- Thin cut-resistant gloves are my go-to for anything fiddly—can’t beat being able to actually feel what you’re doing.
- Leather’s great for hauling rough lumber, but I’ve had a few sweaty hands and still got splinters... not perfect.
- For paint and stain, I’m with you—disposables are just easier. I buy the big box at the warehouse store and don’t feel too bad tossing ‘em after a messy job.
- Tried washing the reusable ones after stain once. Regretted it. Still smells like deck stain in the laundry room.
- Guess it’s all about picking your battles (and not spending a fortune on gloves).
Tried washing the reusable ones after stain once. Regretted it. Still smells like deck stain in the laundry room.
That right there hit home. I’ve lost a couple of otherwise decent pairs to oil-based stains. Once that stuff gets in, it’s like the gloves are permanently off-gassing. My wife wasn’t thrilled about the “freshly sealed deck” aroma wafting out of the dryer for a week. I’ve just accepted that for paint and stain, disposables are the only way to go—no sense trying to salvage those.
On the job, I’m in and out of crawlspaces, attics, and sometimes have to poke around in places that haven’t seen daylight in decades. I’ve tried just about every glove type. Thin nitrile cut-resistant ones are a must when I’m fiddling with electrical panels or poking around sharp edges. They’re not perfect—sometimes I wish they breathed a bit more—but I’d rather deal with sweaty hands than bandage up another knuckle.
Leather gloves, though... mixed feelings. They’re great for dragging old joists or handling insulation that wants to bite you, but I’ve had splinters punch right through more than once. Plus, on a humid day, they turn into little hand saunas. I’ve started keeping a couple pairs in rotation so I can swap out when one gets too gross.
One thing I’ll add—eye protection is just as much of a “pick your battle” situation. I used to buy the cheap bulk packs, but they scratch up fast and fog like crazy in attics. Now I spend a bit more for anti-fog, and honestly, it’s worth it when you’re crawling under a house and the last thing you need is blurry vision.
End of the day, I think you nailed it: “Guess it’s all about picking your battles (and not spending a fortune on gloves).” There’s no perfect system, just the least annoying option for whatever mess you’re dealing with that day.
You’re not kidding about the “freshly sealed deck” smell—one time I tossed a pair of stained gloves in with my work jeans and everything came out smelling like a hardware aisle for days. For me, disposables are a must for anything with oil or stain, but I keep reusables for demo and hauling junk. I do wish someone would invent gloves that don’t turn your hands into soup by noon, though. As for eye protection, I’ve yet to find a pair that doesn’t fog up when I’m crawling under a house in July. Maybe it’s just the universe’s way of telling us to take more breaks?
