What Are The Various Types Of Rivets?

Rivets are mechanical fasteners used to connect two or more parts together. They have the appearance of a metal pin, and are composed of a head on one end and a cylindrical stem on another called the tail.

How do Rivets Work?

Rivets are a type of permanent fastener. They are pressed through two materials, by either drilling, placing or punching them into a hole. The penetrating end is designed to deform and spread out which then creates a permanent hold as the head and the deformed tail of the rivet are both larger than the original hole in the material. 

Once in place, the only way to remove the rivet is to cut it from the workpiece.

What are the Different Types of Rivets?

There are a variety of different head styles common in rivets. From a structural design aspect, the most important rivets are solid and blind rivets.

Solid Rivets

Solid rivets (also known as round or dome head rivets) are based on a technique that goes back to the Bronze Age, making this one of the oldest and also one of the most reliable types of fasteners.

Dome rivets feature a dome head that will sit on top of the surface, giving a nice finished look. We stock Aluminium/Steel Dome Head Rivets, Steel/Steel Dome Head Rivets and Stainless Steel A2 Dome Head Rivets in a variety of sizes.

Countersunk rivets also known as flat rivets are a type of fastener that has a head that sits flush with or below the top of the material. As such a countersunk rivet is different from a standard rivet as the head in a normal rivet creates a rounded bump on the surface of the material. A countersunk rivet’s head is pressed down into a cavity or flush with the material, removing the bump. These rivets are typically used for aesthetic reasons as they can also be painted over, or to reduce drag on the piece.

We stock many sizes of countersunk rivets. The Aluminium/Steel Countersunk Head Rivet is available in sizes from 3.0 x 6mm to 4.8 x 16mm.

Alternatively, the Stainless Steel A2 Countersunk Head Rivet 4.0 x 15mm is available in packs of 100. 

Blind Rivets

Blind rivets also known as pop rivets are used when it isn’t possible to see the other side of a joint and are designed to be completely installed from one side. Other advantages of using a blind rivet are that only one person is required for installation and less training is needed as installation time is easier and faster than with solid rivets.  As this type of riveting is very fast to apply it is used in a variety of sectors including aerospace, shipbuilding and electronics. 

For your blind rivet needs we stock the Aluminium/Aluminium Dome Head Rivet a standard blind rivet available in 4.0 x 6mm, 4.0 x 10mm and 4.0 x 16mm. Alternatively, our Aluminium/Steel XL Dome Head Blind Rivet features an aluminium rivet and a steel mandrel.

You can browse the full range of rivets available at Speedy Fixings for all your rivet needs. If you have any questions or require further information, feel free to contact us.