Hot riveting is a specialist technique that once formed the backbone of boiler construction and structural steelwork throughout the industrial era. Today, the skill is rarely seen outside a select group of heritage engineering specialists. At McEwen Boilermakers, we are proud to be among the last in the UK and Ireland still offering a full professional hot riveting service.

Hot riveting involves heating rivets until red-hot, inserting them into pre-drilled holes, and forming a head with a pneumatic or hand hammer while the metal is still malleable. As the rivet cools, it contracts, pulling the joined materials together in a tight, permanent seal.

This traditional method remains essential in the restoration of vintage steam boilers, pressure vessels, and period structural fabrications where authenticity, durability, and regulatory compliance are key.