Tarpaulin eyelet press
Updated: 23 October 2026
A trailer sheet, a tent or a groundsheet has torn at one eyelet, and you are deciding whether a 4 kg lever belongs in the boot. A tarpaulin eyelet press is worth buying only when you will set many 10 mm or 12 mm rings and you can fix the base. One hole is usually a hammer kit. Press prices stay on the [Eyelet press comparison](/hub/diy-supplies/eyelet-press). Listings and UK sheet-repair sources were used on 21 October 2026, not a lab test of a cover. A qualifying purchase can earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
A trailer sheet, a tent or a groundsheet has torn at one eyelet, and you are deciding whether a 4 kg lever belongs in the boot.
A trailer sheet, a tent or a groundsheet has torn at one eyelet, and you are deciding whether a 4 kg lever belongs in the boot. A tarpaulin eyelet press is worth buying only when you will set many 10 mm or 12 mm rings and you can fix the base. One hole is usually a hammer kit. Press prices stay on the Eyelet press comparison. Listings and UK sheet-repair sources were used on 21 October 2026, not a lab test of a cover. A qualifying purchase can earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Our top picks
| Badge | Product | Dies | Rings | Frame | Note | Price | Offer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best overall |  KATSU KATSU 4-die hand press | 6 / 10 / 12 / 14 mm | 400 | Iron | 8.2 | about £34.98 | View offer |
| Best value |  KATSU KATSU 3-die hand press | 6 / 10 / 12 mm | 1,500 | Iron, also described as cast iron | 7.5 | about £32.99 | View offer |
| Alternative |  FreeTec FreeTec 3-die hand press | 6 / 10 / 12 mm | 1,500 silver | Cast iron | 7.0 | about £35.95 | View offer |
On this page
The hole size already on UK sheets
UK hammer kits for sheets are sold by the inside diameter, usually 10 mm or 12 mm. Hanford Trailers' TE061 kit is 12 mm inside and 20 mm outside, at about £10.28, and it is a punch-and-hammer set.
The 6 mm die is the wrong hole for that sheet. DASBET prints #2 as 9.5 mm, so a 9.5 mm die still needs a scrap test against a 10 mm ring. Only the KATSU four-die press, at about £34.98, also lists 14 mm. Use 14 mm only when the old hole is that large. BOOMSTART states both 8 mm and 10 mm for the middle size, so prefer a listing that prints 10 mm and 12 mm together. Hanford's 20 mm outside flange is not a 23 mm flange. Set one ring on scrap of the same sheet before you cut the cover.
Hammer kit or lever press
For one torn eyelet, buy the hammer kit that matches the old size. Wonkee Donkee's guide is a punch, the lower eyelet, the washer and a hammer, usually about £5–£11. Two holes do not, by themselves, justify buying a 4 kg press if you do not already own one.
Buy the lever when the same sheet, or a run of covers, needs many rings and you have a board to fix the base. Some pliers are too small for a tarpaulin. That split is on the eyelet press vs pliers page. If the answer is a press, mount, ring quality and review count are on the eyelet press buying guide.
The KATSU three-die kit is about £32.99 with 4.0 from 191 ratings. The four-die kit adds 14 mm at about £34.98 and only 400 eyelets. FreeTec is about £35.95 with 3.9 from 687 ratings: buyers set tarp eyelets and also report snapped bases. Boxed rings are often called soft, so a brass ring from a sheet kit can be the better metal.
Patch, then set
If the cloth around the old eyelet is torn, a new ring in the same hole will pull out. House of Tents says to patch first, then fit an eyelet of about 10–12 mm through the patch and the sheet. A ring clamps layers. It does not replace missing weave. Cut the hole in the patched stack, not in the frayed original.
None of these listings states a maximum thickness. Set a trial ring on a double layer of scrap. If the barrel will not curl, the stack is too thick for that die. If you use the press, fix the base first.
Hanford's 12 mm inside and 20 mm outside kit is a different fitting from a 12 mm ring with a 23 mm flange.
What this repair does not prove
A neat ring means the patch is held at that point. It does not mean the sheet is safe as a load cover. If the tarpaulin restrains cargo, a failed eyelet can release a strap or a load. None of these presses is sold with a load rating. A cracked frame is a return under the Consumer Rights Act 2015, not a tool you finish the cover with.
Do not add a pipe to the handle because the PVC feels stiff. FreeTec's brittle-iron warning is about that extra leverage. A press you already own is reasonable for a row of tent eyelets. A press bought for a single eyelet is a heavy answer to a hammer kit around £10.
Common questions
What size eyelet is on a typical UK tarpaulin kit?
Hammer kits for UK sheets are about 10 mm or 12 mm inside. Hanford Trailers' TE061 is 12 mm inside and 20 mm outside at about £10.28. House of Tents uses the same 10–12 mm band for tents and tarps. Measure the old ring. Twelve millimetres inside is not one outside diameter.
Will the 6 mm die in the press fit that sheet?
No. A 6 mm die is a small craft size. The sheet kits here are 10 mm or 12 mm inside. DASBET's #2 die is printed as 9.5 mm, which still needs a scrap test against a 10 mm ring. Use the 10 mm or 12 mm die, and use 14 mm only when the old hole is that size. The KATSU four-die kit is the only press here that lists 14 mm.
Should I patch before I set a new ring?
Yes, if the weave around the old eyelet is torn. A ring pulls out of a frayed hole. House of Tents says to patch first, then fit an eyelet of about 10–12 mm through the patch and the sheet. The washer needs sound cloth under it. These press listings do not state a maximum thickness in millimetres.
Can I use pliers on a trailer cover?
Only if those pliers are large enough for a sheet eyelet. Wonkee Donkee notes that some pliers are too small for a tarpaulin. For one hole, a hammer kit in the right size is the more predictable tool. A lever press is for repeated rings, with the base fixed and a 10 mm or 12 mm die.
Does a neat ring mean the sheet is safe as a load cover?
No. A tidy eyelet shows that the patch is clamped at that point. It is not a load rating, and these presses are not sold as restraint hardware. If the cover holds cargo, stop and use a repair specified for that sheet. Do not finish a cargo sheet on a split frame.
Related pages
Sources
Public UK sources and the amazon.co.uk listings compared on this page. Updated 22.10.2026.
- GOV.UK: General Product Safety Regulations 2005 (retrieved 22.10.2026)
- General Product Safety Regulations 2005 (retrieved 22.10.2026)
- HSE: PUWER overview (retrieved 22.10.2026)
- Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 (retrieved 22.10.2026)
- HSE: EIS30, industrial presses (retrieved 22.10.2026)
- Consumer Rights Act 2015 (retrieved 22.10.2026)
- Wonkee Donkee: replace tarpaulin eyelets (retrieved 22.10.2026)
- House of Tents: repair tent tarpaulins (retrieved 22.10.2026)