How to choose the right candle wick
Choosing the ideal wick for your candles is a crucial part of the candle-making process! The wick you select can influence the burn rate of the candle, the intensity of the hot throw, among other factors. With so many wick choices out there, it can seem overwhelming to get started. But, fear not! We're here to equip you with the necessary knowledge to choose the perfect candle wicks!
To craft candles with the right wicking, there are two key factors to determine:
- The type of wax
- The diameter of the candle
Begin by identifying the wax type you're working with and the diameter of your container. Your choice of wax will inform the wick series you should use (ie. CDN, Zinc, LX, etc), while the diameter of your container will guide you in selecting the appropriate size.
After collecting this information, refer to our Candle Wick Guide below to find the recommended wick based on your wax type and candle diameter.
Having Trouble Selecting a Wick?
Many wicks will work for your wax type, but in general, Premier, Zinc, CDN, Aroma Lite, HPSP, and LX are ideal for coconut blended waxes. If you're using mainly soy or beeswax, then I recommend CD, ECO, or HTP wicks because they burn hotter and work better in harder waxes.
Explore Our Wick Guide
Why is it important to choose the correct size wick?
Now that you understand how to choose candle wicks, let's explore why selecting the right wicks for your candles is so important.The appropriate wick size is crucial for:
- Hot throw
- Safety
- Performance
Choosing the right wick will ensure your candle forms a complete melt pool, effectively disperses fragrance (hello, hot throw!), minimizes soot production, and maintains a steady flame. If the wick is too small for your candle, it may leave some wax unmelted and hinder achieving a full melt pool. Conversely, if the wick is too large, you may experience excess soot, erratic flame behavior, and the risk of overheating the container.
Need help?
Still Have Questions about Candle Wicks?
Our pre-tabbed candle wicks have a high-melt point wax coating comprised of vegetable wax and beeswax. This coating creates rigidity, making the wick easy to handle and center. However, our Premier wicks are coated in high temperature paraffin wax.
One way to center your wicks is to use our wick centering tool. This will allow you to perfectly center your single and double wicks. Before pouring the wax into your container, attach our high-temp wick sticker to the pre-tabbed wick and center it in the bottom of the container, then attach wick bar pulling the wick taut and pressing it into the bar's slot.
Beeswax is a versatile wax suitable for containers, pillars, votives, and wax melts, but wicking it can be challenging! It may require additional testing to determine the best option for your candles. We typically recommend either square braided wicks or ECO series for beeswax. It’s a good idea to purchase the ECO sample pack for testing. Having a range of wick sizes available for testing will help you identify the one that works best with your wax.
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