Inch solid rivets by diameter: shank and head sizes for button (round), flat, countersunk, truss and pan heads, the hole to drill, and the aluminum rivet alloy marks.
A solid rivet is a plain pin with a head. It goes through a drilled hole and the tail is hammered or squeezed into a second (shop) head, so you need to reach both sides of the joint. The head you see is the manufactured head: button (round) and truss heads sit on top, a flat head is low and flat, and a countersunk head sits flush in a countersunk hole. Rivets are sized by shank diameter and length.
The labels match the table columns. Not to scale.
Jump to: Button (round) · Flat · Countersunk · Truss · Pan · Hole drill · Alloy marks
| Size | Shank dia | Head dia | Head height |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1/16″ | .064 / .059 | .122 / .102 | .052 / .042 |
| 3/32″ | .096 / .090 | .182 / .162 | .077 / .065 |
| 1/8″ | .127 / .121 | .235 / .215 | .100 / .088 |
| 5/32″ | .158 / .152 | .290 / .268 | .124 / .110 |
| 3/16″ | .191 / .182 | .348 / .322 | .147 / .133 |
| 7/32″ | .222 / .213 | .405 / .379 | .172 / .158 |
| 1/4″ | .253 / .244 | .460 / .430 | .196 / .180 |
| 9/32″ | .285 / .273 | .518 / .484 | .220 / .202 |
| 5/16″ | .316 / .304 | .572 / .538 | .243 / .225 |
| 11/32″ | .348 / .336 | .630 / .592 | .267 / .247 |
| 3/8″ | .380 / — | .684 / .646 | .291 / .271 |
| 13/32″ | .411 / .396 | .743 / .699 | .316 / .294 |
| 7/16″ | .443 / .428 | .798 / .754 | .339 / .317 |
Inches, max / min. ASME B18.1.1 as printed in Machinery’s Handbook (31st ed.) and the Valley Fastener rivet charts; printed where both agree. A dash: the two differ for that value — give us a call. Valley Fastener titles this chart “Button or Round Head”: a round head rivet is a button head.
| Size | Shank dia | Head dia | Head height |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1/16″ | .064 / .059 | .140 / .120 | .027 / .017 |
| 3/32″ | .096 / .090 | .200 / — | .038 / .026 |
| 1/8″ | .127 / .121 | .260 / — | .048 / .036 |
| 5/32″ | .158 / .152 | .323 / — | .059 / .045 |
| 3/16″ | .191 / .182 | .387 / — | .069 / .055 |
| 7/32″ | .222 / .213 | .453 / .427 | .080 / .065 |
| 1/4″ | .253 / .244 | .515 / .485 | .091 / .075 |
| 9/32″ | .285 / .273 | .579 / .545 | .103 / .085 |
| 5/16″ | .316 / .304 | — / .607 | .113 / .095 |
| 11/32″ | .348 / .336 | .705 / .667 | .124 / .104 |
| 3/8″ | .380 / — | .769 / .731 | .135 / .115 |
| 13/32″ | .411 / .396 | .834 / .790 | .146 / .124 |
| 7/16″ | .443 / .428 | .896 / .852 | .157 / .135 |
Inches, max / min. ASME B18.1.1 as printed in Machinery’s Handbook (31st ed.) and the Valley Fastener rivet charts; printed where both agree. A dash: the two differ for that value — give us a call.
| Size | Shank dia | Head dia | Head height (ref) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1/16″ | .064 / .059 | .118 / .110 | .027 |
| 3/32″ | .096 / .090 | .176 / .163 | .040 |
| 1/8″ | .127 / .121 | .235 / .217 | .053 |
| 5/32″ | .158 / .152 | .293 / .272 | .066 |
| 3/16″ | .191 / .182 | .351 / .326 | .079 |
| 7/32″ | .222 / .213 | .413 / .384 | .094 |
| 1/4″ | .253 / .244 | .469 / .437 | .106 |
| 9/32″ | .285 / .273 | .528 / .491 | .119 |
| 5/16″ | .316 / .304 | .588 / .547 | .133 |
| 11/32″ | .348 / .336 | .646 / .602 | .146 |
| 3/8″ | .380 / — | .704 / .656 | .159 |
| 13/32″ | .411 / .396 | .763 / .710 | .172 |
| 7/16″ | .443 / .428 | .823 / .765 | .186 |
Inches, max / min. ASME B18.1.1 as printed in Machinery’s Handbook (31st ed.) and the Valley Fastener rivet charts; printed where both agree. A dash: the two differ for that value — give us a call. Head height is for reference: the head diameter and the 90° angle control it.
| Size | Head dia | Head height |
|---|---|---|
| 3/32″ | .226 / .206 | .038 / .026 |
| 1/8″ | .297 / .277 | .048 / .036 |
| 5/32″ | .368 / .348 | .059 / .045 |
| 3/16″ | .442 / .422 | .069 / .055 |
| 7/32″ | .515 / .495 | .080 / .066 |
| 1/4″ | .590 / .560 | .091 / .075 |
| 9/32″ | .661 / .631 | .103 / .085 |
| 5/16″ | .732 / .702 | .113 / .095 |
| 11/32″ | .806 / .776 | .124 / .104 |
| 3/8″ | .878 / .848 | .135 / .115 |
| 13/32″ | .949 / .919 | .145 / .123 |
| 7/16″ | 1.020 / .990 | .157 / .135 |
Inches, max / min. ASME B18.1.1 as printed in Machinery’s Handbook (31st ed.) and the Valley Fastener rivet charts; printed where both agree. A dash: the two differ for that value — give us a call.
| Size | Shank dia | Head dia | Head height |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1/16″ | .064 / .059 | .118 / .098 | .040 / .030 |
| 3/32″ | .096 / .090 | .173 / .153 | .060 / .048 |
| 1/8″ | .127 / .121 | .225 / .205 | .078 / .066 |
| 5/32″ | .158 / .152 | .279 / .257 | .096 / .082 |
| 3/16″ | .191 / .182 | .334 / .308 | .114 / .100 |
| 7/32″ | .222 / .213 | .391 / .365 | .133 / .119 |
| 1/4″ | .253 / .244 | .444 / .414 | .151 / .135 |
| 9/32″ | .285 / .273 | .499 / .465 | .170 / .152 |
| 5/16″ | .316 / .304 | .552 / .518 | .187 / .169 |
| 11/32″ | .348 / .336 | .608 / .570 | .206 / .186 |
| 3/8″ | .380 / — | .663 / .625 | .225 / .205 |
| 13/32″ | .411 / .396 | .719 / .675 | .243 / .221 |
| 7/16″ | .443 / .428 | .772 / .728 | .261 / .239 |
Inches, max / min. ASME B18.1.1 as printed in Machinery’s Handbook (31st ed.) and the Valley Fastener rivet charts; printed where both agree. A dash: the two differ for that value — give us a call.
| Rivet dia | Drill | Hole dia |
|---|---|---|
| 1/16″ | — | — |
| 3/32″ | — | — |
| 1/8″ | #30 | .1285 |
| 5/32″ | #21 | .159 |
| 3/16″ | #11 | .191 |
| 1/4″ | F | .257 |
| 5/16″ | — | — |
| 3/8″ | — | — |
The final drill for the rivet hole, from FAA-H-8083-31 (Aviation Maintenance Technician Handbook — Airframe) and MIL-HDBK-5J; printed where both agree. A dash: they differ or only one lists it. Where a drawing or the maker gives a hole size, use that.
| Code | Alloy | Head mark | Shear strength (driven) |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | — | none | 10 ksi |
| AD | 2117 | dimple | 30 ksi |
| D | 2017 | raised dot | — |
| DD | 2024 | two raised dashes | 41 ksi |
| B | 5056 | raised cross | — |
The letter in an AN / MS aircraft rivet number (MS20470AD4-4) and the mark on its head, from FAA AC 43.13-1B, FAA-H-8083-31 and MIL-HDBK-5J. Shear strength is the alloy’s rated value as driven, printed only where every source that gives one agrees — not a test of any lot. A dash: our sources differ.
Good to know
Measure length from under the head on button, flat, truss and pan heads, and overall on a countersunk head. Pick the length for the stack plus enough tail to form the shop head — the drawing or the rivet maker gives that allowance.
Edge distance: keep the hole’s center at least 2 times the rivet diameter from the edge of the sheet for protruding-head rivets (FAA AC 43.13-1B, FAA-H-8083-31). Closer and the sheet can tear out.
Not on this chart: universal, brazier and mushroom heads, tinner’s rivets (sized by weight per 1,000), rivets 1/2″ and up (ASME B18.1.2) and metric rivets — only one of our sources lists them. Their TECH DATA sheets give the part’s listed size and material.
Quick answers
- How big is the head on a 3/16 round head rivet?
- A 3/16″ button (round) head solid rivet has a head .322–.348″ across and .133–.147″ high (ASME B18.1.1 min–max).
- What size drill do I use for a solid rivet?
- For aircraft-style solid rivets: 1/8″ — #30 (.1285″), 5/32″ — #21 (.159″), 3/16″ — #11 (.191″), 1/4″ — F (.257″). The hole is a few thousandths over the rivet so it slides in and swells to fill the hole when driven.
- What does a dimple on a rivet head mean?
- A dimple marks an AD rivet: 2117 aluminum alloy, the common general-repair aircraft rivet.
- What is the difference between a truss head and a round head rivet?
- A truss head is wider and lower: at 1/4″ a truss head is up to .590″ across and .091″ high, a button (round) head .460″ across and .196″ high.
- How far from the edge should a rivet go?
- At least 2 times the rivet diameter from the hole’s center to the edge of the sheet for protruding-head rivets (FAA AC 43.13-1B and FAA-H-8083-31).