Rivet Size Chart: Blind & Pop Rivet Table (Free PDF)

A blind rivet trade size is given as two numbers. The first one represent the body diameter in 32nds of an inch; the second is the maximum grip in 16ths of an inch.

So, for example, a 4-4 has a diameter of 4/32 in (1/8 in) and will grip material up to 4/16 in (1/4 in) thick. A 6-8 rivet has a diameter of 6/32 in (3/16 in) and a max grip of 8/16 in (1/2 in).

First you look at the diameter. Then you select the row whose grips bracket the combined thickness you are fastening.

Grip range is the sum of all sheet thickness stacked together for joining. It is not the rivet length. You add them up, then look at the row they are positioned in between the minimum and maximum grip.

If the stack is less than minimum grip the rivet will not clamp. The joint remains loose.

If the stack is more than maximum grip, the secondary head can't be formed correcty. In this instance, it pulls through or breaks high on the mandrel.

When a stack falls right on one of these boundaries, you use the longer rivet. This is only applicable if the value of the boundary is the lesser rivet's maximum.

The rivet's maximum length is the length of the body under the head. That’s how you can double-check clearance behind the work. When they sets, they require at least that much free space on their blind side. Plus there must be room for the mandrel to travel.

For choosing length, when all you have to go based off is the stack, Gesipa’s working rule is this: About one body diameter plus the grip. For example, two 3 mm sheets joined with a 4 mm rivet requires a 10 mm long rivet.

You follow the grip step pattern. At the short end, 1/8 in and 5/32 in rivets grade in 1/16 in steps. For 1/8 in and 5/32 in rivets, the codes for the 1/16 in steps at the short end are -1, -2, -3, -4, and -5.

3/32, 3/16 and 1/4 in rivets typically jump in 1/8 in steps. Codes for these is -2, -4, -6, -8. Only in a few diameters will you find odd codes like 4-3 and 5-3.

Do not assume that every material and diameter has all of the codes stocked. Each manufacturer vary slightly on the minimum grip for the shortest code. Some list 0.020 in. Others list 0.031 or 0.063 in.

Multi-grip rivets covers two or three grip ranges

This table covers the standard open end dome head rivet. Closed end rivets stop at shorter maximum grips.

Note that structural rivets (like Monobolt, Hemlok, or Klik-Lock types) use their own grip tables.

Metric rivets sold to DIN 7337 are sized directly as diameter x length in mm, like 4 x 10, not with these dash codes.

In this case you locate the rivet body diameter in the left hand column and choose a drill size from the list that will result in a final hole within the tolerance band. The tolerance band is fairly tight; on the order of 0.004 inches, because with a blind rivet, there's not much expansion that occurs once the mandrel is pulled.

In the far right column is the drill to use if you have an equivalent metric rivet. E.g., a 4.8 mm rivet requires a 4.9 mm drill.

From left to right, the Rivet dia (mm equiv) column indicate that this is the same nominal rivet size sold in metric. So, a 1/8 inch rivet is 3.2 mm, a 5/32 inch rivet is 4.0 mm, a 3/16 inch rivet is 4.8 mm, and a 1/4 inch rivet is 6.4 mm.

Drill numbers are American wire gauge twist drills. #30 is 0.1285 inches, #20 is 0.161 inches, #11 is 0.191 inches, and F is 0.257 inches. Each size is at its low end of tolerance for hole size, which means when you drill out cleanly, the hole will be in range.

The third way a blind rivet fail is with an oversize hole. Marson and Bolt Depot warn that you can lose much of a rivet’s holding power even if the hole is only slightly larger than the maximum size. First, the tension strength decrease as the body stretches until it is no longer tight but just loose inside the hole. Eventually, the rivet rocks out.

To prevent this if you end up with an oversize hole, go up a diameter from the rivet size listed, or insert a back-up washer over the hole (on the blind side). Don’t set a rivet that will spin.

But what about an undersize hole? That’s almost worse; you can’t get a rivet in there, and if you force it, you score the plating (or the body). Clamp your sheets together so they don’t move. Drill right through, at 90 degrees to the surface. Lightly debur both sides.

Drills grabs in thin or soft sheet and then cut oversized. It is more important that the bit is sharp and you keep the feed pressure low than whatever size is stamped on the drill bit shank.

For those trade diameters of standard blind rivets (open end, closed end and multi grip), there are five trade diameters that cover them all. The holes don't apply to solid rivets, which require a different drill.

Below is the table for solid rivets. For Rivet Nuts, Drive Rivets and Structural Blind Rivets, manufacturers print their own hole tables.

Gesipa also has metric options. Follow the pattern: drill 0.1mm above the nominal rivet size. If your rivet is 4.0 mm, you can go as high as 0.2 mm. It should of been easyer to follow.

The body diameter.

Find the body diameter, then identify the line for your rivet body and mandrel material combination from the box. The numbers is a listed rating for single rivets in pounds force. That’s shear, which is an attempted slip between joined sheet surfaces. It is also tensile, which is an attempted pull apart along the rivet axis. Newtons is provided as part of the conversion. This is for common commercial combinations and for a standard open end rivet.

It matters where it counts.

Mandrel Material, Tool Wear and Corrosion (mostly)

Aluminum/Steel provides a modest increase in strength.

Using a steel or stainless rivet instead of an all-aluminum joint double the numbers.

Mandrel material are chosen mostly for tool wear and corrosion.

Steel or stainless bodies has about double the numbers.

An Aluminum/Steel rivet has the easiest setting of all at the lowest cost. It’s also slightly stronger. But this leaves the steel stub part of the mandrel inside the joint where it will rust stain the joint. This happens even if the rest of the joint are corrosion proof.

Think of these as catalog ratings. These are not allowable design limits. Steel and aluminum body minimums is published from POP data. Stainless figures from Hanson and recent POP data are typically ultimate values. Some of the old POP charts has lower stainless minimums. For example, some of the older charts list 520 lbf shear at 1/8 in.

Marson lists typical ultimates generally 10-30 percent higher than the minima. Make a safety factor you are comfortabley with. Design the joint where multiple rivet pick up the load.

Galvanic corrosion occurs when you mix metals. When there’s moisture, an aluminum rivet through stainless sheet becomes a battery. A stainless rivet through bare aluminum does the same. It will be the smaller piece that corrodes first and typically it’s the rivet itself.

Wherever possible match the body of the rivet to the parent metal. Rivet aluminum sheet with aluminum rivets. Use steel with steel. Use a stainless 304 body with a stainless or steel mandrel if it is exposed to weather or wash down.

The table doesn’t include structural blind rivets, which lock the mandrel in the body (Monobolt, Hemlok, Magna-Lok, Q-Lok). They rate significantly higher. It also omits all-stainless-mandrel and monel or copper variants. All-stainless rivets rates near the stainless / steel rows.

For example, all-stainless rivets rate close to the stainless/steel rows, such as 550 lbf shear and 700 lbf tensile at 1/8 in in BOSSARD-published POP data. If it’s a safety-related application, pull the datasheet on the specific part number. Test the rivet in your own material stack. You should of checked the datasheet for actualy results.

Pick the head style first, then use that to choose your head diameter and height based off your body diameter. A dome head is the default and most stores will assume that’s what you want with a pop rivet.

For thin or soft face material, there is large flange heads (also known as truss heads or big flange) that increase the bearing surface by about three times. Countersunk heads fits flush with a 120 degree countersink for smooth finishes.

The actual width across the flange (head diameter) determines what sheets the head will clamp. To check if a sliding or hinge part or panel can pass over the set rivet, check the head height; this is how much the head stick out from the work.

For a domed head it's between 0.8 and 2.0 mm high depending on size. For a large flange it's just that little bit more. And for a properly countersunk head it's essentially flush.

When fastening items with large flange rivets you are trying to attach something flexible like rubber, plastic, thin aluminum, or leather to a hard backing. The wide flange distribute the clamping force and prevents the head from pulling through.

The downside is it requires a larger clearance circle for the hole and is taller with a more noticeable head. If big flange stock isn't available, use a regular head with fiber or rubber backer washer and get similar results.

This was made with a 120 degree countersunk style; that's the standard for commercial blind rivets. Aircraft solid rivets and many machine screws uses 100 degrees, and wood screws use 82 or 90 degrees, so you can't expect a countersink cutter cut for those styles to set the head of a 120 degree rivet properly.

Sheet thickness must be sufficient to hold the entire cone. Generally speaking, it should of be as thick as the head height or more, else it cuts into the sheet itself and the joint is weakened.

The large flange rows shows ranges because head dimensions vary a few thousandths between manufacturers.

If you’re checking if a head fits into a recess or slot, find that specific part’s datasheet. It will list the max head diameter tolerance. For instance, POP lists theirs for a 1/4 in large flange at 0.740 to 0.750 in, while others goes up to 0.760 in.

The table is for solid rivets; it doesn't apply to blind rivets. Find your shank diameter, use the suggested drill bit, then confirm that your finished hole will be within the specified min/max ranges.

A driven solid rivet expand to fill its hole, which is the key differance from blind rivets. That means your drill go just .002 to .004 in above the shank. So the final hole fits snugger then the blind rivet holes further up the page.

In the drill column is the recommended twist drill letter or number. In parentheses is drill diameter. That’s inside the tolerance. If there are two drills listed, either one are fine. For example, #20 or #21 is used for 5/32 in. And you’d use #10 or #11 for 3/16 in.

In FAA practice, we pre-drill a pilot hole equal to the nominal rivet diameter. Then we ream out to the final drill size. This maintain the roundness of the hole. It also eliminate the possible elongation caused by a single full-size drill in thin sheet.

Oversize repair sizes are all odd 32nds like 7/32, 9/32, 11/32, and 13/32 in. This indicate that an existing hole was drilled to large due to wear, elongation, or a bad original drill.

Drill up to the next 1/32 in and install next larger rivet. Follow limits on pitch and edge distance. MIL-R-47196 limits these repairs to about 20 percent of the rivets in a pattern. If you have a joint with lots of wallowed out hole it isn’t time for bigger rivets, it’s time for redesign.

A bucked joint depend on the full, expanded rivet in the hole. Hole quality is just as important as size. Drill right angles to sheets; clamp sheets together so you don't have chips get wedged between them. Debur the edge, but do not chamfer it beyond 10 percent of the sheet thickness.

Even a max-limit hole will be filled by the swelling rivet. That's what makes it strong. Blind rivets can never do this; an oversized hole weaken the joint forever.

The numbers above is based off a US mil spec for this type of rivet (buck type). It is in line with common aircraft practice for these types of rivets, AN470 /MS20470 universal head rivets.

The dimensions shown here are not applicable to drive, split, and semi-tubular rivets which has no bucked rivet but instead are set by a process called clinching. There is also the issue that manufacturers will have there own hole tables.

Structural aircraft repairs must be done according to the approved repair manual. This is not a generic chart you should of follow.