Candle Making

a complete guide
Candle Making
Introduction:
Making candles is a great experience for all ages and this booklet
explains all the basic principles so you can just dive in!

Once mastered, the possibilities of candle making are endless and you
can produce all sorts of candles and have a limitless source of light,
and beautiful handmade gifts.

Contents:
2 You will need
4-6 Wax, wicking, additives and dyes
7 Preparing the mould
8 Preparing wax safely
9 Pouring the candle
10 Removing the mould
10 Finishing the candle
10 Using candles safely
11 Troubleshooting
12-19 Candle Projects
- Moundable candle wax
- Container candles
- Traditional taper candles
- Chunk candles
- Fragranced Candles
20 Supplies

You will need: Equipment:

1 Paraffin wax 1 Candle wax pot or double
2 Wicks, wick suspenders and holders boiler
3 Moulds 2 Thermometer with a scale
4 Stearin reading of up to 100oC
5 Dyes 3 Heat gun (optional but useful
6 Candle tak when getting rid of blemishes
7 Fragrance (optional) on your candle
8 Gloves 4 Scissors
5 Clothes pegs or lollipop sticks

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3
 Wax, wicking, additives
Wax
and dyes
Paraffin wax comes in different grades and therefore each will have a different
melting point. Dependent on what type of candle you are making will depend
on the wax you will need to use, and what additives may need to be included.
You need a lower melt point for container candles; a higher melt point for pillar
candles and a high melt point for taper candles and hurricane candles. Our
paraffin wax has a melting point of 57°C - 60°C.
Beeswax comes in pellets and has a beautiful colour and smell. It has a melting
point of approximately 62°C.
Soy wax is made from hydrogenated soybean oil and is a reliable wax as it
doesn’t shrink after it cools, and has a melting point which can vary on the
blend; it can be as low as 50°C going up to 80°C. Soy wax doesn’t allow pigment
dyes to dissolve properly, so use liquid dyes to colour, and use a larger diameter
wick.

Wicking
Prime ‘raw’ wick by dipping it in melted wax a few times to stiffen it. This helps
the wick to burn better and prevents bubbles releasing from the wick into the
wax of the candle. Wick should be chosen to suit the diameter of the candle and
if you’re not too sure, it’s advisable to go down a size, apart from when using
beeswax as it is more viscous than paraffin wax so you would need to go a size
up! As an example, for a candle with a diameter of 76mm, it would be advisable
to use a medium wick. Wick sustainers are used to secure the wick in glass
containers, or for hand moulded candles.

Additives
Additives such as stearin should be added slowly during the candle making
process as they have a much higher melting point than the wax itself. Usually
the temperature should be raised to approximately 100°C in order for the
stearin to melt sufficiently into the wax. Take great care!

Stearin
Stearic acid, commonly known as stearin, raises the melting point of the wax
mixture resulting in a harder and more durable candle. Stearin can be made from
vegetable oil or tallow, as a guide it’s best to use 10% stearin to 90% wax. The
combination of paraffin wax and stearin has many benefits; not only will it give
you a candle that won’t sag and will burn for a long time, but it is easier to
de-mould as the mixture shrinks as it cools. Be on your guard when using stearin
with latex or rubber moulds, as stearin can erode these over time.

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Stearin is really useful for gorgeous decorative effects as it will give wax a more
opaque finish, and offer brighter colours. Try over-dipping a standard candle in
a blend of 30% stearin and 70% paraffin wax. It will form a hard outer casing
which will extend the life of the candle and also create less mess because as
the candle burns, the softer wax inside is consumed rather than dripping away.
You can use the over-dipping method to colour just the outside of the candle, or
choose a contrasting colour to the internal taper. Increase the glossiness by
dipping the candle immediately into cool water to give a beautiful lacquered
sheen.
A low percentage of stearin can result in a snowflake effect or a soapy candle,
and too much stearin can make a brittle candle although some experts will make
a candle from 100% stearin!

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Dyes
Colour is available in all sorts of formats, and dyes are especially manufactured
for candle making. You can get concentrated blocks or sticks which you shave
off into the wax. The more dye you use the darker the colour. Always use dyes
sparingly – a drop at a time. It’s a good idea to master colour blending before
purchasing all the colours of the rainbow. Once you’ve got a handle on colour
mixing, you can increase your palette, however initially if you just begin
with red, blue and yellow, then you can create five further colours directly, but
increasing the amounts of each will allow for a further expanded colour palette.
Here’s a basic guide to get you started:

If you just add a mix of red and yellow to your wax you’ll get orange, but if you
dilute it (i.e. add less) then you can obtain a more peachy tint. It’s a good time to
experiment! A colour wheel can be a helpful piece of kit if you are new to colour
mixing, and it’s a really useful addition to have with regard to finding out what
contrasting colours are.

Testing your colour

You can test your chosen colour by doing a quick test with a small amount of
wax. Mix your dye with some hot wax in a suitable receptacle such as an old
yoghurt pot (the smaller the better – it’s only a test after all). Place this in some
cold water taking care that the water does not go into the container. The wax
will solidify immediately and give you a guide as to the colour of your chosen
dye. The colour of the wax will usually be one or two shades lighter then the
finished candle.

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 Preparing the mould
Always ensure your mould is clean.
1. Cut a length of wicking that will be approximately 10cm longer than the total
length of the mould you’re using.
2. Thread the wicking through the hole in the bottom of the mould and tie a
secure knot. If you find it difficult to get the wick through the hole because of
fraying for example, try dipping it in some wax and rolling it to a point so it can
be poked through more easily.
3. While keeping the wick in the hole at the base, grab some mould sealer such
as Blu-Tack™ and use this to secure the wick on the base. Don’t skimp!
4. Then, using a wick holder, secure the wick to the open end of your mould,
ensuring the wick is centred. You can buy wick holders, or use an item like a
cocktail stick or a clothes peg. Your choice of wick holder will be dependent on
the diameter of your candle. Tie your wick to the holder so that it is taut.

Moulds
Moulds come in all shapes and sizes, and there are a lot to choose from, so
choose which ones are fit for purpose. Rubber and latex moulds have a limited
lifespan. Metal moulds are the most durable, and are the easiest to care for, and
can take the heat of all types of wax and additives. By heating a metal mould
prior to pouring the wax in, you’ll obtain a shiny finish to the candle.

When using plastic moulds, keep the wax temperature below 130° - 140°C and
this will keep your moulds in good condition. Using a low melt wax will be ideal.
You rarely obtain a shiny finish to your candle in a plastic mould however you
can achieve this by using a heat gun gently to your finished candle, then dipping
the candle quickly into cold water. Simple! Fragrance or essential oils can erode
plastic moulds; stearin, when used at ratios more than 20%, can cause cracks in a
plastic mould’s surface.

Moulds can be found around the house, for example, use baby food jars for
container candles, and galvanised buckets are ideal for outdoor citronella
candles. Card milk cartons can be peeled away once the candle is set and the
exterior wax can be smoothed to rule out any imperfections. Silicone rubber
moulds are incredible as they are completely seamless and you can create your
own unique mould – just mould the rubber around your favourite shape.

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 Preparing wax safely
Treat wax like you would cooking oil. Wax doesn’t boil; it gets hotter and hotter.

It is likely to be fairly safe below 100°C, but it is likely to catch fire at high
temperatures as the wax turns to vapour so don’t ever leave it unattended.
Ensure your thermometer is accurate, and always place the
thermometer in your wax to monitor the temperature.
Keep your area tidy – cover everywhere with newspaper, and keep some spare
to mop up any spills!
Always wear old clothes.
Got wax on your carpet? Scrape off the excess, and then place some newspaper
over the rest. Apply a hot iron and the wax will transfer to the paper.
Please don’t pour wax down the sink. It will block your pipes. A better idea
would be to pour unwanted wax into a baking tray, and cut it into blocks to be
used for chunk candles. See Candle Making Projects on pages 12-19.

When things go wrong...

Switch off the heat.
Don’t move the pan.
Smother the flames with a damp tea towel or cloth.
Turn off the heat source.

Melting the wax

Whether you use a double boiler or a wax pot, do not leave the wax unattended
once you have placed it on the heat source.

Wax Melting Pot

1. Ensure the inner pot is inserted into your wax pot. Pour the wax into the pot.
Switch on to the maximum setting. Add a thermometer to monitor the
temperature.
2. Add any additives you wish to use, such as Stearin (please refer to page 4 for
advice on using additives).
3. Add any dyes you wish to use. Some dyes require melting with the wax
whereas others can be added after the wax has melted. Check the instructions
on your dyes thoroughly. See page 6 for advice on dyes and colour blending.

Remove the wax from the heat source once it reaches 90°C.
Add fragrance to wax when it is in its molten state.
For ease of pouring, decant the wax from the double boiler or wax pot into a
suitable heatproof jug.

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 Pouring a candle
Once your wax is ready, you’ll want to make some candles! In this case, this
guide is illustrating how to make a pillar candle.

1. For easy pouring, you should transfer your molten wax into a jug.
2. Tilt the mould slightly and pour the wax down the side of the mould. Tilting
the mould prevents air bubbles. Fill your mould until it reaches 1cm from the
top. Leave some wax in the jug for the next stage but don’t return it to the heat.
3. Allow a skin to form on the surface of the candle. As the wax cools it contracts
leaving a ‘well’. A good tip at this point is to poke relief holes into the candle in
order to deal with the natural shrinkage of the candle as it solidifies. Poke the
holes around the wick using an ordinary skewer, and poke to a depth of 4cm
less than the depth of the whole candle. This poking may need to be done a cou-
ple of times during the cooling process, but when making your first candle just
do it once to establish the process.
4. Leave the candle to cool. Once cool, melt the leftover wax from step 2 and
heat it to a higher temperature than before, approximately 5°C - 10°C higher
than the original pouring temperature. This will help adhesion between the
layers, i.e. the new layer will melt to the old layer successfully. Fill your candle
to the level just below the first filling. Filling above the level may cause a visible
seam once cool, and over filling may cause wax to seep between the existing
candle and the mould itself, causing an uneven surface. Again, leave to cool.

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 Removing the mould
• Ensure the candle is completely cool.
• Remove the mould sealer.
• If rigid, the candle should slide out of the mould easily. If your candle is
proving a little obstinate, place it in the fridge for 15 minutes and try again.
The cool environment will help the wax shrink and encourage it to separate
from the mould.
• If it will not budge, and you are certain that it is completely cool, the only
remaining course of action for removal is to pour hot water over the mould.
This will melt the wax sticking to the inside of the mould however it will
leave your candle with an uneven surface although obviously you can start
again.
• Trim the wick at the bottom of the candle (the bottom of the candle is where
the wick was attached to the wick holder). Trim the wick at the top of your
candle to about 1 – 2cm.
• Trim the top wick to about 6mm

Finishing the candle

• Level the bottom of your candle by rubbing it around the bottom of an
empty, warm saucepan.
• Glaze your candle by dipping it into hot water or hot wax (minus stearin)
holding the candle by the wick. It’s best to do this prior to trimming the wick
of the candle so you have a longer “handle”.
• If your candle has finger marks on it, rub the surface of it with an old pair of
nylon tights!
• Use a heat gun to deal with any minor aesthetic imperfections – just don’t
concentrate on one area of your candle for any length of time or your candle
may melt completely!

Using candles safely!

Use candle holders for your candles.
Avoid setting your candle in a draft.
Do not leave candles unattended.
Keep candles away from children and pets.

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 Troubleshooting
FAULT CAUSE SOLUTION
Pour slowly and not at
Air bubbles and marks Wax poured too fast. an angle.
on the Dust/dirt in the mould. Clean mould.
surface of the candle. Tap mould gently one
minute after pouring.
Remelt the wax and
First layer of wax not use again. Leave each
Loss of definition with being allowed to cool layer to cool until it
a layered candle. sufficiently to support has a ‘rubbery’ surface
the next. before pouring the
next.
Wax poured at too low
a temperature or first
Layers not joining. As above.
layer allowed to cool
for too long.

Soap-like texture to Too much stearin Remelt. Check

candle. added. proportion of wax to
stearin.
Polish the candle
Small bubble line Water level in cooling using a soft cloth such
around the candle bath too low. as muslin or a nylon
stocking.
Place mould in refrig-
Cooling too slow erator for 15-20 mins.
therefor wax has not Alternatively, put it
Candle will not come
contracted sufficiently. in hot water for a
out of mould
Not enough stearin few minutes to melt
added. the candle out of the
mould.
Full instructions are included in our kits

Kits which do not include candle moulds or any of the equipment needed to
melt the wax, can be bought separately from any good craft outlet, or from our
website: www.dryadeducation.co.uk

No products in our packs are suitable for children under the age of 3.

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 Candle projects...
Container candles
Container candles don’t drip and will be able to use a lower melting point wax
than their freestanding candle colleagues, so these are ideal to add fragrance to.
Make sure your container is flame proof!

Melt the wax in your wax pot or double boiler. Put a thermometer in so you can
monitor the temperature.

1. Take the object you are going to use as your container. You will need to attach
your wick to the bottom of the container before you add your wax.

Thread your wick into a wick sustainer and dip it into some melted wax.

Once cool, you can attach this to the inner base of your container

2. Using a glue gun, place a drop of glue into the centre of the base of the inside
of your container, and place your wick sustainer with the wick in place. Use a
stick or pen to poke it in place. The strength of the hot glue from the gun will
hold it in place and stick it quickly.

3. Use a clothes peg or dolly peg to keep the wick straight.

When your wax is melted, you can add some fragrance, or just leave it as it is
and pour it straight into your container.

4. Depending on the size of the container it may take a few hours to dry. It is
advisable not to move it! If you find that the wax has dipped once it has dried,
you will need to add a little bit more on top. This will need to be heated to a
higher temperature in order to seal itself to the previous wax.

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1 2

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 Traditional taper
candles
Tapers are one of the oldest forms of candles and are easily made once you
know how...

Melt your wax and place it in a double boiler. Put a thermometer in to monitor
the temperature of the wax which needs to be approximately 74°C

1. Get a piece of soft aluminium wire and bend it to make a hanger for your
wick.

You will be making two tapers. Curl the ends of the wire into a coil so that you
can hook your wick through each. The wire will then act as a handle so that you
can dip your wick.

Cut your length of wick. The length of the wick needs to be twice the length of
your taper.

2. To ensure the wick remains taut during the dipping process, secure a weight to
each end of your length of wick. You can use anything as a weight as long it is
easy to secure and you have two of them. Nuts are a great option as they can be
easily knotted on.

3. Now you can begin dipping. The dipping process needs to be continuous and
flowing, so don’t pause for too long in the wax leaving your tapers submerged.

Using your wire handle, dip the weighted wicks into your wax. Allow for cooling
between each layer. Repeat until you have the thickness you want.

Always allow the layers to cool in between dipping otherwise the wax will begin
to fall off.
Be patient.

4. You can cut your weights off once the tapers have enough stability. In other
words, when there is a fairly thick amount of wax on each. After the weights are
discarded, continue to dip a few more times, and then hang them up and leave
them to cool.

Make them shiny by dipping them into water before hanging them up.

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1 4

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 Chunk candles
This is a great way to recycle any old wax that you’ve got left at the bottom of
your wax pot!

1. Melt your wax and pour it into an old baking tray.

2. Once it has set, cut it up into cubes. You can be really precise with your cubes
or not – it’s up to you what sort of look you want to achieve.

3. Prepare your mould and ensure your wick is centred. If you’re using a
container then attach the sustainer to the base of the container with a hot glue
gun the day before so it has time to dry.

4. Melt some wax in a contrasting colour to your baking tray cubes. Don’t add
any stearin as this will stop you seeing so much of the cubes in your finished
candle. Try a pale colour initially, and once it has melted, allow it to cool until it
reaches about 70°C. If you pour it in when it is too hot, it will melt all the cubes.

5. When it hits 70°C, pour it into the mould slowly, and look out for air bubbles.
Leave to cool.

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 Mouldable candle wax
A revolutionary wax that needs no stearin, dyes or melting.

Simply cut, shape and mould in the hand, making it ideal for younger children as
it is safe and easy to use.

Colours supplied are intermixable. To apply your wick, you may want to make a
small hole through your candle shape using a cocktail stick or needle, and
attaching to a wick sustainer.

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 Fragranced Candles
Once you have mastered the basics of candle making, you can begin to
experiment with colour and scent blending.

Make sure you buy an essential oil which is specifically designed for candle
making. The oil should contain no water or alcohol in the formulation. If they
are standard essential oils, they will not mix well and will result in mottling on
the surface of the wax, possibly with an oily residue over the surface of the
candle.

Whatever fragrance you use, add it to the melted wax just before pouring so
you don’t cook the scent.

You can add all sorts of fragrances, dried flowers and crushed herbs. Ground
cinnamon can be added to melted wax, and cinnamon sticks look beautiful
embedded in a pillar candle. Try adding cloves and dried orange slices, too.
Aromatic spices work really well, and can create beautiful, rustic candles
with delicious, warm scents. You can also add coffee beans, cinnamon sticks,
star anise and chilli peppers to your candles.

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 Candle Making
Supplies
Wax
Paraffin Candle Wax: Available in 2kg and 25kg
bags
Soya Container Wax Shavings: Available in 2kg
bags
Pelleted Beeswax: Available in 1kg, 5kg and
25kg bags

Candle Dyes: In a pack of 5

Stearin: Available in a 225g tub or 3kg bag
Candle Wax Pot: 1L inner melting pot capacity,
and will melt wax in approximately 30 minutes.
Inner Melting Pot: 1L capacity for the above
wax pot
Candle Wick: Available in thin, medium and
thick, 5 metre lengths
Wick Sustainers: In a pack of 10
Simple Candle Mould Pack: Features six
geometric shapes, in a pack of 5

Packs and Sets

Mouldable Candle Wax Pack: Feauring six trays of wax
containing 150g wax and 5 metres of wick
Candle Making 20 Candle Set: Contains everything
you need to make approximately 20 candles in 7
shapes. Excludes candle wax pot and inner
melting pot
Candle Making 60 Candle Set: Contains
everything you need to make
approximately 60 candles in 9 shapes.
Excludes candle wax pot and inner
melting pot

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For more information on our range
of waxes, candle making supplies
and sets, contact us via:
Call: 0116 269 7711
Online: www.dryadeducation.co.uk A531