Staple (fastener) facts for kids

A pile of staples commonly used in the home or office

A staple is a small, U-shaped piece of metal. It is mainly used to hold sheets of paper together. You might also see larger staples used to attach paper to special walls called bulletin boards. Some very strong staples are used in building and making things. These can be found in roofing, making corrugated boxes, and other heavy-duty jobs.

What is a Staple?

Staples are a type of fastener. This means they are used to join things together. Most staples are made from metal wire. They have two sharp points that pierce through materials. Then, the ends are bent to secure the items.

How Staples Hold Things Together

When you push a staple through paper, the two ends, called "legs," come out the other side. A part of the stapler, called an "anvil," then bends these legs. They can be bent inward, making the staple flat against the paper. Or, they can be bent outward, which is useful for temporary fastening.

Staples in use, showing the front side (center), and two examples of the back side: the legs bent outward on the left, and inward on the right

Types of Staples and Their Uses

Staples come in many sizes and strengths. The small ones are perfect for school and office work. Larger, stronger staples are used in construction and manufacturing.

Office and School Staples

These are the most common staples you see. They are used with a stapler to join paper documents. Different sizes fit different staplers.

Staple strips used in modern staplers, with a coin for size comparison

Heavy-Duty and Industrial Staples

Some staples are much bigger and stronger. They are used for things like:

• Roofing: To attach shingles to a roof.
• Construction: To fasten wood, insulation, or other building materials.
• Packaging: To seal large cardboard boxes.

Specialty Staples

There are also staples designed for very specific jobs.

• Surgical Staples: Doctors use tiny staples to close wounds after surgery. These are very safe and sterile.
• Repair Staples: In the past, people used metal staples to fix broken pottery or other items. These staples would hold the pieces together.

Surgical staples used on a hip

Staples used to repair a Meissen plate.

How Staplers Work

A stapler is a tool that pushes and bends staples. Most staplers have a magazine that holds a strip of staples. When you press down, a blade pushes one staple through the paper. Then, the anvil underneath bends the staple's legs.

Different Kinds of Staplers

• Desk Staplers: These are common in offices and homes.
• Booklet Staplers: Some staplers have a long arm or a rotating head. This helps them staple the middle of a booklet.
• Staple Guns: These are hand-held tools that shoot staples into harder materials like wood. They are often used for crafts or home repairs.

A common stapler with a dual-function anvil that can bend legs inward or outward

A stapler with a body that can be rotated for booklets

Using a staple gun

History of Staples

People have used fasteners similar to staples for a very long time. Early examples include metal pins or clamps used to join materials. The first known stapler was made for King Louis XV of France in the 1700s. Each staple was handmade and had the king's special mark.

The modern paper staple and stapler became popular in the late 1800s. Many inventors worked on making staplers easier to use and staples easier to produce in large numbers. This made them a common tool for offices and schools around the world.

Dovetail Staples from Pasargadae, an ancient city.

Images for kids

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  A staple (from which the paper fastener was developed)

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  A 1775 definition of the English word staple

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  An insulated staple

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  A stapler from the German Manufaktur BUKAMA typ Knirps A 24/6, currently at the MEK

See also

In Spanish: Grapa para niños