Top 7 Building And Home Applications Of Blind Rivets
More commonly known as pop rivets – a popular type of fasteners manufactured by Emhart Technologies – blind rivets are actually nail-like clips that also feature a mandrel. The name "blind" rivet comes from the fact that the clips do not allow access to the back of the material. Nevertheless, the front side is highly accessible and is guaranteed to provide a strong setup not only for metal, but also for other materials such as wood and plastic. Because their unique construction makes them a good choice for home and building applications, the following article will present the top seven uses of blind rivets.
- Attaching wall and ceiling decorations
In the eventuality that you want to install heavier decorations on the ceiling or on the walls, then you will need a strong fastener to support the extra weight. Blind rivets will surely come in handy when installing Halloween or Christmas lights, large framed paintings, bas-reliefs and numerous others ornamental objects that exceed three pounds and require the proper support.
- Affixing knobs and handles
More often than not, you can utilize screws or nails to fasten doorknobs, drawer handles or cabinet pulls. However, when nails and screws cannot be used for this purpose, the blind rivets constitute a viable and safe alternative for attaching knobs, pulls and handles.
- Securing hinges
From doors and windows to shelves and appliances, hinges are a very common type of bearings inside the home. Even though they could be attached to a surface via screws, numerous people prefer using blind rivets instead. In addition, some hinges are designed to be fastened with rivets instead of screws by default.
- Clasping nameplates and signs
If you've visited an office building or a manufacturing facility, then you probably noticed that signs and nameplates can be found at every turn. While there are numerous ways you can post them on the walls, the blind rivets are your only option in the situation when you only have access to one side of the structure.
- Woodworking
Because they provide a more reliable and stronger fastening compared to nails and screws, rivets are commonly used in a variety of woodworking projects, ranging from shelves to lockers, cabinets and wooden stands. Since any woodworker wants to create sturdy furniture, one way of achieving this goal implies using a strong fastener, capable of holding all the parts of the furniture together firmly.
- Fastening the gutters
In order to protect their roof, many homeowners prefer to install gutters and ensure the rainwater is lead down the drain. Even though some prefer to use nails in gutter construction, the truth is that these fasteners do not provide an efficient fastening. If you want gutters that will last for many years to come, then rivets are a far better alternative.
- Wind guards, window blinds and hangar straps
Blind rivets are commonly used for installing hangar straps and wind guards because of their ability to compensate for irregular holes. During the installation, the rivet's body gets compressed to fill up the asymmetrical openings.
About the Author
Started my career in the fastener world in 1969 at, Parker Kalon Corp. a NJ based screw manufacturer located in Clifton, NJ working in inventory control, scheduling secondary production and concluding there in purchasing. In 1971 I accepted a sales position at Star Stainless Screw Co., Totowa, NJ working in inside sales and later as an outside salesman, having a successful career at Star I had the desire with a friend to start our own fastener distribution company in 1980 named: Divspec, Kenilworth, NJ. This was a successful adventure but ended in 1985 with me starting Melfast in August 1985 and have stayed competitive and successful to date. Melfast serves the OEM market with approximately 400 accounts nationally.
