Wick Size Chart Guide to Choosing a Candle Wick NorthWood Distributing

We will go on to show you how to choose the right wick size step-by-step. If your candle is tunneling or leaving wax around the sides of the container as it burns down this is likely due to the candle wick being too small. Some solutions to this problem are increasing the size of the wick, or using a softer type of wax. It may be exactly the wick you need depending on the fragrance oil, fragrance oil load, dyes and type of wax you are using. However, some adjustment may be needed if you are using a particularly high fragrance load or special blend of wax.

With the right wick, a candle will burn evenly, cleanly, and reliably. If the wick is too small or too large, it will cause problems such as smoke, soot, or even self-extinguishing. Free Downloadable Candle Wick Chart – updated December 2022.

Step 6: Find the right wick size.

If the candle is smoking or producing excessive soot then it is likely due to too much dye or too much fragrance oil in the candle wax mixture or the wick is too large. Some solutions to this problem are reducing the number of additives in the candle or using a smaller wick or a different type of wick. Some wicks are more likely to mushroom than others and this is not ideal. While mushrooming can sometimes be attributed to the dye or the fragrance oil those problems can still be solved by choosing the correct wick.

And it can also stop the increase in temperature of the burning candle. The wick works as a pump that pulls the fuel (the melted wax) to the flame. A wick with the right size is able to melt enough wax and create a complete melt pool extended to the container edge.

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. Click here for our complete Wick Usage Chart by wax type. The wax can melt across the entire surface of the container. The size of your wick affects the size of your flame. Some wicks are engineered to generate shorter flames so consider these too. If you are testing more than one wick, make sure the candles are clearly labeled.

Even though a wax may “look” clean, it may still have honey in it. The last part of the candle trio is the beeswax itself. I personally hate to render wax, so I let my Karl handle the “heavy lifting” of rendering the cappings into big blocks of wax. I am not going to go into the rendering process here, since the process is often automated in larger operations. The wax that Karl renders out is really pretty clean, but since my candle business has outgrown what our hives can produce, I also purchase wax off another beekeeper in the area.

Step 3: Trim the candle wick.

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 https://trading-market.org/ of candle wicks, too. Different type of wax has their special properties in melting points, textile densities, color and fragrance reservations, etc.

This chart will tell you which wicks you need for paraffin wax container candles based on the wax type and the diameter of the container that you are using. Then I will select 3 different sizes based on my container diameter for each wick to test. candle wick size chart Choosing the right wick for each candle will require a lot of testing. The best wick for your candle will be tailored to each individual candle based on your type of wax, the diameter of your container, fragrances, dye, and other additives.

His wax varies from relatively clean to blocks with rivers of honey buried inside. The design and nomenclature of this wicking is, I believe somewhat unique to the U.S. Apparently wicking produced and sold in other parts of the world utilize a different grading system and are not the same. Then just create your three candles, allow them to cure for a proper amount of time, and continue to the burn test. It’s not a perfect system since we don’t have wicks that burn in a square pattern (yet).

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If four hours pass and nothing fails, extinguish and allow to cool back to room temperature before starting another 4-hour test. The only way to know if your choice in wick worked is through a proper test. Multiple wick designs are nuanced, and deserve an entire section – so consider this a rough starting point. That is to say, if you choose to use CD for NatureWax C-3 soy, it might be okay for some designs but not others. You’re going to pick a series to start with, but might change your mind later.

Paper core wicks burn very hot, which yields a large melt pool. Each wick has been cut to the specified length, primed with a standard wax (180°F) and has been crimped with a 20mm diameter x 10mm tall tab. These are the most commonly used wick type for many types of candles.

For large candles, you might find it works better to double wick your candle. Simply open the file from your downloads folder and print as many copies as you like. Printer setting may differ, but we recommend selecting the “fit to page option” in your printer settings. You may successfully print the chart at 100% size, but depending on your printer, the margins may be cut off.

choose your candle type.

Most of the time, the key suspect is the fragrance oil, which is known to impact the burn tremendously. You can use the following guide for recommended actions to take if your candle gives off a “signal”. If you couldn’t say yes to all those questions for any of the wicks you tested, choose a new wick (or several wicks) and make more candles (or use some of these hacks). The best candle makers choose a wick, burn test, then react (described later on) to make sure the wick is safe and performs well in the candle.

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. The right wick size will best match the type of candle wax you’re using, and the size (diameter) of the container you’re using to hold the wax and the wick. Only a correctly wicked candle can guarantee an excellent burning performance. It’s safe to say that a right wick is basically the heart of candles. Below you’ll find recommended wicks for both beeswax and soy candles. The information in this table reflects candles made without fragrance.

They come together when the wax melts and has to travel up through the wick. The reason these factors matter is each wax has different properties, such as density, melt point, and viscosity (whether it flows like water or molasses). If you’re making taper candles or small votives, parts of this process may not apply. In such situations, we need to add another wick to make double wick candles. In addition, if the container isn’t regularly shaped, the wick may not be able to create an even pool.

• At this point the melt pool of a well-wicked candle will have achieved the desired diameter and should be approximately ½” (1.3 cm) deep.
• It may be exactly the wick you need depending on the fragrance oil, fragrance oil load, dyes and type of wax you are using.
• This candle will have a consistent burn throughout the entire burning process.
• If you are having trouble wicking a particular candle, try using several types of wicks that are in the recommended column until you find one that works.
• LX is a flat braided wick stabilizing thread with special treatment, creating consistent and stable candle burning.

This phenomenon is known as mushrooming and can be attributed to incomplete combustion. The right size and type of wick may make all the difference in remedying this issue; however, other factors such as fragrance oil or color dye might also be contributing to it. An ideal wick for a candle is necessary to ensure it burns evenly, cleanly, and reliably. If the wrong wick size is chosen, you’ll experience problems such as extinguishing, poor fragrance throw, excess soot, and smoke – all of which can be highly irritating. The candle making process is a science that requires the perfect harmony between wax, fragrance, additives, container, airflow, and wick to burn properly. The type of wick used plays a pivotal role when it comes to burning efficiency.

We recommend conducting 3 test burns before selecting your final wick + size. Each test burn should range from 2-3 hours to assess the melt pool of each candle. As mentioned previously, a candle wick size chart will only provide us with a ballpark of potentially suitable sizes. To make the process as simple as possible, we’ve compiled a selection of popular candle wicks on the market and which type of wax they are best suited for.

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. A beginner’s guide to setting up your candle making workshop with the right supplies and equipment for any budget. The purpose of a normal burn test is just to simulate a somewhat random approach to the candle.

Just take out a ruler and measure the length from side to side (see the image below if you’ve forgotten what diameter is). However, if the wick is too short, it won’t have enough heat to melt more wax to support the flame. So the flame can only go down, instead of expanding to the edge of the container. Slowly, a tunnel-like hollow will be formed in the middle which is known as a candle tunnel.

Its sound when it sizzles adds to the appeal, as does its tendency to curl organically during use. If other posts/bloggers recommend the “best wicks” for candles, then take their information with a grain of salt. There is a high probability they are not candle makers and are providing misinformation. If the wick is too long or thick in comparison to your candle container’s diameter, it will receive more fuel than the size of a candle requires. Allow the candle to cool for at least five hours and repeat steps 4, 5, and 6 until the candle is completely burned. The quality of burn will almost always change during the entire burning of the candle.

If a wick appears mushrooming, it may not only attribute to the wick. The fragrance oil and the color dye may also cause problems. But, if we can use a wick with the right size and type, the mushrooming may be solved easily. But if not, you need to choose the right wick size by yourself.