What type of drill bit should I use for creating pilot holes?
Should I use a brad point bit for creating pilot holes or a different type of bit?
Does it matter what drill bit I should use or is diameter of the drill bit the only important thing?
What type of drill bit should I use for pilot holes
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Silestone is natural quartz aggregate, held together by a polymer binder. I believe it's something like 85% quartz. You'll need a diamond coated bit like this one; it's a tiny hole saw where the rim is covered in diamonds:
It's a bit tricky to start, you need to hold the drill at a slight angle so that only one side of the circumference is grinding, and then as you start to develop a crescent-shaped groove you gradually move your drill perpendicular and continue with the rest of the hole. If you don't do this the thing will walk all over the place since it has no positive center like a regular hole saw.
For drilling upside down you'll want a spray bottle with water to keep the surface as wet as possible. That Hitachi bit I linked to has a spiral groove going in the opposite direction of a normal drill bit, which serves to draw water into the hole, which will help you when drilling upside down.
Obviously you want to be careful not to drill too far and pop out of the top of your nice counters.
For fastening the dishwasher you'll need a plastic anchor into which to run your screws, and I've found this type works great. In a solid material the plastic will extrude around the screw threads and hold really tightly. They do sell them at my Lowe's but I can't find them on their website. The 3/16" size is probably what you need for your dishwasher, and the diamond bit I linked to above is also 3/16". Good luck!
Drill dry. You need a carbide tipped bit that's rated for metal; this will be obvious on the outside of the packaging. I'd drill fast.
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Best Answer
Drilling pilot holes is needed when the screws are large or it is on finished wood.
For example a #6 or #8 wood screw into a stud I probably would not drill a pilot into fur but oak studs that I have found in old Victorian era homes the screw would snap off if no pilot was drilled. The same is true with larger 1/4” lag bolts and screws, but I do start using pilot holes for studs at 1/4”.
To answer your question.
How do I size the pilot?
I hold the drill behind the screw and if I see the drill is wider than the body (not the threads) it is too large. I only want the pilot to take the amount out that is solid as this will reduce splitting. I do the same on finish work but wood screws the last 1/3 of the screw is not threaded. I want that pilot the size of the body where it is threaded.
This is a rule of thumb, sometimes on very soft wood a smaller drill is appropriate. Where the wood is hard like 100 year old oak, a larger bit will be needed. The last part is, if it is structural smaller is usually best but decorative larger again. This is to provide a pin without splitting.
I have been sizing wood screws like this since my dad taught me this over 50 years ago and it has served me well.