How to Make Delightful Candles in Easy 7 Steps
I love decorating with an accent candle or two.
The scent drifts through the room and makes it just feel more cozy and warm.
Making your own candles can be a big mess and difficult, if you don't know what you are doing.
Fortunately it doesn't have be that hard, follow these simple steps and you will be quickly on your way to making candles.
Step 1: Caution Contents Are Very Hot Ok, this is pretty obvious that wax is flammable, otherwise your candle wouldn't be a real candle.
Paraffin wax's flashpoint is 300 degrees F.
While working with it don't let the wax's temperature exceed 250 degrees F.
Depending on the wax that you are using it can be very difficult to clean up.
This is especially true for paraffin wax, which is a petroleum based wax.
The wax is very hard to clean up off of counters, floor and tools.
Ceramic tile grout lines are really difficult to clean up, don't ask me how I know this.
Cover the counter and floor with butcher paper or several sheets of newspaper.
Clean will be much easier.
Step 2: Candle Making Gear
Chip the wax into small chunks.
If you are starting out with a big block of wax it will be easier to chip when the block is pre-softened.
Then chip off small chunks of the wax.
Weigh the wax chunks until you have 8 ounces.
Chip up 1/2 to a whole crayon.
Step 4: Melting Wax, Scent And Color Fill the larger pot with water.
Set the pot on the stove.
Bring the water to a boil and then back the heat down to medium.
Place the smaller pot on top of the bigger pot.
Load the wax chips and crayon chips into the smaller pot.
Attach the thermometer to the side of the pot and keep the wax temperature at 190 degrees F.
Periodically stir the wax.
While the wax is melting prepare the mold.
Cut the top of the soda can off.
Coat the inside of the can with the non stick cooking spray.
It will be easier to remove the candle after it has hardened.
Once the wax has completely melted remove it from the heat and add a few drops of vanilla extract.
Stir the scent into the wax.
Step 5: Of Wicks And Things Cut the wick to be an inch or so longer than the candle mold.
Dip the wick in the wax.
Then lay the wick out straight on a paper towel which is on top of a cutting board to harden.
A pair of tongs work well in straightening out the wick (remember the wax is hot).
Place the cutting board & wick into the refrigerator to speed up the wax hardening.
Step 6: Pouring The Candles Pour the wax into the candle mold.
Put the candle into the refrigerator to speed up the cooling process.
Once the top of the candle has become firm, take the candle out of the refrigerator.
Using a toothpick and poke a hole into the center of the top of the candle.
The toothpick will create a small hole on the top of the candle.
Notice that the core of the candle is still liquid.
Drop the wick into the center of the candle making sure to keep the bottom end of the wick in the middle of the candle.
Pour a little molten wax around the top of the wick to fill in the hole.
Put the candle back into the refrigerator to harden completely.
The time varies by the shape and volume of wax involved.
Typically in 6 to 8 hours the soda can candle will be completely hardened.
Gently twist and slide the candle out of the soda can mold.
Step 7: Cleaning Up The Mess Wax spills are part of the process of making candles.
Covering the work surface including the floor with newspaper will keep most all of the wax off of the counters and floors.
For surfaces that can tolerate high heat, stone counter tops for example, place a heavy brown paper bag over the wax spill.
Set your iron on high.
Iron the paper bag heating up the wax.
Then carefully peal the paper bag off of the surface and the wax will have wicked itself into the paper bag! Cleaning your tools will be a pain.
For your stainless steel tools using a propane torch to heat up the wax so that it will run off / burn off of the tool.
Another option is to use solvents that will melt the paraffin wax.
The scent drifts through the room and makes it just feel more cozy and warm.
Making your own candles can be a big mess and difficult, if you don't know what you are doing.
Fortunately it doesn't have be that hard, follow these simple steps and you will be quickly on your way to making candles.
Step 1: Caution Contents Are Very Hot Ok, this is pretty obvious that wax is flammable, otherwise your candle wouldn't be a real candle.
Paraffin wax's flashpoint is 300 degrees F.
While working with it don't let the wax's temperature exceed 250 degrees F.
Depending on the wax that you are using it can be very difficult to clean up.
This is especially true for paraffin wax, which is a petroleum based wax.
The wax is very hard to clean up off of counters, floor and tools.
Ceramic tile grout lines are really difficult to clean up, don't ask me how I know this.
Cover the counter and floor with butcher paper or several sheets of newspaper.
Clean will be much easier.
Step 2: Candle Making Gear
- Paraffin wax
- Medium sized wicks
- Scent - (Optional) Fragrance oil for candles, you can even use vanilla extract
- Color chips - (optional) Paraffin wax is white, add color chips to give your candles a different color.
Crayons work well for paraffin wax candles. - Release agent - No stick cooking spray works well as a releasing agent to get the candle out of the mold.
- Double boiler - Use a specially made double boiler or two pots where one is slightly smaller than the other and fit together.
- Knife - Cutting the wax into smaller chunks
- Molds - Empty soda cans make nice pillar candles.
Cut the top off. - Stainless steel mixing spoon
- Kitchen scale
- Candy thermometer
- Newspaper
- Roll of paper towels
- 2 tongs
- Cutting board
- Toothpick
Chip the wax into small chunks.
If you are starting out with a big block of wax it will be easier to chip when the block is pre-softened.
Then chip off small chunks of the wax.
Weigh the wax chunks until you have 8 ounces.
Chip up 1/2 to a whole crayon.
Step 4: Melting Wax, Scent And Color Fill the larger pot with water.
Set the pot on the stove.
Bring the water to a boil and then back the heat down to medium.
Place the smaller pot on top of the bigger pot.
Load the wax chips and crayon chips into the smaller pot.
Attach the thermometer to the side of the pot and keep the wax temperature at 190 degrees F.
Periodically stir the wax.
While the wax is melting prepare the mold.
Cut the top of the soda can off.
Coat the inside of the can with the non stick cooking spray.
It will be easier to remove the candle after it has hardened.
Once the wax has completely melted remove it from the heat and add a few drops of vanilla extract.
Stir the scent into the wax.
Step 5: Of Wicks And Things Cut the wick to be an inch or so longer than the candle mold.
Dip the wick in the wax.
Then lay the wick out straight on a paper towel which is on top of a cutting board to harden.
A pair of tongs work well in straightening out the wick (remember the wax is hot).
Place the cutting board & wick into the refrigerator to speed up the wax hardening.
Step 6: Pouring The Candles Pour the wax into the candle mold.
Put the candle into the refrigerator to speed up the cooling process.
Once the top of the candle has become firm, take the candle out of the refrigerator.
Using a toothpick and poke a hole into the center of the top of the candle.
The toothpick will create a small hole on the top of the candle.
Notice that the core of the candle is still liquid.
Drop the wick into the center of the candle making sure to keep the bottom end of the wick in the middle of the candle.
Pour a little molten wax around the top of the wick to fill in the hole.
Put the candle back into the refrigerator to harden completely.
The time varies by the shape and volume of wax involved.
Typically in 6 to 8 hours the soda can candle will be completely hardened.
Gently twist and slide the candle out of the soda can mold.
Step 7: Cleaning Up The Mess Wax spills are part of the process of making candles.
Covering the work surface including the floor with newspaper will keep most all of the wax off of the counters and floors.
For surfaces that can tolerate high heat, stone counter tops for example, place a heavy brown paper bag over the wax spill.
Set your iron on high.
Iron the paper bag heating up the wax.
Then carefully peal the paper bag off of the surface and the wax will have wicked itself into the paper bag! Cleaning your tools will be a pain.
For your stainless steel tools using a propane torch to heat up the wax so that it will run off / burn off of the tool.
Another option is to use solvents that will melt the paraffin wax.
Source...