Rivet Size Selector
Enter your material thickness and get the right rivet: diameter, dash number, shank length, drill size, grip range, strength data, and a seam rivet count — for blind (pop), solid, and drive rivets, in inches or millimeters.
Select your rivet
How rivet sizing actually works
Picking a rivet is a three-question job: how thick is the stack (grip), how fat should the rivet be (diameter), and what kind of head and material fits the joint. Get any of the three wrong and you get a joint that is loose, cracked, or corroded — the classic failure is a rivet that is too short to form a proper blind-side head, which then works loose under vibration.
1. Grip: the total thickness the rivet must clamp
Grip is simply the sum of every layer the rivet passes through — two sheets of 0.063 in and 0.125 in give a grip of 0.188 in. Blind (pop) rivets are sold in dash-number sizes where the second number is the maximum grip in sixteenths of an inch: a 4-4 is a 1/8″ rivet that handles grips up to 4/16 = 1/4 in, while a 6-8 is a 3/16″ rivet for grips up to 8/16 = 1/2 in. This selector looks your grip up in the manufacturer grip-range table and returns the exact dash number, so you never guess between two sizes.
2. Shank length: the 1.5 × diameter rule
The industry rule of thumb for a universal (dome) head blind rivet is length = grip + 1.5 × diameter. For a 1/8″ rivet on a 0.25″ stack that is 0.25 + 1.5×0.125 = 0.4375″ of body needed to leave enough shank to upset into a full blind-side head. A countersunk (flush) head needs far less — about 0.5 × diameter beyond the grip — because the head seats into a countersunk hole instead of standing proud. Solid (bucked) rivets follow the same 1.5×d rule, with the length rounded up to the nearest 1/16″ and expressed as an aircraft dash (AD6-13 = 3/16″ × 13/16″).
3. Diameter: the 3 × thickest-plate rule of thumb
A widely used starting point for blind rivets is minimum diameter = 3 × the thickest single plate. A 0.05″ sheet therefore suggests a 5/32″ rivet as the smallest sensible choice. This is intentionally conservative — a smaller rivet often works fine for light, non-structural joints, which is why this selector lets you override the automatic pick. For solid rivets in heavier plate, the classic Unwin boiler formula d = 6√t (d and t in mm) gives a similar sanity check.
Hole and drill size
The hole must be just over the rivet body: a #30 drill (0.129″) for a 1/8″ rivet, #20 (0.161″) for 5/32″, #11 (0.196″) for 3/16″. A hole more than about 0.010″ over the body starves the joint — the rivet cannot fill it and clamp load collapses — while an undersize hole simply will not accept the rivet. Drill the hole, deburr it, then test-fit one rivet before you commit to a whole seam.
Spacing along a seam
For a single row of rivets, keep the edge distance at least 2 × diameter from the sheet edge and the pitch (center-to-center spacing) at least 3 × diameter, with 4×d as the comfortable everyday value. Tighter than 3d risks tearing the sheet between holes; much wider than 8d lets the sheets gap and buckle between fasteners. The seam estimator below applies exactly these rules.
Material pairing and galvanic corrosion
Rivets should match the sheets, or at least not set up a galvanic cell. Aluminum rivets in aluminum sheet are the safe default; joining aluminum to steel calls for a stainless-steel rivet and ideally an isolating layer (paint, sealant, or a plastic washer) between the metals, because aluminum becomes the sacrificial anode and will corrode around every hole. Steel rivets in stainless sheet are fine; copper and brass hardware belongs with copper-family sheets, not aluminum.
Blind vs solid vs drive rivets
Blind (pop) rivets install from one side with a hand or pneumatic gun — the choice for enclosures, HVAC, trailers, and auto body work. Solid rivets need access to both sides plus a bucking bar or squeezer, but deliver the highest shear strength per dollar; they are still the standard for aircraft and heavy sheet structures. Drive rivets (pin-driven) suit soft materials and plastics where a blind rivet's mandrel would over-expand the hole.
Standard inch blind-rivet sizes
Diameter, drill, head, and the dash-number grip ranges from manufacturer specification tables (open/closed-end dome head). The dash second number is the maximum grip in 1/16″.
| Rivet dia. | Decimal | Drill | Hole | Head dia. | Dash → grip range (in) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3/32″ | 0.094 | #40 | 0.098 | 0.187 | 3-2: .020–.125 · 3-4: .126–.250 |
| 1/8″ | 0.125 | #30 | 0.129 | 0.250 | 4-1: .020–.062 · 4-2: .063–.125 · 4-3: .126–.187 · 4-4: .188–.250 · 4-5: .251–.312 · 4-6: .313–.375 · 4-8: .376–.500 · 4-10: .501–.625 · 4-12: .626–.750 |
| 5/32″ | 0.156 | #20 | 0.161 | 0.313 | 5-2: .020–.125 · 5-3: .126–.187 · 5-4: .188–.250 · 5-5: .251–.312 · 5-6: .313–.375 · 5-8: .376–.500 · 5-10: .501–.625 |
| 3/16″ | 0.188 | #9 | 0.196 | 0.375 | 6-2: .020–.125 · 6-3: .126–.187 · 6-4: .188–.250 · 6-6: .251–.375 · 6-8: .376–.500 · 6-10: .501–.625 · 6-12: .626–.750 · 6-14: .751–.875 · 6-16: .876–1.000 |
| 1/4″ | 0.250 | F | 0.257 | 0.500 | 8-4: .063–.250 · 8-6: .251–.375 · 8-8: .376–.500 · 8-10: .501–.625 |
Standard metric blind-rivet sizes
Metric callouts read “diameter × length”, e.g. 4.8 × 14 is a 4.8 mm body, 14 mm long. Choose the nearest standard length at or above grip + 1.5×d.
| Rivet dia. | Drill / hole | Head dia. | Grip range (mm) | Standard lengths (mm) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2.4 mm | 2.5 | 4.8 | 0.5–3.0 · 3.0–6.0 | 6, 8, 10 |
| 3.2 mm | 3.3 | 6.4 | 1.0–6.0 · 6.0–12.0 | 6, 8, 10, 12, 16 |
| 4.0 mm | 4.1 | 8.0 | 1.5–8.0 · 8.0–16.0 | 6, 8, 10, 12, 16, 18, 20 |
| 4.8 mm | 5.0 | 9.6 | 2.0–10.0 · 10.0–20.0 | 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 25 |
| 6.4 mm | 6.6 | 12.8 | 3.0–15.0 · 15.0–25.0 | 12, 16, 20, 25, 30, 35 |
Typical single-shear / tensile strength per rivet
Representative manufacturer minimums (lbf) for dome-head blind rivets. Actual values vary by alloy, temper, and brand — always check the datasheet for structural work.
| Rivet dia. | Aluminum body / aluminum mandrel shear · tensile |
Aluminum body / steel mandrel shear · tensile |
Stainless body / steel mandrel shear · tensile |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3/32″ | — | — | 230 · 280 |
| 1/8″ | 100 · 110 | 210 · 325 | 420 · 530 |
| 5/32″ | 130 · 160 | 595 · 809 | 650 · 820 |
| 3/16″ | 210 · 250 | 899 · 1,124 | 950 · 1,200 |
| 1/4″ | — | — | 1,700 · 2,100 |
Worked examples
Example 1 — two aluminum sheets, 1/8″ blind rivet
Sheets 0.063″ + 0.125″ → grip = 0.188″. With a 1/8″ (0.125″) universal-head blind rivet, the shank needed is 0.188 + 1.5×0.125 = 0.3755″. The grip falls in the dash range 0.188–0.250, so the correct size is 4-4 (1/8″ × max-grip 1/4″), drilled with a #30 (0.129″) bit. A plain aluminum-body rivet here is rated about 100 lbf single shear.
Example 2 — metric: 3 mm + 2 mm plates
Grip = 5.0 mm. A 4.0 mm blind rivet needs 5.0 + 1.5×4.0 = 11 mm of shank, so the next standard length up is 12 mm → 4.0 x 12, drilled 4.1 mm. The 5 mm grip sits inside the 4.0 mm rivet's 1.5–8.0 mm grip range.
Example 3 — how many rivets for a 48″ seam?
3/16″ rivets at the recommended 4d pitch: pitch = 4×0.1875 = 0.75″, edge distance = 2×0.1875 = 0.375″ each end. Usable length = 48 − 2×0.375 = 47.25″ → floor(47.25 / 0.75) + 1 = 64 rivets. Buy a few extra — dropped rivets and mis-drilled holes are part of the job.
Practical tips
- Measure the stack, don't eyeball it. Calipers on the actual clamped stack beat adding up nominal sheet gauges, which are often undersize.
- When between two dash sizes, go longer. A slightly long rivet still sets; a short one never forms a blind head. Trim only solid rivets.
- Test one hole first. Drill, deburr, set a single rivet, and check the blind side before drilling a whole pattern.
- Countersink before riveting. For flush heads, countersink the outer sheet to 120° first — the 0.5×d rule assumes the head seats fully.
- Keep mandrel stubs out of mechanisms. Spent mandrels from open-end rivets can rattle inside enclosures; use closed-end rivets where sealing or retained stems matter.
- Don't mix metals blindly. Aluminum rivets in stainless sheet will corrode; when in doubt, stainless rivets + an isolating sealant.
- Back up thin sheet. Under 0.040″, use large-flange rivets or backup washers so the head doesn't pull through.
- Buy 10% extra. Between test fits, dropped mandrels, and the occasional mis-set, a small surplus saves a second trip.
Frequently asked questions
What size rivet do I need for my material thickness?
Add up every layer to get the grip, then apply the rule length = grip + 1.5 × diameter for a universal-head blind rivet. For a 0.25″ stack with a 1/8″ rivet that is 0.25 + 1.5×0.125 = 0.4375″. Finally, pick the dash number whose grip range contains your grip — here a 4-4 (0.188–0.250″). This selector does all three steps for you.
How do I read blind rivet dash numbers like 4-4 or 6-8?
The first number is the diameter in 32nds of an inch and the second is the maximum grip in 16ths of an inch. So 4-4 = 4/32″ (1/8″) diameter with grip up to 4/16″ (1/4″), and 6-8 = 6/32″ (3/16″) diameter with grip up to 8/16″ (1/2″). Each dash size covers a published grip range — 4-4 handles 0.188–0.250″.
What drill size do I need for a 1/8 inch rivet?
Use a #30 drill (0.129″) for a 1/8″ rivet. The hole should be just over the body: #40 (0.098″) for 3/32″, #20 (0.161″) for 5/32″, #9 (0.196″) for 3/16″, and an F drill (0.257″) for 1/4″. Holes more than ~0.010″ oversize starve the joint of clamp load.
Can a rivet be too long?
Yes. Excess shank folds over (clinches) instead of forming a neat blind head, the set looks messy, and the mandrel may snap early leaving a weak joint. If you are between two dash sizes, one step up is fine — three steps up is asking for trouble. For blind rivets, never trim the body; buy the right dash.
Can a rivet be too short?
Yes — this is the worse mistake. A short rivet cannot leave 1.5×d of shank beyond the stack, so the blind head never fully forms and the joint pulls apart under load or vibration. When in doubt, measure the real clamped stack with calipers and round the dash size up.
Should I use blind (pop) rivets or solid rivets?
Blind rivets install from one side with a hand gun — right for enclosures, HVAC duct, trailers, and auto body. Solid rivets need access to both sides and a bucking bar, but give more shear strength per dollar and are the standard for aircraft and heavy structures. If you can reach both sides and own (or can borrow) a squeezer, solid wins; otherwise blind is the practical choice.
How far apart should rivets be spaced?
Keep edge distance ≥ 2× diameter and pitch ≥ 3× diameter, with 4×d as the comfortable everyday spacing. Closer than 3d can tear the sheet between holes; much wider than about 8d lets sheets gap between fasteners. The seam estimator on this page applies the 2d / 4d rules automatically.
What rivet should I use to join aluminum to steel?
Use a stainless-steel body rivet and isolate the faying surfaces with paint, sealant, or a plastic washer. Aluminum and steel form a galvanic cell in the presence of moisture, and the aluminum — the anode — corrodes around every hole. Aluminum rivets in steel sheet fail the same way; stainless in stainless, or steel in steel, has no such issue.
How strong is a single 1/8 inch pop rivet?
A typical 1/8″ aluminum-body / steel-mandrel blind rivet (e.g. the POP AD series) is rated about 210 lbf single shear and 325 lbf tensile. An all-aluminum 1/8″ rivet is much weaker (~100 lbf shear), while a stainless-body 1/8″ rivet reaches about 420 lbf shear. Always derate for vibration, prying loads, and edge distance — and check the manufacturer's datasheet for structural joints.
What is grip range, exactly?
The grip range is the minimum-to-maximum total material thickness a given dash size is designed to clamp. A 4-4 blind rivet covers 0.188–0.250″: below 0.188″ the rivet is too long to set tightly, above 0.250″ it is too short to form a blind head. Your measured grip must fall inside the range — this selector validates that for every recommendation.
What does a metric callout like 4.8 x 14 mean?
4.8 is the body diameter in mm and 14 is the body length in mm. Pick the nearest standard length at or above grip + 1.5×d: a 5 mm grip with a 4.0 mm rivet needs 5 + 6 = 11 mm → 4.0 × 12. Drill 4.1 mm for a 4.0 mm rivet (hole = diameter + 0.1 mm).
Do I need access to both sides of the joint?
Only for solid rivets, which are bucked from the back side. Blind (pop) rivets are designed exactly for one-sided access — the mandrel pulls from the front and forms the blind head by itself. Drive rivets also install from one side, driven with a hammer, and suit soft materials where a blind rivet would over-expand the hole.
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