Drilling Drainage Holes in your planter: Certain planters are constructed of materials that will allow you to easily create drainage holes in your planters. This process may be followed for fiberglass or galvanized steel planters. Do not attempt to drill holes in ceramic planters as it will likely result in the cracking and breaking of the planter.
1. With a sharp object (such as an ice pick) make an indentation in the exact location where you want to drill your hole. This indentation prevents your drill bit from wandering and potentially scratching the surface of your fiberglass planter as you drill. 2. With a standard drill bit, drill a small pilot hole in your fiberglass. Make it smaller than the finished hole you are planning to drill. Use a slow speed when drilling to reduce chipping. Also do not put any pressure on the drill bit. Allow the bit itself to do the work. 3. Drill a chamfer-edged hole in your fiberglass the size you wish your final hole to be. The chamfer should have an edge-slope of approximately 1/16 of an inch. Run your chamfer bit at a slow speed and, again, put no pressure on the bit. Allow the bit itself to cut into the surface of the fiberglass slowly and gently. 4. Drill your final hole using a sharp, clean drill bit. Again, drill on slow speed. Do not put any pressure on the drill bit. Be careful to hold your drill perfectly perpendicular to your fiberglass surface so that your bit is cutting exactly at the edges of the chamfer. Take your time and allow your bit to do all of the work. 5. Take the time to do this right. Although it may seem like tedious work, if you wish to drill a perfectly clean hole, this is the correct way. . Your planters will reward you by lasting a very long time and it will be worth it.
