Awning rail rivet removal

[Peter J Halsted]

I removed my Trilliums awning rail as some were snapped off and I thought I would replace them all and put down a new strip of butyl. I was left with the old rivet stubs sticking out from the fiberglass. How to I remove them as I don't want to drill through into the ensolite? Can they be pushed in behind the ensolite in order to insert new rivets.
Thanks

[Raya]

If you aren't going to fish in behind the Ensolite from the inside, I think your only choice is to try to push them in from outside. I might slightly worry about them making a hard spot on the inside and stressing/poking through the Ensolite, but perhaps you can determine that that will not be a problem (and it may not be).

Raya

[Peter J Halsted]

Thanks. If I choose to fish them out from the inside would I need to peel back the ensolite? If I need to what glue should be used to attach it back in place.

[Nita F.]

Peter,

After you push in the remaining part of the rivet could you cut a small "x" through the Ensolite to retrieve it? You might need to put a dot of contact cement to close the "x".

Nita

[Raya]

I would probably try to lift the Ensolite at the nearest seam or window - an existing cut - if you want to retrieve the rivet ends. You might be able to stick it back just by heating the existing contact cement-type stuff with a hairdryer and pressing. Otherwise I would try one of the 3M aerosol products (Spray 90 or the like; sorry I don't have the exact ones memorized - Spray 77 is probably a bit too light). Basically some type of spray contact cementish product.

Others will probably chime in about the re-sticking.

But you may find they are not an issue in there.