How To Install A Grommet In Canvas Easily
Metal grommets make hanging things so much easier, but how do you get grommets into your fabrics? Installing a grommet into canvas is actually much easier than you might think, so long as you have the right tools.
Grommets can help create holes in canvas that allow you to hang a canvas with ease. This canvas may be artwork or fabric used as curtains or other types of coverings. Grommets are made with thick, heavy metal, so it’s a much simpler process when you have the right tools to put them in place.
Install Metal Grommets How To Guide
The easiest method to install grommets in canvas is using a small piece of wood, a hole cutter, and a mallet or hammer. You’ll also want a pencil so you can measure the size of the hole you need appropriately. Sit the canvas on the small piece of wood where you’d like your grommet to go.
Place the grommet where you’d like it on the canvas and trace it with a pencil. Place your hole punch within that circle and hammer the hole punch until you’ve made a hole. The wood underneath the canvas will help to keep everything steady.
Once your tarp hole is made, you can insert your grommet into the hole and fasten it appropriately. You may have to use a hammer to secure your grommet with a washer, depending on the grommet you have.
Do You Need A Tool To Install Grommets?
You can try to install grommets without tools if your canvas isn’t super thick. You’ll still want to trace around your spur grommets on the canvas with a pencil, so you make sure you’re pushing it into the right place.
Once you’ve traced your grommets, you can take the sharper side of the grommet and push it into the canvas. This might take some strength to get it through. You’ll also likely need a hammer or something similar to fasten the grommet into place.
Just be aware that installing a grommet without tools may cause unintended damage to the fabric. This may not matter depending on what you’re using the canvas for. You just have to be very careful to make sure the fabric doesn’t move around while you’re pushing the grommet through with your hands.
Can You Hammer A Grommet?
Hammering a grommet is likely the easiest method to ensure your grommet is as secure as possible. Even if you are installing grommets without tools, twisting a washer or the other end of the grommet to keep it in place is hard to do with your hand.
If your canvas is thin, you may be able to simply hammer the grommet into the fabric after tracing its proper place. You should still do this on a hard surface to avoid damaging your furniture. If you’re nervous about using a regular hammer, since they can be heavy, you can opt for a rubber mallet or something similar.
If you don’t have a hammer, you can use something heavy in its place so long as you can hold it steady. Since grommets also come in rubber, it may be difficult to hammer these in place. You’ll likely only need to push these into a hole once you’ve created it with your hole punch and hammer.
Grommet Vs. Eyelet: What’s The Difference?
Grommets and eyelets are similar in terms of their purpose, but they are rarely used interchangeably. Eyelets are also much smaller than grommets, but both are usually made with metal. A grommet comes in two pieces; the larger piece has a long circular edge that pushes through the fabric, and the smaller piece helps secure the grommet into place.
Eyelets are more of a decorative accent to fabric used for clothing or home accessories, such as blankets or tapestries. Metal eyelets also have holes that let you weave smaller threads or ribbons through if needed.
For heavy duty canvas, a grommet will probably hold its weight much easier than an eyelet grommet would. As mentioned, grommets also come in bigger sizes, which is ideal when you’re hanging a canvas curtain or a sizeable piece of canvas.
Grommets And Installation Tools
Grommets can come in different sizes, so you’ll often need additional tools to put them into place carefully. This could include pliers designed specifically for placing a grommet in place. Anvils can also be used as a hard surface to hammer the grommet into the fabric.
Depending on what you need grommets for, you can also purchase a grommet press. These machines help to eliminate a lot of tools you’d need and also make installing grommets more seamless. If you’re adding grommets to fabrics, grommet presses will allow you to pass the fabric through so you can push the grommet tube into it with the press.
You can also find handheld hole punch tools that look similar to paper hole punchers, but are larger to mimic the size of a grommet. This can be helpful if you only need help making holes for a standard sized grommet. These also press the grommet in place while simultaneously making a grommet hole, making the job much easier.
Grommet Kits
At your local hardware store, you will probably find a selection of grommet installation kits that come with a variety of grommets, hole punches, and/or pliers. These kits are very affordable and come with some very handy tools.
Some kits will also come with grommets in different sizes or colors. These kits can be a great place to start when you’re putting together your crafting tool collection. Grommets can also be purchased on their own, which you might need if you’re looking for huge grommets for curtains or large artwork canvases.
Conclusion
Installing a grommet into canvas can be done with a few simple tools that you have in your tool kit. There are also accessories available at most hardware stores that will inexpensively help you secure your grommet to hang your canvas safely.
