If you’ve ever spent time sourcing fasteners for automotive assembly, HVAC ducting, or recreational equipment manufacturing, odds are you’ve encountered tubular and semi-tubular rivets—but unless you’re the kind of person who gets excited about the tiny details that hold the world together, you might not have stopped to ask what makes them different. As a rivets supplier with over 12 years on the floor, answering that question is the thing I do most often, and it’s also the difference between a product that works for your application and one that fails before your first delivery. Let’s break this down like I would over a cup of coffee with a new customer, no overly technical jargon that makes your eyes glaze over. Rivets
First, let’s start with the basics of what a rivet is, because even though it sounds simple, it’s important to ground this. A rivet is a permanent fastener that has two ends: a smooth, cylindrical shank that goes through pre-drilled holes in two or more materials, and a head on one end that’s already formed. The magic happens when you deform the other end (called the “manufactured head” on one side, the “shop head” on the other) to clamp those materials tight. Now, tubular and semi-tubular are both hollow shank designs, which sets them apart from solid rivets—but that’s where the similarities end. The core difference comes down to how hollow they are, and that small detail changes everything for how you use them.
Let’s start with tubular rivets, because that’s the workhorse for applications where weight is a top priority, and strength isn’t worth the extra ounce. A tubular rivet’s shank is completely hollow from one end all the way to the base of the manufactured head—no solid core at all. The shank is a thin-walled tube, usually with a diameter between 1/32 of an inch and 1/4 inch, made from materials like aluminum, brass, steel, or even stainless steel for corrosion resistance. When you install a tubular rivet, you place it through your hole, then drive the shop end with a tool (usually a rivet gun, press, or even a hammer and a punch for smaller jobs) and the thin tube collapses outward. Because there’s no internal solid material to compress, the hole expands as the rivet deforms, creating a tight, uniform fit that’s perfect for thin, soft materials that can’t handle much pressure.
I see tubular rivets used every day in automotive trim, right? That plastic or vinyl headliner that’s stapled or riveted to the roof? Those are tiny tubular rivets. Or the metal grilles on air conditioners—you’ve felt the sharp edges of a rivet popping out if you’ve ever pulled an old unit apart. Tubular rivets are also go-to for electrical components, like securing terminal blocks or connecting wire housings, because their hollow shank doesn’t conduct electricity the way a solid rivet would in some cases, and the collapse forms a smooth, secure joint without damaging delicate parts. Wait, but there’s a catch with tubular rivets: because the shank is so thin, they can’t handle high shear or tensile loads. If you use a tubular rivet on a load-bearing part, like a trailer hitch or a construction bracket, it’s going to snap or pull out before long. I learned that early on, actually—my first big mistake as a new supplier was selling a batch of tubular rivets to a small trailer manufacturer, and they came back to me two weeks later saying half the rivets holding the fenders on had fallen off. Turns out they were trying to use a low-cost tubular rivet for a part that needed more strength, and I didn’t do my job explaining when it was the right fit. That’s why I never skip the “here’s when you should and shouldn’t use this” part with a customer.
Now, semi-tubular rivets. These look almost identical to tubular rivets at first glance, but if you hold them up to the light or run your finger along the shank, you’ll notice a tiny difference: the hollow end only goes about one-third to one-half of the way into the shank, leaving a solid, tapered core at the tip. That small solid core changes almost everything. When you install a semi-tubular rivet, you drive the shop end, and that solid core acts like an anchor. Instead of the entire shank collapsing outward, the hollow part folds around the core, creating a stronger, more uniform shop head without expanding the hole as much. That makes semi-tubular rivets far more versatile for load-bearing applications, without the extra weight or cost of a solid rivet. They come in all the same materials as tubular, but you’ll see them more often in carbon steel or alloy steel for things like scaffolding frames, agricultural equipment, and even furniture hinges.
I’ll be honest, semi-tubular rivets are my personal favorite because they solve so many of the middle-ground problems that most suppliers miss. For example, if you’re working with a mix of thin sheet metal and a thicker plastic panel, a semi-tubular rivet will compress the materials evenly because the solid core keeps the installation force distributed, instead of punching a big hole in the plastic like a tubular rivet might. And because they leave a smaller, more defined shop head, they’re perfect for applications where the back side of the joint is visible—like cabinet hardware or decorative metalwork, where you don’t want an uneven, ragged edge. I’ve had a customer in the kitchen cabinet industry switch from solid rivets to semi-tubular about five years ago, and they told me their defect rate from loose hinges dropped by 70% because the semi-tubular rivets didn’t pull out even when the cabinet doors were slammed thousands of times a week. That’s the kind of win that makes the early mornings worth it.
Now, let’s get into the practical, real-world differences that matter most for your business, not just textbook definitions. First, installation tools. Tubular rivets require a tool that can apply enough force to fully collapse the thin hollow shank—for small runs, a manual rivet gun works, but for high-volume production, you might use a air-powered riveter or a punch tool that’s designed for tubular hardware. If you use a semi-tubular installation tool on a tubular rivet, you’ll end up with a lopsided, weak shop head, or even crack the shank because the force is too concentrated. Conversely, if you use a tubular tool on a semi-tubular rivet, you won’t compress the solid core properly, so the joint will be loose and weak. I always tell my customers to make sure they have the right tool for the rivet they’re using—you wouldn’t use a Phillips head screwdriver on a flathead screw, and the same logic applies here.
Next, material compatibility. Tubular rivets work best with soft, thin materials: plastic, vinyl, thin aluminum, fabric, or cardboard. If you try to use a tubular rivet on thick steel or hardwood, the shank will buckle or the hole will tear out. Semi-tubular rivets, with their solid core, can work on thicker, denser materials: steel up to 1/4 inch thick, solid wood, fiberglass, and even some composite materials. I had a customer building custom kayaks a couple years back who was using tubular rivets to attach hatches, but they kept having hatches pop open during rough water. Switched to semi-tubular stainless steel rivets, and they haven’t had a single return since. The solid core meant the rivet didn’t pull through the thick plastic of the hatch, and the hollow part folded tightly around the shank to keep water out too—bonus for a marine application.
Weight is another big factor, especially for industries like aerospace or automotive, where every ounce adds up. Tubular rivets are lighter than semi-tubular, because their shank is almost entirely hollow. But the tradeoff is strength. A 1/8 inch tubular aluminum rivet has a shear strength of around 150 pounds, while a 1/8 inch semi-tubular aluminum rivet has a shear strength of around 250 pounds—almost double, with only a tiny increase in weight. If you’re building a racing bike, that small weight difference might matter, but if you’re building a fleet of delivery vans, the strength difference is non-negotiable. I always ask customers to send me a quick spec of their load requirements before I recommend a rivet type, because guessing here leads to expensive rework later.
Cost is also a practical consideration, and I wish more people talked about this. Tubular rivets are cheaper to manufacture, because they require less material and less precision in shaping the shank. That’s why they’re the go-to for low-cost, disposable applications, like fasteners for packaging or temporary displays. Semi-tubular rivets are a bit more expensive, because they require a secondary step to form that solid tapered core at the tip. But if you factor in the lifespan of the product and the cost of returns, semi-tubular rivets often end up being the cheaper option in the long run for load-bearing or long-life applications. I had a customer who tried to save 5 cents per rivet by using tubular instead of semi-tubular for their store display racks. Six months later, half the racks were wobbly, and they had to replace 200 racks at a cost of $50 each. That $500 in extra costs was way more than the 5 cents per rivet they saved—so that’s a story I tell every new customer who tries to cut corners on fasteners.
Wait, one more thing that often trips people up: tolerance for hole size. Because tubular rivets collapse so much during installation, they can work with slightly oversized holes, which is a plus if your pre-drilling process isn’t 100% precise. Semi-tubular rivets, with their solid core, need holes that are almost exactly the diameter of the shank—usually within 0.005 inches, so you have to be accurate with your drilling. If your team is working with automated drilling equipment, that’s not a big deal, but if you’re doing manual drilling for small batch runs, tubular might be more forgiving. I mention that because I’ve had small manufacturers come to me complaining that semi-tubular rivets keep leaking or coming loose, and it’s never the rivet—it’s their drilling tolerance being too wide for the semi-tubular design.
Now, let’s tie this all together with what this means for you, as someone sourcing rivets for your business. If you’re building a part that’s thin, non-load-bearing, or requires minimal weight and cost, tubular is probably the right choice. Think: plastic packaging, electrical terminal covers, automotive interior trim, or temporary signage. If you’re building something that needs to hold up to repeated stress, weight, or outdoor conditions, semi-tubular is the better bet: trailer frames, kitchen cabinet hardware, kayak hatches, agricultural equipment, or commercial scaffolding. And if you’re not sure which one you need, that’s why I’m here. As a rivets supplier, I don’t just sell what’s cheapest or what’s in stock—I work with you to figure out the right fastener for your specific application, no upselling, no hidden fees, just honest advice.
I’ve been in this industry long enough to see trends come and go, but the need for the right rivet for the right job never changes. I still get the same questions I did 12 years ago: “Can I use a tubular rivet on this?” “What’s the difference between these two?” And the answer is always rooted in the details I’ve laid out here: hollow vs. semi-hollow shank, strength requirements, installation tools, material compatibility, and cost. No two applications are exactly the same, so no single rivet type works for everything.
If you’re working on a project right now and you’re not sure whether tubular or semi-tubular rivets are the right fit, or you need a quote for bulk orders, reach out to my team. We can send you sample rivets to test, help you calculate load requirements, and make sure you get exactly what you need, when you need it, without the headache of ordering the wrong fastener and dealing with returns or delays. I’ve built my business on helping customers avoid the mistakes I made early on, and that’s the kind of supplier I always wanted to work with.
Bolts References:
- Fastener Engineering Handbook, 5th Edition. Society of Manufacturing Engineers, 2018.
- Rivet Design and Application Guide. American Society of Mechanical Engineers, 2020.
- Material Compatibility for Permanent Fasteners. Industrial Fasteners Institute, 2019.
- Automotive Assembly Fastener Standards. International Organization for Standardization, ISO 14589:2018.
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