You need to make sure that the burn profile continues through the rest of the candle without any significant issues. Continue to document the candle profile through each step in the process. So keep that in mind when you are making candles to sell or give away when it could be a week or more before the candles are going to be used. You not only need to cure the candles you sell, but you also need to wait long enough to cure your test candles to make sure your customers or friends get a properly working product. The wick is sometimes the last choice to be made when making candles. This can prove to be a mistake as the wick you use can make or break your candle.
- With the exception of wax melts, every candle needs a wick.
- All of our wicks are made with a taller 10mm neck wicktab (unless otherwise noted).
- The blocks above, show the top and bottom of a wax block that I bought.
- You can fix this problem by using a wick-centering device such as a wick bar or a clothespin.
The three wicks should be of different sizes as suggested earlier. They are the suggested size in the chart, the size above, and the size below. Below we select some of the widely used waxes (or blends) and brands.
Industry Standard Burn Test
Place the test candles on a clean, flat, heat-resistant surface about 3” to 6” (7.5 cm to 15 cm) apart. Be sure to select a draft-free spot that is in full view of your workspace. If you are testing more than one wick, make sure the candles are clearly labeled.
In my opinion, the perfect pillar candle will create a burn pool that extends out most of the diameter of the candle, but not all the way. The flame is nice and bright with no smoke trails and the candle burns down all the way to the bottom without looking ugly and misshapen. The latter is really hard to achieve with taller candles so, although I make them, I prefer the small and medium sized candles for personal use. SFC SV81 Series Wick – Our SFC SV81 series wicks are cotton wicks with a high melt point paraffin coating for rigidity. Easy burn fragrances could require a smaller wick, however depending on the container size instead of one large wick, 2 smaller wicks may be better suited. To achieve a good „crackle“ sound with the wooden wicks, it is very important that you do not use too much fragrance oil.
- Once you find your wick size for a perfect burning candle you can keep using that wick size whenever you make that candle.
- This candle wick chart is intended to help you get off on the right foot when you start testing candles.
- CD 16 and CD 18 are good wick sizes to use when making 8 oz candle tins with 464 soy wax.
- Remember, when using two or more wicks, it’s important to space them out evenly in your vessel.
This wick is constructedof 100% natural fibers with a chemical treatment to improve the burn performance. Flat braided cotton wicks, chemically treated with a high melt point wax (212°F). These wicks are designed to reduce „mushrooming“ (build up of carbon at the tip of the wick), reduce smoke and soot, and when used properly these wicks are virtually self-trimming. Can be used in virtually any application, we’ve found that these wicks perform very well in paraffin and IGI 6006.
If you’re making taper candles or small votives, parts of this process may not apply. Conducting a burning test is time- and effort-consuming. But in order to make a well-performing candle, especially if you want to use the recipe in a candle line, it’s a must. However, if none of the three work ideally through this test, you need to adjust the wick size and restart. Light the three candles in the same atmosphere for the same time.
You should write down the performance of each candle, such as the melt pool, the flame state, the wick length, whether there’s smoke, and so on. If you’re making container candles, you come to the simplest part of the whole process. Just take out a ruler and measure the length from side to side (see the image below if you’ve forgotten what diameter is).
Normal Burn Test
The market offers so many different wick types to compliment the variety of waxes, containers, and fragrances. CD candle wick is a coreless, flat cotton wick braided with thin paper filament throughout. As just mentioned, a certain type of candle wax may work better with some candle wicks, and others may not. So, it’s crucial to learn the different types of candle wicks, too. The wax type plays an important part in wick selection as it provides the fuel (melted wax) to support burning. A type of wax may work better with a certain type of wick.
So we know that candle wicks are important to our candles, they are important to how it burns and how long it lasts. However, we have a few things that we specifically want from our candle wicks. The last thing they think about is what wick they need to use or how to choose the right candle wick size.
Tell-Tale Signs You’re Using the Wrong Wick
A simple way to figure out the correct size is by dividing the candle in two. You’ll then need two wicks that can melt each part of the candle. The slight curl also reduces carbon buildup, also known as mushrooming. These are versatile and can be used in several waxes.
Wedo LX Series Wicks
Besides being unsightly, these are what ultimately can clog the wick, and ultimately keep the wax from reaching the flame. The blocks above, show the top and bottom of a wax block that I bought. From the top, it looks reasonably clean, but on the bottom, quite a bit of honey can be seen. This block will take some time and work before it can be used. We are currently in the process of developing our very own burn test document to provide to our customers so do keep a look out for this becoming available over the coming months. Once you choose a wick that satisfies all criteria, you’re done!
Each wick has been cut to the specified length, primed with a high melt point wax (212°F) and has been crimped with a 20mm diameter x 10mm tall tab. As with any process in manufacturing your candles, you should always test burn to ensure proper wick selection. Please note that this chart can only help you narrow candle wick size chart down the range of wick sizes. You still need to conduct a wick test as in the next part. So, it’s better to buy at least three sizes of wicks together, which are the recommended size, the size above, and the size below. CD 16 and CD 18 are good wick sizes to use when making 8 oz candle tins with 464 soy wax.
Trim all three wicks to 1/4 of an inch so that each candle starts out at exactly the same point. If it wont stay lit because it is clogged that could be from using something to dye your candle with pigments in it or accumulated dust and debris on the surface wax. Pigments are coloring that uses small particles like mica or using crayons to color your candles. If your candle is not burning evenly then it is due to the wick not being on center or the wick is not going straight up from the bottom. You can fix this problem by using a wick-centering device such as a wick bar or a clothespin. Another possible problem could be the location you are testing the candle has a draft.
They feature braided paper fibers that improve the stiffness of the material. This wick has a very soft burn, and they tend to curl a bit when they burn. HTPs are specifically made for use in containers and votives. It is critical to keep an eye on the candles while they are burning, especially when testing new wicks.
For example, a 4” diameter soy wax candle might be suitable wicked with two LX 10 wicks rather than one LX 24 wick. Disclaimer – this guide is to be used only as a starting point to your candle making. Wick sizes mentioned may not work with all fragrance oils or every wax. The testing process is entirely down to you so that you can see which wick works best for the chosen fragrance, wax and vessel combinations you choose. Wedo Eco Wick- similar to the LX series, it is also a flat, core less wick.