« Double boiler | Main | Making an electric cut-out flameless candle with a silicone mold »

Candle wicks, which ones to use?

By admin | November 6, 2007

In this article I will give you tips on how to choose the correct wicks for your candle.

Candle wicks are made from a variety of materials such as, paper, cotton, and zinc. They also come in different variations.

Choosing the correct wick can be quite a task considering all of the choices available to you. In general you base your wick selection on the diameter or width of the candle.

The following are some symptoms of having the wrong wick for your candle application.

Mushrooming: When the candle takes on a mushroom shape.

Blowout: This is when a hole appears in one side of the candle.

Excessive soot or black smoke coming from the candle.
Uneven burning of the candle.

A properly selected wick does more than burn; it should bend ever so slightly towards the center of the candle causing an even sized pool of melted wax. If you are unsure about which wick to use, it is recommended to ask your supplier. Most suppliers will either tell you over the phone or they have extensive information available on their websites. Most suppliers also offer wick sample kits.

Valuable Tip!

One of the most valuable candle wick resources I have ever seen is The Pick a wick database. This database is compiled of information submitted by various candle makers from all over the world. It specifically tells you what wax and wick combination they use and what the end result was. This is an extremely valuable source of information and a huge time saver. This database can be found here : Pick - A- Wick

Important Tip!

Keep your wick trimmed 1/3 to 1/4 of an inch.

Questions and comments are welcomed using the form below.

[?]
Share This

Topics: Candle Wicks |

2 Responses to “Candle wicks, which ones to use?”

  1. Jeneen Says:
    January 22nd, 2008 at 3:53 am

    umm clicked on the sight for Pick-a-Wick (cause that is what I am most worried about) and it diffently didn’t take me to that spot ca you let me know the database sight.
    Thank-you
    Jeneen

  2. admin Says:
    January 22nd, 2008 at 11:23 am

    It looks as if they have moved that database. Sorry….

Comments