How to Drill Through Aluminum Soffit for Wire Installation

You need to exercise care when drilling through aluminum soffit. The thin aluminum can easily tear if the drill bit catches an edge on the metal. These types of tears can be large and nearly impossible to fix, resulting in a piece of aluminum soffit becoming ruined. This is not a problem with small holes, but when running a wire through the aluminum soffit, you need to provide protection for the wire, as the aluminum will quickly abrade and damage the electrical wires' coating.

Step 1

Set the aluminum soffit that requires the hole for the wire on a stable work surface that allows you to work comfortably.

Step 2

Refer to the packaging of the rubber grommet to determine the size of the hole required for the grommet to fit into the hole drilled in the aluminum soffit.

Step 3

Place masking tape over the area of the aluminum soffit that you are going to place the hole in for the wire. This protects the surface of the aluminum soffit from damage during the drilling process.

Step 4

Secure the drill bit or hole saw into the chuck of the drill motor.

Step 5

Put on your safety glasses.

Step 6

Set the tip of the drill bit or hole saw on the surface of the aluminum soffit, on top of the masking tape and aligned with the center of the hole you need to drill.

Step 7

Pull the trigger of the drill motor. Do not apply excessive pressure toward the aluminum soffit, as this can cause the aluminum soffit to tear.

Step 8

Run the half-round file around the drilled hole to remove the bur left by drilling.

Step 9

Remove the masking tape from the aluminum soffit and install the rubber grommet to complete the process.