Rivet: Types, Uses, and How to Choose the Right One

Rivet: Types, Uses, and How to Choose the Right One

The short version: A rivet is a permanent mechanical fastener, a smooth pin with a head on one end that is deformed on the other end to clamp materials together. Unlike a screw or a bolt, a rivet is not meant to be undone and reused. Once it is set, it stays, which is exactly why it is trusted in structures, vehicles, and products where a joint must hold under vibration, load, and time. Choosing the right rivet means matching four things: the type of rivet, the material it is made from, its size, and the way it will be installed. Get those four right, and a rivet joint is strong, simple, and reliable. Get one of them wrong, and the joint may be weak, corroded, or difficult to finish neatly.

Most people have seen rivets without thinking much about them. They are the small, rounded dots along the seams of a metal toolbox, the fasteners holding a leather bag strap, the pins in a pair of jeans, and, on a much larger scale, the joints in bridges, ships, and aircraft from an earlier era. They are easy to overlook precisely because they do their job quietly. A good rivet does not draw attention to itself. It sits flush or neatly domed, it holds its materials together without loosening, and it keeps holding them years later, through heat, cold, vibration, and use. That quiet reliability is the whole point, and it is why rivets have survived in an age of adhesives, welding, and high-strength bolts.

This guide is written for the practical reader: someone choosing rivets for a DIY project, a repair, a craft item, or a small workshop job, and also for anyone who simply wants to understand what they are looking at when they see rivets in everyday objects. It explains the main types in plain language, where each type is used, how to think about material and size, and how installation works, including the steps for the blind rivets most home users will meet first. It does not assume you are an engineer, but it does take the details seriously, because a fastener is only as good as the choices behind it.

What a Rivet Is and How It Works

At its simplest, a rivet starts life as a short, smooth shaft, called the shank, with a head already formed on one end. To join two pieces of material, you pass the shank through aligned holes in those pieces, so that the head sits against one side and the plain end sticks out on the other. You then deform that plain end, by hammering, pressing, or pulling, until it forms a second head. The two heads now clamp the materials between them, and the shank fills the hole. The joint is held by that clamping force and by the shear strength of the shank, which resists the materials sliding past each other.

That permanence is both the strength and the limitation of a rivet. Because there is no thread to loosen, a riveted joint resists vibration better than many threaded fasteners, and it will not slowly back out over time. Because the rivet fills the hole and clamps the joint, it can also distribute load and resist movement in a way that a simple pin or a spot of glue cannot. The trade-off is that removing a rivet usually means drilling it out, which destroys the rivet and can damage the surrounding material if it is done carelessly. Rivets are therefore best for joints you do not expect to take apart for maintenance, adjustment, or repair. If you need regular access to what is behind a panel, a screw or a bolt is usually the better choice.

Rivets also differ from welding and adhesives in useful ways. Welding joins materials by melting them together, which is strong but requires heat, skill, and equipment, and it is not suitable for every combination of materials. Adhesives can join dissimilar materials and spread load over a wide area, but they often need curing time, careful surface preparation, and protection from heat or chemicals. Rivets need none of that. They work at room temperature, they join dissimilar materials without heat damage, and they give an immediate, inspectable result: you can see and feel whether a rivet is set. That combination of simplicity and certainty is why rivets remain common in workshops, even where more modern methods exist.

The Main Types of Rivet

The rivet family is larger than most people realise, but most everyday jobs involve only a handful of types. Understanding those few, and knowing when each one earns its place, will cover almost everything you are likely to meet. The sections below take them one at a time, in the order you are most likely to encounter them, starting with the two types that dominate DIY and light fabrication.

Solid rivets are the oldest and, in many ways, the simplest form. They are a single piece of metal, with a head on one end and a plain shank on the other, and they are set by deforming the plain end with a hammer or a press, often with access needed from both sides of the joint. That two-sided access is the key limitation. You need to be able to reach both faces of the material, one to hold the rivet and one to form the second head. Where that access exists, solid rivets give a strong, clean, and traditional joint, and they are still used in structural work, restoration, and applications where appearance and strength both matter. Their heads come in several shapes, including round, flat, and countersunk, which sits flush with the surface.

Blind rivets, often called pop rivets after a well-known brand name, are the type most home users will meet first, and for good reason. A blind rivet can be set from one side only, which is a huge advantage when you cannot reach the back of a joint, for example inside a closed box section, behind a panel, or inside a vehicle body. A blind rivet consists of a hollow body and a mandrel, a thin pin through the centre. A rivet gun pulls the mandrel, which expands the body on the far side and then snaps off, leaving the rivet set. The process is quick, it needs only a hand tool, and it is forgiving for beginners. The trade-off is that a blind rivet is generally not as strong as a solid rivet of the same size, and the snapped mandrel leaves a small hole in the centre of the set rivet, which matters if the joint needs to be watertight.

Tubular rivets sit somewhere between those two worlds. They have a hollow shank that is rolled or flared over during setting, which takes less force than a solid rivet and makes them suitable for softer materials and for applications where a neat, light joint is needed. You will find tubular rivets in leather goods, bags, belts, folders, and light fabrication, where the rivet needs to hold without crushing the material and where appearance matters. They are not the choice for heavy structural loads, but for light, decorative, and semi-structural work, they are practical and attractive.

Semi-tubular rivets are a close relative, with a shallow hollow at the end of an otherwise solid shank. That hollow reduces the force needed to set the rivet, while keeping much of the strength of a solid rivet. They are widely used in manufacturing, in products such as brakes, ladders, and light assemblies, where a machine can set them quickly and consistently. For a home user, the distinction between tubular and semi-tubular matters less than the basic question of whether the rivet is suited to the material and the load, but knowing the terms helps when you are reading product descriptions or ordering supplies.

Drive rivets, sometimes called hammer-drive rivets, are designed to be set by hammering a pin into the body, which expands it in the hole. They are useful for fastening into masonry, concrete, and other materials where a normal rivet gun is not practical, and they are often used for signs, brackets, and light fixings. Split rivets, also known as bifurcated rivets, have a shank that splits into two legs, which are folded back during setting. They are common in soft materials such as leather, fabric, and thin wood, where the folded legs grip without needing a precisely drilled hole. Each of these specialised types solves a particular problem, and none of them is a universal substitute for the others.

Materials Matter More Than You Might Think

Choosing a rivet material is not just about strength. It is about compatibility with the materials you are joining, resistance to corrosion, appearance, and how the rivet will behave over time. The most common mistake is to choose a rivet purely because it is strong, without considering what happens when two different metals sit together in damp conditions. When dissimilar metals are in contact and moisture is present, one of them can corrode faster than it would on its own, a process known as galvanic corrosion. That is why matching, or at least thoughtfully pairing, materials matters.

Aluminium rivets are light, corrosion-resistant in many environments, and easy to set, which makes them popular for sheet metal, gutters, trailers, and DIY projects. They pair naturally with aluminium sheet, and they are a good default for light work. Steel rivets are stronger and harder, and they suit heavier loads and steel structures, but ordinary steel will rust if it is left exposed to moisture without protection. Stainless steel rivets offer much better corrosion resistance than plain steel, along with good strength, and they are a sensible choice for outdoor work, marine-adjacent environments, and anywhere the joint will get wet. Copper rivets are softer, attractive, and highly corrosion-resistant, and they are often used in leatherwork, roofing, and decorative work, where their colour is part of the appeal.

The guiding principle is simple: where possible, match the rivet material to the material you are joining, or choose a combination known to work well together. Aluminium rivets in aluminium sheet, stainless rivets in stainless sheet, and copper rivets in copper or leather work are all safe starting points. When you must mix materials, think about exposure. A joint that will stay dry indoors is far more forgiving than a joint on a boat trailer, a roof, or a garden gate, where rain, salt, and temperature changes will test the combination every day. If you are unsure, a stainless option is often the safest compromise, provided it suits the strength and appearance you need.

How to Choose the Right Size

Size is where many first-time rivet buyers get stuck, because rivets are described by two measurements that both matter: diameter and grip range. Diameter is the thickness of the shank, and it determines how much shear strength the rivet provides and what size hole you need to drill. Grip range is the total thickness of the materials being joined, and it determines how long the rivet body needs to be. A rivet that is too short will not form a proper second head, while a rivet that is too long will form a messy, oversized head or bend during setting. Getting the grip range right is at least as important as getting the diameter right.

Start by measuring the combined thickness of everything the rivet must pass through, including any washers or backing plates. That total is your grip. Then choose a rivet whose stated grip range includes that measurement, ideally near the middle of the range rather than at either extreme. If your grip falls between two sizes, the usual advice is to choose the longer option within reason, because a slightly long rivet can usually be set acceptably, while a short one cannot be stretched. Check the manufacturer’s guidance for the specific rivet you are buying, because grip ranges vary between types and brands, and the packaging is the most reliable source for that product.

Diameter follows from load and from the material. Heavier loads and thicker materials generally call for a larger diameter, while light sheet and decorative work suit smaller diameters. A common beginner error is to drill an oversized hole and then try to compensate with a larger rivet, which weakens the joint and leaves a sloppy fit. Drill the hole to the size recommended for the rivet, keep the drill straight, and deburr the hole afterwards so that the rivet sits cleanly and the materials lie flat together. A clean hole and a correct grip will do more for joint quality than any amount of extra force during setting.

Where Rivets Are Used

Rivets appear in more places than most people notice, because they are often hidden, painted over, or simply taken for granted. In transport, they have a long history in ships, trains, and early aircraft, where solid rivets held steel and aluminium structures together before welding and high-strength bolts became dominant. Modern aircraft still use rivets extensively in aluminium airframes, where their resistance to vibration and fatigue, and their predictable behaviour, remain valuable. In construction, rivets were once the standard for steel bridges and buildings, and while bolts have taken over much of that work, rivets are still used in restoration and in specialised structures.

In everyday products, the list is long and varied. Leather goods use rivets to attach straps, handles, and hardware, because a rivet holds firmly without needing a nut on the other side and because it looks neat. Clothing uses small rivets, most famously on jeans, where they reinforce stress points such as pocket corners. Sheet-metal work, from ducting and gutters to trailers and enclosures, relies heavily on blind rivets, because they can be set quickly from one side and because they suit thin materials. Furniture, ladders, signs, and appliances all use rivets in places where a permanent, low-profile joint is wanted. Once you start looking, you will see them everywhere, and you will start to notice the difference between a well-set rivet and a poor one.

Step 1: Plan the Joint and Prepare the Materials

Good riveting starts before you pick up a tool. Decide what you are joining, in what order, and where the rivets will go. Mark the positions clearly, spacing them evenly and keeping them far enough from edges and from each other that the material will not tear or distort. As a rough guide for light work, keep rivets a sensible distance from edges, not so close that the material splits, and not so far apart that the joint can flex between them. For a structural or load-bearing job, follow the design or the manufacturer’s spacing guidance rather than guessing, because spacing affects how load is shared across the joint.

Clamp the materials together before you drill, so that they cannot shift and so that the holes will align. Drilling through both pieces at once, while they are clamped, is the simplest way to guarantee alignment. Use a sharp drill bit of the correct size, drill straight, and support the material so that it does not bend or vibrate. After drilling, remove any burrs from the holes with a deburring tool or a larger drill bit turned by hand, and check that the pieces sit flat together without gaps. A gap between the materials at this stage will become a weak, rattling joint later, no matter how well the rivet itself is set.

Step 2: Insert the Rivet and Set It

For a blind rivet, the process is refreshingly simple. Insert the rivet body through the holes from the side you can access, so that the head sits flat against the material. Fit the mandrel into the nose of the rivet gun, squeeze the handles firmly and steadily, and release. You may need two or three squeezes for larger rivets, with the gun resetting between squeezes. You will feel resistance increase as the body expands on the far side, and then the mandrel will snap with a small pop. That snap is normal. It means the rivet is set. Remove the gun, check that the head sits flat and that the joint is tight, and dispose of the snapped mandrel safely, because the broken end can be sharp.

For a solid rivet, the process needs two-sided access and more care. One person, or a bucking bar, holds the head side firmly, while the other side is formed with a hammer or a rivet set, working steadily rather than with wild blows. The aim is a neat, symmetrical second head that clamps the joint without damaging the surrounding material. This is a skill that improves with practice, and it is worth practising on scrap material before you work on a finished piece. If you are setting solid rivets for the first time, start with a small, low-stakes project, and do not be discouraged if your first few heads are less than perfect. Even experienced workers produce the occasional imperfect rivet, and the remedy is usually to drill it out carefully and try again.

Step 3: Inspect the Finished Joint

Inspection is quick, and it should never be skipped. Look at each rivet head to check that it sits flat, that it is centred on the hole, and that it has not cracked or split. Feel the joint for movement by trying to flex or slide the materials gently. A good joint should feel solid, with no rattling, no rocking, and no gap opening between the pieces. Check the back of the joint where you can reach it, to confirm that the second head has formed properly and that the material has not been distorted or cracked around the hole.

If a rivet looks wrong, do not try to fix it by hammering it again or by adding glue over the top. A poorly set rivet is best removed and replaced. To remove a blind rivet, drill through the centre of the head with a drill bit slightly smaller than the rivet body, taking care not to enlarge the original hole, until the head comes free, then push the body out. Work slowly, wear eye protection, and keep the drill straight. Replacing a bad rivet takes minutes, while living with a weak joint can cause problems for years. Inspection is not fussiness. It is the final step of the job, and it is what separates a professional result from a rushed one.

Common Rivet Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

The most common mistakes are also the easiest to avoid once you know them. The first is choosing the wrong grip range, which leads to rivets that are too short to set or too long to form neatly. Measure the total thickness before you buy, and buy a small range of sizes if you are unsure, because having the right size on hand is cheaper than redoing a job. The second is drilling the wrong hole size, usually too large, which leaves the rivet loose in the hole and weakens the joint. Follow the recommended drill size for the rivet, and test on scrap if you are uncertain. The third mistake is mixing incompatible materials in a wet environment, which invites corrosion. Think about where the joint will live, not just where it is made, and choose a corrosion-resistant combination when exposure is likely. The fourth is over-tightening or over-setting, especially with soft materials, which can crush, dent, or crack the workpiece. Squeeze steadily, stop when the mandrel snaps or the head is formed, and do not keep forcing the tool after the rivet is set. The fifth is using rivets where a removable fastener is needed, which turns a simple future repair into a drilling job. Ask yourself, before you rivet, whether anyone will ever need to take this apart. If the answer is yes, reach for a screw or a bolt instead.

Rivet Types at a Glance

FAQs

What is a rivet used for?

A rivet is used to join materials permanently, by clamping them between two heads formed on a single pin. It is used where a joint must resist vibration and loosening, and where it does not need to be taken apart regularly, from sheet metal and leather goods to vehicles and structures.

Are rivets stronger than screws?

It depends on the joint. Rivets generally resist vibration and loosening better than threaded fasteners, because they have no thread to back out, and they can be very strong in shear. Screws and bolts, however, can be removed, adjusted, and tightened, and high-strength bolts can outperform rivets in some structural applications. The right choice depends on whether permanence or removability matters more.

Can I remove a rivet and reuse it?

No, a rivet is a one-time fastener. Removing it usually means drilling it out, which destroys the rivet. If you need a joint that can be taken apart, use a screw or bolt instead of a rivet.

What size rivet do I need?

Measure the total thickness of the materials being joined, which is the grip, and choose a rivet whose grip range includes that measurement. Choose the diameter based on load and material thickness, and drill the hole to the size recommended for that rivet.

Do I need a special tool for pop rivets?

You need a rivet gun, also called a riveter, which is inexpensive and widely available in hand-operated form. For occasional DIY use, a basic hand riveter is sufficient. Larger or frequent jobs may justify a lazy-tong or pneumatic tool, but most home users will never need them.

Why did my rivet not set properly?

The usual causes are the wrong grip range, an oversized hole, materials that were not clamped flat together, or a worn rivet gun. Check the grip and hole size first, practise on scrap, and replace any rivet that has not formed a neat, tight head.

For more practical home and workshop guides, browse the lifestyle features on Home Water Insights, and for everyday how-to coverage in a similar spirit, the articles on A Daily Insight 360 are worth a look.

Read Also: 971 Area Code: Portland, Oregon Coverage Guide