Why don’t I simply go without gloves? First off, it goes back to previously working as a nurse and donning my daily Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), which basically means wearing the appropriate protective gear for the task at hand.
Even though the paints, mediums, silicone, etc. are supposedly non-toxic, that doesn’t mean they won’t irritate the skin with prolonged use. Second, my skin is exceptionally dry anyway, so the more I need to wash my hands, the dryer they get. Gloving up basically cuts the repeated hand washing way down.
Lastly, I like to have my nails done, and let’s face it, scrubbing dried paint off a new set of acrylic nails is just counterproductive!
Now, think about when you’re in the pouring zone: the tilting starts, and without fail the hands are saturated in glorious color. You don’t want to stop and change gloves, since there is more tilting, swiping, string dipping, bubble poppin’ activity that needs your full attention.
So what are you gonna do? Well, now—I reach for the paper towels, dry my gloved hands, and continue to work my painting. But this wasn’t the case when I first started pour painting…
As a nurse, when it came to disposable gloves—if they got saturated, you’d change them as soon as safely possible. When I first journeyed into paint pouring, there were times I changed my gloves three to five times per painting.
Yes, I quickly stopped that, but found when I took my gloves off, my hands had paint on them – so I started doubling up on my gloves.
My next glove purchase was much better, but I still wondered if there were other brands that might be even more appropriate for paint pouring and I searched for better options. I tried a wide variety of disposable gloves and at last found my perfect match.
After years of wearing latex gloves with no problems, I am now allergic to latex, so I had to find a new alternative. I decided to do an official comparison and share the results with you, the Acrylic Pouring community. I am extremely grateful to Glovenation.com for donating six of the seven samples used for this comparison.
ALL gloves passed the five minute leak test, and five minute nail manipulation with second fingers-only paint soak.
4/5 stars
Price: $10.99 per box of 120; $14.99 per box of 200; coupons and discounts frequently issued
Sizing: One size fits most
Pros: Lightweight, vinyl, one size fits most, longer cuff that covers more
Cons: One size fits most limits the ability to choose a glove that fits a specific hand size. The cuffs are longer, but if you don’t wear a large, you’re likely to get paint on your wrists or even hands—especially if you have small hands.
Apollo Powder Free Latex Gloves
4/5 stars
Price: $6.09 per box of 100 or $60.90 per case (10 boxes of 100, 1000 gloves per case). Sign up for discounts and coupons.
Sizing: Available in Small, Medium, Large, XL.
Pros: Large size fits like x-large; lightly textured, which helped with gripping wet canvases.
Cons: Shorter wrist cuff. Must be purchased by the case.
Verge Powder Free Latex Gloves
3/5 stars
Price: $5.69 per box 100, $56.90 per case of 1,000. Sign up for discounts and coupons.
Sizing: Available in Small, Medium, Large, XL.
Pros: If you like a large glove, this will fit nicely. Lightly textured grip; lightweight; longer wrist cuff.
Cons: Feels really thin—don’t know if they would hold up for more manipulation or a second painting. No assistance from texture when trying to grip wet canvases. Must be purchased by the case.
Verge Indigo Nitrile Gloves
4/5 stars Verge
Price: $5.39 per box of 100; $53.90 per case of 1,000. Sign up for discounts and coupons.
Sizing: Available in Small, Medium, Large, XL.
Pros: Lightweight yet durable, textured grip, seemed like slightly smaller glove sizes, shorter wrist cuff.
Cons: Although textured, seemed a bit slippery when moving around wet canvas once gloves were also wet. Must be purchased by the case.
Pacific Powder Free Nitrile Gloves
4/5 stars
Price: $5.89 per box 100 (90 per box of XX-Large); $58.90 per case of 1,000 (900 for the XX-Large). Sign up for discounts and coupons.
Sizing: Available in Small, Medium, Large, XL, XXL.
Pros: Comes in XX-Large, lightweight, powder-free, lightly textured, chemical resistant, longer cuffs.
Cons: Although textured, seemed a bit slippery when moving around wet canvas once gloves were also wet. Must be purchased by the case.
Blue Rhino Powder Free Nitrile Gloves
5/5 stars
Price: $9.59 per box 100 (90 of XXL). $95.00 per case of 1,000 (900 for the XXL). Sign up for discounts and coupons.
Sizing: Available in Small, Medium, Large, XL, XXL.
Pros: Comes in XXL; wrist cuff fits snugly while providing resistance to oils and corrosive chemicals; wrist cuff shorter than Black Rhino’s (see below); textured grip was helpful when moving around wet canvases; puncture resistant. Good option for resin work as well.
Cons: Due to tighter wrist cuffs, need to make sure gloves are completely dried before you try to pull them off. Must be purchased by the case.
Black Rhino Powder Free Nitrile Gloves
5/5 stars
Price: $10.90 per box of 100 (90 for XXL). $100.90 per case 1,000 (900 of XXL). Sign up for discounts and coupons.
Sizing: Available in Small, Medium, Large, XL, XXL.
Pros: Available in XXL; 6.0 mm thick; heavier texture prevented slipping with paint-soaked gloves when manipulating wet canvases; wrist cuff fits snugly while providing resistance to oils and corrosive chemicals; puncture resistant; finger length seemed longer than other samples. Good option for resin work as well.
Cons: Heavy material, and due to tighter wrist cuffs you need to make sure gloves are completely dry before you try to pull them off. Must be purchased by the case.
I hope this helps you find the best glove for your pouring needs. If you have a favorite brand we didn’t mention here, please do let us know in the comments. No matter what gloves you use, it’s always a joy to get them dirty. Pour on, my friends!
Even though the paints, mediums, silicone, etc. are supposedly non-toxic, that doesn’t mean they won’t irritate the skin with prolonged use. Second, my skin is exceptionally dry anyway, so the more I need to wash my hands, the dryer they get. Gloving up basically cuts the repeated hand washing way down.
Lastly, I like to have my nails done, and let’s face it, scrubbing dried paint off a new set of acrylic nails is just counterproductive!
Now, think about when you’re in the pouring zone: the tilting starts, and without fail the hands are saturated in glorious color. You don’t want to stop and change gloves, since there is more tilting, swiping, string dipping, bubble poppin’ activity that needs your full attention.
So what are you gonna do? Well, now—I reach for the paper towels, dry my gloved hands, and continue to work my painting. But this wasn’t the case when I first started pour painting…
As a nurse, when it came to disposable gloves—if they got saturated, you’d change them as soon as safely possible. When I first journeyed into paint pouring, there were times I changed my gloves three to five times per painting.
Yes, I quickly stopped that, but found when I took my gloves off, my hands had paint on them – so I started doubling up on my gloves.
My next glove purchase was much better, but I still wondered if there were other brands that might be even more appropriate for paint pouring and I searched for better options. I tried a wide variety of disposable gloves and at last found my perfect match.
After years of wearing latex gloves with no problems, I am now allergic to latex, so I had to find a new alternative. I decided to do an official comparison and share the results with you, the Acrylic Pouring community. I am extremely grateful to Glovenation.com for donating six of the seven samples used for this comparison.
Testing Process
The following process was used for EACH sample brand of gloves tested:
- I used one consistent pair of white gloves under samples to show comparison of wrist lengths and any paint bleed-through.
- I poured acrylic paints on an 8×10 canvas for each glove sample, with full manipulation and tilting, keeping gloves saturated.
- I wiped off gloves at exactly five minutes, then used gloved fingernails to remove old paint from tops of paint bottles.
- Final challenge: After nail scraping I then placed fingertips in a puddle of paint to soak for an additional five minutes to simulate a repour, extensive manipulation, or a much larger canvas before removing gloves.
ALL gloves passed the five minute leak test, and five minute nail manipulation with second fingers-only paint soak.
Here are my additional findings from the comparison:
Walgreen’s Vinyl Gloves, one size fits most4/5 stars
Price: $10.99 per box of 120; $14.99 per box of 200; coupons and discounts frequently issued
Sizing: One size fits most
Pros: Lightweight, vinyl, one size fits most, longer cuff that covers more
Cons: One size fits most limits the ability to choose a glove that fits a specific hand size. The cuffs are longer, but if you don’t wear a large, you’re likely to get paint on your wrists or even hands—especially if you have small hands.
Apollo Powder Free Latex Gloves
4/5 stars
Price: $6.09 per box of 100 or $60.90 per case (10 boxes of 100, 1000 gloves per case). Sign up for discounts and coupons.
Sizing: Available in Small, Medium, Large, XL.
Pros: Large size fits like x-large; lightly textured, which helped with gripping wet canvases.
Cons: Shorter wrist cuff. Must be purchased by the case.
Verge Powder Free Latex Gloves
3/5 stars
Price: $5.69 per box 100, $56.90 per case of 1,000. Sign up for discounts and coupons.
Sizing: Available in Small, Medium, Large, XL.
Pros: If you like a large glove, this will fit nicely. Lightly textured grip; lightweight; longer wrist cuff.
Cons: Feels really thin—don’t know if they would hold up for more manipulation or a second painting. No assistance from texture when trying to grip wet canvases. Must be purchased by the case.
Verge Indigo Nitrile Gloves
4/5 stars Verge
Price: $5.39 per box of 100; $53.90 per case of 1,000. Sign up for discounts and coupons.
Sizing: Available in Small, Medium, Large, XL.
Pros: Lightweight yet durable, textured grip, seemed like slightly smaller glove sizes, shorter wrist cuff.
Cons: Although textured, seemed a bit slippery when moving around wet canvas once gloves were also wet. Must be purchased by the case.
Pacific Powder Free Nitrile Gloves
4/5 stars
Price: $5.89 per box 100 (90 per box of XX-Large); $58.90 per case of 1,000 (900 for the XX-Large). Sign up for discounts and coupons.
Sizing: Available in Small, Medium, Large, XL, XXL.
Pros: Comes in XX-Large, lightweight, powder-free, lightly textured, chemical resistant, longer cuffs.
Cons: Although textured, seemed a bit slippery when moving around wet canvas once gloves were also wet. Must be purchased by the case.
Blue Rhino Powder Free Nitrile Gloves
5/5 stars
Price: $9.59 per box 100 (90 of XXL). $95.00 per case of 1,000 (900 for the XXL). Sign up for discounts and coupons.
Sizing: Available in Small, Medium, Large, XL, XXL.
Pros: Comes in XXL; wrist cuff fits snugly while providing resistance to oils and corrosive chemicals; wrist cuff shorter than Black Rhino’s (see below); textured grip was helpful when moving around wet canvases; puncture resistant. Good option for resin work as well.
Cons: Due to tighter wrist cuffs, need to make sure gloves are completely dried before you try to pull them off. Must be purchased by the case.
Black Rhino Powder Free Nitrile Gloves
5/5 stars
Price: $10.90 per box of 100 (90 for XXL). $100.90 per case 1,000 (900 of XXL). Sign up for discounts and coupons.
Sizing: Available in Small, Medium, Large, XL, XXL.
Pros: Available in XXL; 6.0 mm thick; heavier texture prevented slipping with paint-soaked gloves when manipulating wet canvases; wrist cuff fits snugly while providing resistance to oils and corrosive chemicals; puncture resistant; finger length seemed longer than other samples. Good option for resin work as well.
Cons: Heavy material, and due to tighter wrist cuffs you need to make sure gloves are completely dry before you try to pull them off. Must be purchased by the case.
I hope this helps you find the best glove for your pouring needs. If you have a favorite brand we didn’t mention here, please do let us know in the comments. No matter what gloves you use, it’s always a joy to get them dirty. Pour on, my friends!
Written by: Tina Swearingen