Rivet Size Calculator — Diameter, Length & Hole Size
Enter the thickness of the two sheets or plates you want to join, choose blind (pop) or solid rivets, and get the recommended rivet diameter, the minimum body length to order and the drill hole size — based on ISO standard sizing rules.
Rivet type
mm
mm
Grip range: 0.5–3.5 mm
- 1
Total material thickness (grip)
2 + 1.5 = 3.5 - 2
Recommended rivet diameter
2.4Smallest ISO standard size (2.4, 3.2, 4.0, 4.8, or 6.4 mm) whose grip range includes the total thickness.
How does this calculator work?
For blind (pop) rivets: pick the smallest standard diameter (2.4–6.4 mm) whose grip range covers your total material thickness; drill a hole 0.1 mm larger than the rivet. For solid rivets: diameter = 3× thicker sheet rounded up to a standard ISO size; shank length = total grip + 1.5× diameter for forming the closing head.
Formula
How this is calculated
For blind (pop) rivets — the most common type in DIY and light fabrication — the key parameter is the grip range: the range of total material thicknesses that a given rivet diameter can clamp properly. This calculator finds the smallest standard diameter (2.4, 3.2, 4.0, 4.8 or 6.4 mm per ISO 15977–15983) whose grip range covers your combined material thickness. The clearance drill hole is the rivet diameter plus 0.1 mm, which is the standard close-clearance fit used by major rivet manufacturers (Avdel, Gesipa, Stanley).
For solid rivets — used in structural, aerospace and historical applications — a common engineering rule sizes the rivet diameter at 3× the thickness of the thicker sheet, rounded up to the nearest standard ISO 1051 diameter (3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10, 12 or 16 mm). The minimum shank length is the total grip (sum of all sheet thicknesses) plus 1.5× the rivet diameter, which provides enough protruding material to upset (form) the closing head with a hammer or rivet gun.
Note: these are general rules of thumb for preliminary sizing. Critical structural connections should be designed by a qualified engineer using the appropriate standard (e.g. EN 1993 for steel, AS 3566 for stainless) with proper load calculations. Rivet spacing, edge distances and bearing area requirements are not covered here.
Frequently asked questions
The grip range is the range of total material thicknesses (sum of all layers) that a given rivet can join correctly. If your material is too thin the rivet body protrudes too far and the collar does not clamp; if too thick the mandrel breaks before the rivet is fully set. Always choose a rivet whose grip range covers your total stack-up.
A small clearance (0.1 mm for most standard rivets) lets you insert the rivet without scoring the hole walls and allows for minor misalignment between the two holes. Too large a clearance reduces the bearing area and clamping force; too tight and the rivet binds on insertion.
Solid rivets are stronger and more durable than blind rivets of the same diameter and are used in structural, aerospace and high-vibration applications. They require access to both sides of the joint and more tooling (a rivet set and bucking bar, or a hydraulic riveter). For most DIY and light-assembly tasks where only one side is accessible, blind rivets are easier and faster.
Also known as
TG we-Calculate Editorial Team. (2026). Rivet Size Calculator — Diameter, Length & Hole Size [Online calculator]. TG we-Calculate. https://we-calculate.com/calculator/rivet-size-calculator
TG we-Calculate Editorial Team. "Rivet Size Calculator — Diameter, Length & Hole Size." TG we-Calculate. 2026. https://we-calculate.com/calculator/rivet-size-calculator.
TG we-Calculate Editorial Team, "Rivet Size Calculator — Diameter, Length & Hole Size," TG we-Calculate, 2026. [Online]. Available: https://we-calculate.com/calculator/rivet-size-calculator
@misc{wecalculate_rivet_size_calculator, title = {Rivet Size Calculator — Diameter, Length & Hole Size}, author = {{TG we-Calculate Editorial Team}}, howpublished = {\url{https://we-calculate.com/calculator/rivet-size-calculator}}, year = {2026}, note = {TG we-Calculate} }
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