gloves and a respirator mask during the next steps to protect yourself.

It's best to use water when drilling glass. It works as a lubricant and coolant but it's also needed to keep glass dust out of the air.

Water can be trickled onto the cutting surface to wash the glass dust away. Some people prefer to surround the spot to be drilled with putty to hold water in place.

Place the point of the drill at the center of the marked point on the glass. Turn the drill to the lowest speed. Allow the weight of the drill to apply the pressure, don't try to force it. If you push down too hard, you could crack the glass. Drill until you have a small starter hole and then stop.

Remove the "X" by lifting off the top piece of tape and then the bottom. Lift one corner and pull at a 45-degree angle for best results.

Use water to clean off any debris. Begin to drill again. Increase the speed of the bit but let the weight of the tool provide the pressure.

Turn the drill off periodically and check the progress. If there are signs of excessive heat, use more water or allow time to cool.

To get the hole the size you desire, switch to the next largest carbide-tipped drill bit. Each time you change the bit, apply less pressure to the drill.

Repeat this process until you have created the hole with the desired diameter. Measure the hole with a tape measure before you go up to the next size.

Once you are 3/4 of the way through the glass, remove the C-clamps. Flip the glass over and put the clamps back in place. Repeat these steps until you drill through the glass.

If the hole feels rough, use a 600-grit diamond file to smooth in and around it. A diamond file is made of hard materials that can shape glass. The term grit refers to how strongly a file rubs and grinds. A 600-grit file is considered super-fine and is just right for glass.

Once the hole is smooth, remove the glass from the holding setup and rinse off the glass with warm water. Spray with glass cleaner and wipe with a soft cloth to remove streaks and fingerprints.