How to Drill a Hole in Cultured Marble for a Faucet

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Things You'll Need

  • Measuring tape

  • Masking tape

  • Carbide- or diamond-tipped hole saw attachment with guiding drill bit for drill

  • Variable-speed drill

  • Cooling oil

An installed counter top's vanity cannot be solid beneath the drilling area.

Cultured marble is a cast polymer made of resins and a blend of powdered marble. It is a dense, non-porous alternative to natural stone bathroom counters and provides a durable surface that requires simple care. Many cultured marble counter tops include faucet holes pre-drilled in one of the standard faucet configurations: single hole, 4-inch spread or 8-inch spread. If you choose to add faucet pieces or change the spread, or if you use a cultured marble slab that is not pre-drilled, then you can make your own faucet holes in the counter top.

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Step 1

Measure the top of the cultured marble, and find the area you want to place the faucet hole. Always drill into the top of the cultured marble to avoid cracking the surface.

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Step 2

Place a strip of masking tape over the area you want to drill a faucet hole. Measure again from both the sides and front of the counter top, keeping in mind that the faucet hole will take up 1 1/4-inches of space when cut. Mark the exact area to be drilled on the masking tape in pencil by placing an X with the center of the mark representing the center of the hole you wish to drill.

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Step 3

Attach a carbide- or diamond-tipped hole saw attachment with guiding drill bit to a variable-speed drill. Screw the attachment onto the front of the drill until the attachment is tight and level so the guiding drill bit in its center does not appear to wobble when the drill is turned on.

Step 4

Place the hole saw attachment over the area you wish to drill. Line up its guiding drill bit with the center of the X on the masking tape. Turn on the drill. Twist the drill back and forth slightly to allow the guiding drill bit to begin to bite into the masking tape and the cultured marble below the tape.

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Step 5

Hold the drill straight up and down so the guiding drill bit is at a 90-degree angle to the cultured marble, and begin to drill downward. Work slowly, letting the drill do the work while you exert light pressure on the drill. If smoke appears or the drill begins to glow red, stop drilling and dip the hole saw attachment and guiding drill bit into cooling oil before resuming.

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Step 6

Stop drilling when the hole saw attachment bites all the way through the cultured marble. Pull the drill straight up to remove it from the drilled area.

Tip

The plate, or escutcheon, of the bottom of the faucet will cover the edges of the hole. So you don't need to finish or clean up the hole's edges.

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