Bolt vs. Rivet — What's the Difference?
By Tayyaba Rehman — Updated on November 5, 2023
A bolt is a removable metal pin with a head and thread, used with a nut, while a rivet is a permanent metal pin with a head that's deformed after insertion to join materials.
Difference Between Bolt and Rivet
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
Bolts are metal fasteners with a head on one end and a thread on the other, designed to be used in conjunction with a nut. They can be inserted into holes in the items being connected and then secured with a nut. Rivets are also metal fasteners but they have a head on one end and a plain, cylindrical opposite end that is deformed with a tool to create a second head, securing the items together.
Bolts are typically used where the joint may need to be disassembled for maintenance or other purposes, as they can be easily unscrewed. Rivets, on the other hand, are used to create permanent joints; once installed, they are not meant to be removed, making them suitable for structural applications where no adjustment or disassembly is required.
The installation of bolts can often be done with standard tools such as wrenches or screwdrivers, and they can be tightened or loosened as needed. Rivet installation requires a rivet gun to 'pop' or 'buck' the rivet, expanding the unheaded end to form a second head and thereby creating a permanent fixture.
Bolts come in a variety of sizes and lengths to accommodate different thicknesses of the materials they are to secure and can be adjusted for tension. Rivets are chosen based on the grip length—the thickness of the materials to be joined—and once installed, they do not offer adjustable tension.
When considering strength, bolts can handle shear and tensile loads effectively, and the use of a nut can distribute the load over a greater area. Rivets are exceptionally good at handling shear loads but less effective at handling tensile loads due to their design that provides strength through deformation.
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Comparison Chart
Removability
Removable with tools
Permanent, not meant to be removed
Component Parts
Requires a nut
Does not require additional parts
Type of Joint
Can be tightened/loosened
Creates a fixed, unmovable joint
Installation Tool
Wrench or screwdriver
Rivet gun or hammer for installation
Load Handling
Adjustable tension, good for shear and tensile loads
Permanent tension, best for shear loads
Compare with Definitions
Bolt
A cylindrical fastener used with a nut.
He tightened the bolt to secure the wheel.
Rivet
A metal pin for joining two plates of metal.
The rivet secured the aircraft's wing panels together.
Bolt
A lightning strike.
A bolt lit up the night sky during the storm.
Rivet
To hold someone's attention completely.
Her singing riveted the audience.
Bolt
A bar made of wood or metal that slides into a socket and is used to fasten doors and gates.
Rivet
A command to stand at attention.
The drill sergeant's shout, Rivet! made the cadets snap to position.
Bolt
A metal bar or rod in the mechanism of a lock that is thrown or withdrawn by turning the key.
Rivet
A rivet is a permanent mechanical fastener. Before being installed, a rivet consists of a smooth cylindrical shaft with a head on one end.
Bolt
A fastener consisting of a threaded pin or rod with a head at one end, designed to be inserted through holes in assembled parts and secured by a mated nut that is tightened by applying torque.
Rivet
A short metal pin or bolt for holding together two plates of metal, its headless end being beaten out or pressed down when in place
A rectangular plate containing an iron rivet
A device for punching rivet holes
Bolt
A sliding metal bar that positions the cartridge in breechloading rifles, closes the breech, and ejects the spent cartridge.
Rivet
Join or fasten (plates of metal) with a rivet or rivets
The linings are bonded, not riveted, to the brake shoes for longer wear
The riveted plates of the floor
Bolt
A similar device in any breech mechanism.
Rivet
Hold (someone or something) fast so as to make them incapable of movement
The grip on her arm was firm enough to rivet her to the spot
Bolt
A short, heavy arrow with a thick head, used especially with a crossbow.
Rivet
A metal bolt or pin having a head on one end, inserted through aligned holes in the pieces to be joined and then hammered on the plain end so as to form a second head.
Bolt
A flash of lightning; a thunderbolt.
Rivet
To fasten or secure, especially with a rivet or rivets.
Bolt
A sudden or unexpected event
The announcement was a veritable bolt.
Rivet
To hammer and bend or flatten the headless end of (a nail or bolt) so as to fasten something.
Bolt
A sudden movement toward or away.
Rivet
To fix the attention of (someone)
The audience was riveted by the suspense.
Bolt
A large roll of cloth of a definite length, especially as it comes from the loom.
Rivet
To engross or hold (the gaze or attention, for example).
Bolt
To secure or lock with or as if with a bolt.
Rivet
A cylindrical mechanical fastener that attaches multiple parts together by fitting through a hole and deforming the head(s) at either end.
Bolt
To arrange or roll (lengths of cloth, for example) on or in a bolt.
Rivet
(figuratively) Any fixed point or certain basis.
Bolt
To eat (food) hurriedly and with little chewing; gulp.
Rivet
(obsolete) A light kind of footman's plate armour; an almain rivet. Category:en:Armor
Bolt
To desert or withdraw support from (a political party).
Rivet
(transitive) To attach or fasten parts by using rivets.
Bolt
To utter impulsively; blurt.
Rivet
(transitive) To install rivets.
Bolt
(Archaic) To shoot or discharge (a missile, such as an arrow).
Rivet
To command the attention of.
Bolt
To move or spring suddenly.
Rivet
To make firm or immovable.
Terror riveted him to the spot.
Bolt
To start suddenly and run away
The horse bolted at the sound of the shot. The frightened child bolted from the room.
Rivet
A metallic pin with a head, used for uniting two plates or pieces of material together, by passing it through them and then beating or pressing down the point so that it shall spread out and form a second head; a pin or bolt headed or clinched at both ends.
With busy hammers closing rivets up.
Bolt
To break away from an affiliation, as from a political party.
Rivet
To fasten with a rivet, or with rivets; as, to rivet two pieces of iron.
Bolt
(Botany) To flower or produce seeds prematurely or develop a flowering stem from a rosette.
Rivet
To spread out the end or point of, as of a metallic pin, rod, or bolt, by beating or pressing, so as to form a sort of head.
Bolt
To pass (flour, for example) through a sieve.
Rivet
Hence, to fasten firmly; to make firm, strong, or immovable; as, to rivet friendship or affection.
Rivet and nail me where I stand, ye powers!
Thus his confidence was riveted and confirmed.
Bolt
A (usually) metal fastener consisting of a cylindrical body that is threaded, with a larger head on one end. It can be inserted into an unthreaded hole up to the head, with a nut then threaded on the other end; a heavy machine screw.
Rivet
Ornament consisting of a circular rounded protuberance (as on a vault or shield or belt)
Bolt
A sliding pin or bar in a lock or latch mechanism.
Rivet
Heavy pin having a head at one end and the other end being hammered flat after being passed through holes in the pieces that are fastened together
Bolt
A bar of wood or metal dropped in horizontal hooks on a door and adjoining wall or between the two sides of a double door, to prevent the door(s) from being forced open.
Rivet
Direct one's attention on something;
Please focus on your studies and not on your hobbies
Bolt
A sliding mechanism to chamber and unchamber a cartridge in a firearm.
Rivet
Fasten with a rivet or rivets
Bolt
A small personal-armour-piercing missile for short-range use, or (in common usage though deprecated by experts) a short arrow, intended to be shot from a crossbow or a catapult.
Rivet
Hold (someone's attention);
The discovery of the skull riveted the paleontologists
Bolt
A lightning spark, i.e., a lightning bolt.
Rivet
To fasten or fix firmly.
He riveted the nameplate onto the box.
Bolt
A sudden event, action or emotion.
The problem's solution struck him like a bolt from the blue.
Rivet
To join or fasten parts.
The jeweler riveted the delicate pieces of the necklace.
Bolt
A large roll of fabric or similar material, as a bolt of cloth.
Bolt
(nautical) The standard linear measurement of canvas for use at sea: 39 yards.
Bolt
A sudden spring or start; a sudden leap aside.
The horse made a bolt.
Bolt
A sudden flight, as to escape creditors.
Bolt
A refusal to support a nomination made by the party with which one has been connected; a breaking away from one's party.
Bolt
An iron to fasten the legs of a prisoner; a shackle; a fetter.
Bolt
A burst of speed or efficiency.
Bolt
A stalk or scape (of garlic, onion, etc).
Bolt
A sieve, especially a long fine sieve used in milling for bolting flour and meal; a bolter.
Bolt
To connect or assemble pieces using a bolt.
Bolt the vice to the bench.
Bolt
To secure a door by locking or barring it.
Bolt the door.
Bolt
(intransitive) To flee, to depart, to accelerate suddenly.
Seeing the snake, the horse bolted.
The actor forgot his line and bolted from the stage.
Bolt
(transitive) To cause to start or spring forth; to dislodge (an animal being hunted).
To bolt a rabbit
Bolt
To strike or fall suddenly like a bolt.
Bolt
(intransitive) To escape.
Bolt
To produce flower stalks and flowers or seeds quickly or prematurely; to form a bolt (stalk or scape); to go to seed.
Lettuce and spinach will bolt as the weather warms up.
Bolt
To swallow food without chewing it.
Bolt
To drink one's drink very quickly; to down a drink.
Come on, everyone, bolt your drinks; I want to go to the next pub!
Bolt
To refuse to support a nomination made by a party or caucus with which one has been connected; to break away from a party.
Bolt
To utter precipitately; to blurt or throw out.
Bolt
To sift, especially through a cloth.
Bolt
To sift the bran and germ from wheat flour.
Graham flour is unbolted flour; in contrast, some other flours have been bolted.
Bolt
To separate, assort, refine, or purify by other means.
Bolt
(legal) To discuss or argue privately, and for practice, as cases at law.
Bolt
Suddenly; straight; unbendingly.
The soldiers stood bolt upright for inspection.
Bolt
A shaft or missile intended to be shot from a crossbow or catapult, esp. a short, stout, blunt-headed arrow; a quarrel; an arrow, or that which resembles an arrow; a dart.
Look that the crossbowmen lack not bolts.
A fool's bolt is soon shot.
Bolt
Lightning; a thunderbolt.
Bolt
A strong pin, of iron or other material, used to fasten or hold something in place, often having a head at one end and screw thread cut upon the other end.
Bolt
A sliding catch, or fastening, as for a door or gate; the portion of a lock which is shot or withdrawn by the action of the key.
Bolt
An iron to fasten the legs of a prisoner; a shackle; a fetter.
Away with him to prison!lay bolts enough upon him.
Bolt
A compact package or roll of cloth, as of canvas or silk, often containing about forty yards.
Bolt
A bundle, as of oziers.
Bolt
A sudden spring or start; a sudden spring aside; as, the horse made a bolt.
Bolt
A sudden flight, as to escape creditors.
This gentleman was so hopelessly involved that he contemplated a bolt to America - or anywhere.
Bolt
A refusal to support a nomination made by the party with which one has been connected; a breaking away from one's party.
Bolt
A sieve, esp. a long fine sieve used in milling for bolting flour and meal; a bolter.
Bolt
To shoot; to discharge or drive forth.
Bolt
To utter precipitately; to blurt or throw out.
I hate when Vice can bolt her arguments.
Bolt
To swallow without chewing; as, to bolt food; often used with down.
Bolt
To refuse to support, as a nomination made by a party to which one has belonged or by a caucus in which one has taken part.
Bolt
To cause to start or spring forth; to dislodge, as conies, rabbits, etc.
Bolt
To fasten or secure with, or as with, a bolt or bolts, as a door, a timber, fetters; to shackle; to restrain.
Let tenfold iron bolt my door.
Which shackles accidents and bolts up change.
Bolt
To start forth like a bolt or arrow; to spring abruptly; to come or go suddenly; to dart; as, to bolt out of the room.
This Puck seems but a dreaming dolt, . . . And oft out of a bush doth bolt.
Bolt
To strike or fall suddenly like a bolt.
His cloudless thunder bolted on their heads.
Bolt
To spring suddenly aside, or out of the regular path; as, the horse bolted.
Bolt
To refuse to support a nomination made by a party or a caucus with which one has been connected; to break away from a party.
Bolt
To sift or separate the coarser from the finer particles of, as bran from flour, by means of a bolter; to separate, assort, refine, or purify by other means.
He now had bolted all the flour.
Ill schooled in bolted language.
Bolt
To separate, as if by sifting or bolting; - with out.
Time and nature will bolt out the truth of things.
Bolt
To discuss or argue privately, and for practice, as cases at law.
This bolts the matter fairly to the bran.
The report of the committee was examined and sifted and bolted to the bran.
Bolt
In the manner of a bolt; suddenly; straight; unbendingly.
[He] came bolt up against the heavy dragoon.
Bolt
A discharge of lightning accompanied by thunder
Bolt
A sliding bar in a breech-loading firearm that ejects an empty cartridge and replaces it and closes the breech
Bolt
The part of a lock that is engaged or withdrawn with a key
Bolt
The act of moving with great haste;
He made a dash for the door
Bolt
A roll of cloth or wallpaper of a definite length
Bolt
A screw that screws into a nut to form a fastener
Bolt
A sudden abandonment (as from a political party)
Bolt
Move or jump suddenly;
She bolted from her seat
Bolt
Secure or lock with a bolt;
Bolt the door
Bolt
Swallow hastily
Bolt
Run away; usually includes taking something or somebody along
Bolt
Leave suddenly and as if in a hurry;
The listeners bolted when he discussed his strange ideas
When she started to tell silly stories, I ran out
Bolt
Eat hastily without proper chewing;
Don't bolt your food!
Bolt
Make or roll into bolts;
Bolt fabric
Bolt
In a rigid manner;
The body was rigidly erect
Ge sat bolt upright
Bolt
Directly;
He ran bang into the pole
Ran slap into her
Bolt
A sliding metal bar on a door for locking.
She slid the bolt across to lock the door.
Bolt
A sudden dash or run.
The horse made a bolt for the barn.
Bolt
A roll of fabric or wallpaper.
They purchased a bolt of silk for the costume.
Common Curiosities
Do I need a special tool to install a bolt?
No, standard tools like wrenches are typically used.
What's a rivet used for?
A rivet is used to create a permanent joint between two pieces.
Can bolts be reused?
Yes, bolts can be reused if they are undamaged.
What's a bolt used for?
A bolt is used to assemble parts with a nut, allowing for removability.
Are bolts stronger than rivets?
Bolts can be stronger but it depends on the application and the types of loads.
How do I choose the right size bolt?
Choose based on the diameter and length required for the thickness of your materials.
Are rivets more secure than bolts?
Rivets can be more secure as they create permanent joints.
Can rivets be reused?
No, once installed, rivets are not meant to be reused.
Do I need a special tool to install a rivet?
Yes, a rivet gun or hammer is needed for installation.
How do I choose the right size rivet?
The rivet length should match the total thickness of the materials to be joined.
Can bolts come loose over time?
Yes, if not properly tightened or subject to vibration, bolts can loosen.
Can rivets come loose over time?
Rivets are less likely to loosen due to their permanent installation.
What materials can bolts and rivets be made from?
Both can be made from various metals like steel, aluminum, and brass.
Are bolts or rivets better for outdoor use?
Both can be used outdoors, but materials and coatings should be considered for corrosion resistance.
Can I remove a rivet if needed?
It's possible but difficult and often involves drilling out the rivet.
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Written by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
