Making Your Own Colorful Candles

Producing your own candles at home can be a fun and entertaining hobby. You can customize the shapes, sizes, colors, and scents to suit your tastes.

Types of Wax

There are several different types of wax you can use to make your candles. The melting point and flash point of each type of wax is different, and they can even vary within wax types. Be sure to read the manufacturer’s guidelines on handling the wax thoroughly before you begin.

• Paraffin Wax – Paraffin is the most popular wax for candle making, and the least expensive. You can buy it pre-colored, or you can add your own dyes and scents during the melting process.

• Beeswax – Beeswax is more expensive than other waxes, and has its own pleasant aroma. This soft wax has a low melting point, so use a candle hardener as an additive to pure beeswax.

• Soy Wax – This all-natural wax is gaining in popularity. It is so soft it can be melted in the microwave, so if you are making candles, use soy wax to make container candles or add plenty of candle hardener.

Wax Safety

Once wax reaches its flashpoint, the vapors become extremely flammable. If possible, use an electric heat source to melt your wax, and always use a double boiler. The double boiler will control the rise in temperature of the wax as it melts, making the process safer.

Never leave melting wax unattended, and always keep a fire extinguisher close at hand. If you do accidentally have a wax fire, smother it as you would a grease fire. Do not use water to extinguish a wax fire.

Making Pillar Candles

Before you begin, choose your favorite metal pillar molds and a wick appropriate for the diameter of your candle. In addition to your mold, wax, and wick, you will also need a wick screw, sealer putty or metal tape, a wick rod or wooden skewer, and any colorings or fragrance oils you wish to add.

• Step 1: Melt your wax using a double boiler.

• Step 2: Thread your wick through the wick hole in the base of the mold and leave enough length outside the mold to fasten with the screw. Eventually, this is the end that will be the top of the candle. While keeping the wick threaded through the wick hole, tie the other end to the wooden skewer or wick rod.

• Step 3: Secure the wick to the base with a wick screw. Pull until the wick is taut but, not overly tight. Tightening the wick too much can damage your mold or sever your wick. Trim the wick to ½” to 1”.
Seal the wick hole with mold sealer or metal tape. Ensure the entire wick is covered in order to prevent hot wax from seeping through during the pouring process.
Center the wick rod on top of the mold, ensuring the wick remains taut and straight.

• Step 4: Add any dyes or fragrance oils to your melted wax once it reaches 175 degrees to 185 degrees Fahrenheit. Use a wooden spoon to mix thoroughly. Once mixed, pour wax into the candle mold, filling to ½” below the top of the mold. Save some wax for later use. Allow wax to cool until a skin begins to form on the surface.

• Step 5: Poke holes into the candle around the wick. The holes should be one inch less than the depth of the candle. These holes will allow air to escape as the candle shrinks during the cooling process. You may need to reopen the holes several times.

Allow the candle to cool thoroughly, which could take anywhere from several hours to more than a day, depending upon the size of the candle.

• Step 6: Once the candle has cooled completely, re-melt the wax you saved from the original pour. Heat the wax to 5 degrees to 10 degrees hotter than the first pour, which will help the wax bond together better. Fill the vent holes and sink hole to just below the rim of the candle. Do not overfill. Allow candle to cool thoroughly.

• Step 7: Remove the candle from the mold. Due to wax shrinkage during the cooling process, the candle should slide easily from the mold. If not, place the candle in the refrigerator for 15 minutes, and then try again. The cold air from the fridge should help the candle shrink, releasing it from the mold.

Once you have removed the candle from the mold, trim the top wick to ¼”. Level the base if necessary, and enjoy!

Making Votives

The process for votives is similar in many ways. If you are using new molds, use a releasing agent to assist with removal of the finished candles. A non-stick cooking spray works well.

Place your molds on a surface lined with newspaper. Melt your wax to pouring temperature, and then fill molds just to the lip. Try to pour carefully to minimize the number of bubbles that appear in the wax. Save about 20 percent of your wax for later use.

Allow your votives to cool slightly. When the wax is just beginning to solidify, yet is still pliable, add pre-tabbed wicks. The tab should stick to the bottom of the mold. Manually straighten the wick, which may need to be repeated during the cooling process. Allow wax to cool for three to four hours.

Once wax has cooled, melt your leftover wax and fill the depression that has appeared in each votive. Heat the wax to 10 degrees to 15 degrees hotter than your initial pour, and fill the votive mold to just slightly above the lip. Cool thoroughly.

At this point, you should be able to remove your votives from the molds. If you have trouble, try putting them in the freezer for five-minute intervals, or gently roll the mold in your hands to encourage the mold to release the wax.

Votives will liquefy as they burn, so use holders specially designed for them.