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marcellus
Student
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How do you avoid getting splinters when doing carpentry?
I go to paul simon job corps
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5 answers
Paul Goetzinger MPA
Academic and Career Consultant and Freelance Writer
761
Answers
Seattle, Washington
Updated
Paul’s Answer
Try wearing gloves. There are four kinds you might try.
*Nitrile Gloves. Which are made of a rubberized material to prevent splinters.
*Cut Resistant Gloves. These are nomally sold at local hardware stores.
*Leather Gloves
*Hair Stylist Gloves. Believe it or not these are very durable and can help prevent splinters.
*Nitrile Gloves. Which are made of a rubberized material to prevent splinters.
*Cut Resistant Gloves. These are nomally sold at local hardware stores.
*Leather Gloves
*Hair Stylist Gloves. Believe it or not these are very durable and can help prevent splinters.
Jim Bredon
Carpenter
11
Answers
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Updated
Jim’s Answer
You can wear gloves of course. Try different varieties of glove to find what works best for dexterity and durability. Also using your hands for a while will build up calluses and you won't get as many splinters. You will figure it out.
Teressa Knight
Stage Management
4
Answers
Morgantown, West Virginia
Updated
Teressa’s Answer
When possible place your hand against the grain. This will prevent your hand catching on any loose fibers.
Keep an eye out for holes or dents. This means the fibers might be looser leading to a higher chance of splinters.
The raw edge can be dangerous. A raw edge is any edge that you cut. A finished or factory edge is the edges that come from initial processing.
If it is not possible to avoid these areas look into mechanics' gloves. They add padding but allow you to keep your grip.
Keep an eye out for holes or dents. This means the fibers might be looser leading to a higher chance of splinters.
The raw edge can be dangerous. A raw edge is any edge that you cut. A finished or factory edge is the edges that come from initial processing.
If it is not possible to avoid these areas look into mechanics' gloves. They add padding but allow you to keep your grip.
Skyler Surrett
Pipefitter
1
Answer
Cullman, Alabama
Updated
Skyler’s Answer
Take your time choose your hand position better
Robert Kohn
remodeling general contractor
45
Answers
Methuen, Massachusetts
Updated
Robert’s Answer
Marcellus,
Splinters are a trade hazard and are inevitable. You can wear many different types of gloves depending on the job your doing which will help minimize them. For example if you are a laborer and just carrying wood around, there are leather gloves which are thicker as well as give a good grip. If you are doing cutting with a circular saw, there are gloves which have a softer material and some have what I call pimples on them for a better grip and feel. If you are measuring things and are doing more finer work then they have thinner gloves (which of course isn't as protective as leather gloves). There are even fingertip less gloves for more control. All of these types of gloves are just a help though and splinters still happen. Different types of wood are also prone to more splinters then others. Pressure treated wood is a type called southern yellow pine which has a wider grain. It takes the chemical used to make it an outdoor type used wood very well but because it is a wide grained wood, it has the tendency to cracked a it dry's out to splinter. Cedar wood is a closed cell type or interlocking grained wood which by nature has less splintering. Keep in mind that all wood is natural and that is a characteristic. Even metal which you will use in carpentry like rood edging or flashing might have slivers when cut and these could get into your skin as well. The only material that I have seen that doesn't have these characteristics is PVC boards or composite decking, but this isn't a 100% free I would think (in a strange possibility) either.
I hope this helps!
Bob K.
Splinters are a trade hazard and are inevitable. You can wear many different types of gloves depending on the job your doing which will help minimize them. For example if you are a laborer and just carrying wood around, there are leather gloves which are thicker as well as give a good grip. If you are doing cutting with a circular saw, there are gloves which have a softer material and some have what I call pimples on them for a better grip and feel. If you are measuring things and are doing more finer work then they have thinner gloves (which of course isn't as protective as leather gloves). There are even fingertip less gloves for more control. All of these types of gloves are just a help though and splinters still happen. Different types of wood are also prone to more splinters then others. Pressure treated wood is a type called southern yellow pine which has a wider grain. It takes the chemical used to make it an outdoor type used wood very well but because it is a wide grained wood, it has the tendency to cracked a it dry's out to splinter. Cedar wood is a closed cell type or interlocking grained wood which by nature has less splintering. Keep in mind that all wood is natural and that is a characteristic. Even metal which you will use in carpentry like rood edging or flashing might have slivers when cut and these could get into your skin as well. The only material that I have seen that doesn't have these characteristics is PVC boards or composite decking, but this isn't a 100% free I would think (in a strange possibility) either.
I hope this helps!
Bob K.