How do I remove rivets in tiles?

[Mezzmay]

I have a bath with a shower frame sitting on the bath which I would like to remove and replace with a shower curtain. I have removed the sliding doors and am left with the frame and a fixed glass frame at the end of the bathtub.

[JacobZ]

Hi @Mezzmay,

Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community. It is fantastic to have you with us.

The best way to remove rivets is by drilling them out with a drill bit that is slightly larger than the hole in the centre.

This method would be the same regardless of the surface the rivets are installed on; you would just need to be more cautious because of the glass and tiles.

Please ensure you wear gloves, enclosed shoes, long protective clothing and eye protection while conducting this work.

The most important thing is that your drill bit is the correct size. If you could take a photo of your rivets with a ruler or tape measure showing the scale in millimetres, we could certainly assist with a recommendation for drill bits.

Let me know what you think, and if you have any further questions, please don't hesitate to ask.

Jacob

[Mezzmay]

Hello JacobZ

Thank you I have attached photo

[JacobZ · Accepted solution]

Hi @Mezzmay,

Based on your image, it looks like a 4.5mm drill bit or 5mm drill bit would be the way to go. I would suggest this Kango 4.5mm HSS Drill Bit or the 5mm variant should do the trick.

Essentially, you are going to be drilling down through the head of the rivet until a point where it disconnects from the body and it will fall off.

Start slowly, applying very light pressure to your drill, allowing the bit to do most of the work. Once your drill bit starts to cut into the metal, you can gradually speed up. You should start to feel the rivet head losing connection with the body, and at this time, you should slow the drill or even stop to assess, as you don't want it to snap off and have your drill slip while it is still drilling.

If you have a look on YouTube, there are some good examples you can have a look at to see the process and what you should expect. Seeing what happens should help you understand what to expect and feel more confident in what you are doing.

Let me know what you think and if you have further questions, please don't hesitate to ask.

Jacob

[Mezzmay]

Thanks Jacob