How to choose the right candle wick for your wax (2023)

Whether you're just starting out in candle making or you're a seasoned candle maker, you've probably spent a lot of time researching which candle wicks to use. There are so many candle-making materials out there that the simple question "Which wick should I use?" it's never easy to answer.

As you probably know, the right candle wick for your situation depends on several factors. When choosing the best candle wick, you always need to consider variables like these:

• The type of wax you are using.
• The size of your container, not just its volume, but also the width, depth and thickness of the walls.
• The material and finish (and sometimes even the color or opacity!) of your container.
• The type of fragrance you use.
• Any coloring (candle color) or other additives you use.
• The fragrance load (fragrance percentage) you used.

If you've ever performed a wick test, you've probably noticed how these factors can affect your candle's performance. For example, you could achieve perfect results with a single burn, only to find, all other things being equal, that you need a different wick when changing the scent used.

We understand how difficult and time consuming it can be to find a wick that works perfectly. And we know it's frustrating when there's no proven way to reduce the time and cost of testing. However, we hope this guide can help you choose the right wick for your candles.

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How can I tell if a candle is correct?

Before proceeding, it is important to understand what it means to have a properly wicked candle. A candlestick is correct when all of these conditions are met:

• Llama measures approximately 1" tall. The ideal flame height can depend on the type and size of the wick. For example, smaller wicks can naturally produce smaller flames. And some wicks are specially designed for a shorter flame. In any case, flames must never be higher than 3 inches.
• The flame burns evenly without excessive flickering.Air currents can cause flickering, but the flame should not vibrate too much on its own.
• Wax can melt over the surface of the container.The melted puddle should stretch from edge to edge (*see note below).
• When fully melted, the weld pool will be ¼" to ¾" deep.A very deep melt puddle indicates the wick may be burning too hot.
• The temperature of your container is not excessively high.The temperature should not exceed 175°F for glass or 150°F for cans.
• The flame produces no soot or smoke.Under ideal conditions, wax vaporizes cleanly as it is consumed by the flame. Soot forms when too much wax is put into the wick at once. Because the flame can only consume so much fuel at a time, excess wax is expelled as smoke or soot.
• When the candle burns, it leaves no excess wax clinging to the sides of the container.Lumps of wax appear when the candle does not reach a full melt puddle.(*see note below).If your wick doesn't burn hard enough, it will only succeed in instantly melting the wax around it. This eventually leads to the formation of wax tunnels.

* The optimal time it takes for a complete melt puddle to develop depends on your wax. With rich coconut wax blends like EC-26, CB2, or Ceda Serica, you really do NOT want a full melt puddle on the first few fires. A full melt on the first few burns is an indication that the wick is likely to overburn as the candle burns lower. It is wise to check the temperature of your jar/can throughout the life of your candle to ensure it is not getting too hot at any stage of your fermentation.

Choosing candle wicks and wax

Now that you know what to look for in your candle wick, you can start experimenting to find the best candle wick for your wax and container. This section covers the basics of choosing a compatible wick and wax.

To learn more about testing, read our candle testing guide.Here.

Choosing a compatible candle wax

Before deciding on a set of wicks, you should decide what type of wax you want to use. Currently we have the following types of candle wax:

• CB2 (For-I am):A blend of natural soy and a small amount of paraffin. This is the same wax sold as "I am Bliss".
• Ceda Serica (Coconut-Apricot):A mixture of coconut, apricot and paraffin wax.
• EC-26 (Coconut Soy): A mixture of coconut, soy and paraffin wax.
• Soy wax flakes: 100% soy wax made from natural soybeans grown in the USA.
• beeswax: Pure beeswax that can be used to make 100% beeswax candles. Candle makers also use beeswax as an additive when creating their own custom wax blends.

Please note that we also guideC55 kera, which is an acidic wax. It is not suitable for candle making.

Each type of wax has its own characteristics, so you may want to experiment with more than one type until you find what you like best. Our CB2, Ceda Serica, EC-26 and Soy Flake are excellent for container candles. Due to their soft consistency, they are not suitable for pillar candles. When making pillar candles, you need to choose a suitable wax.

Choosing the right wick type

Candle wicks are very versatile. Many of them can be used successfully on almost any type of wax. However, some candle wicks are designed to work particularly well on certain types of wax. Once you know what type of wax you're using, you can start with these absorption recommendations:

i am wax

• Ecological wicks
• CD (Stabilo) Daughter
• CDN-Dochte
• Ultra-Core-Dichte
• rigid curl
• Wooden wicks

CB2 (for-I am)

• CD locks
• CDN-Dochte
• Ultra-Core-Dichte
• rigid curl
• Wooden wicks

Ceda Serica (Coconut-Apricot)

• Ecological wicks
• locks LX
• HPSP Dochte
• Ultra-Core-Dichte
• rigid curl
• Wooden wicks

EC-26 (Coconut-Soya)

• Ecological wicks
• CD locks
• HPSP Dochte
• rigid curl
• Ultra-Core-Dichte

beeswax

• Ecological wicks
• Ultranucleo

Shop all of our candle wicksHere.

Please note that an unlisted wick for a particular type of wax does not mean it is not compatible. You can have success with any combination of wax and wick, but these recommendations should get you started.

Here are some general notes on candle wicks:

• Ultra Core wicks work well on virtually any wax.
• Eco Wicks works best with soy, but can also be used successfully with paraffin waxes, which have a lower melting point.
• CD wicks are ideal for high viscosity waxes such as paraffin or soy blends.
• Zinc wicks generally burn the coldest of all wicks.

A note on beeswax

Beeswax can be very difficult to absorb. When, where and how it was won plays a big part in its performance on candles. With so many variations, it's difficult to give exact recommendations for beeswax wicks. So it will take some more testing to find the best one for your spark plug. For your test we recommend the Eco-Wick series.

Choosing the right wick size

Once you have an idea of ​​what series of wicks you want to use, you can start choosing a wick size.

The diameter of your container is an important factor to consider when choosing a wick size. In general, narrower wicks work better with smaller diameter flasks, while thicker wicks work better with larger diameter flasks.

However, the same rule doesn't necessarily apply if you're making a double or triple wick candle. With multiple wick candles, it can be crucial to use smaller wicks.

Wick Size Charts

Each roving series comes with a size chart to help you choose the right roving size. Once you have selected the range of wicks you wish to use, refer to the sizing chart on the product page. Most wick charts list the recommended pot diameter for each wick size.

In most cases, the table gives a range of compatible socket wrench sizes. For example, an Eco 6 wick is recommended for 1.5" to 2.5" diameter bottles. These size charts are your best guide to choosing the right size to start with.

If you've ever looked at a candle wick sizing chart, you've probably noticed that the sizing system is not the same from one wick type to another. Most types of wick are assigned a number to indicate size. However, the numbering system is not the same for all roving brands. This can cause confusion. For example, some wick manufacturers base the number on the thickness of the wick itself. Others base the number of wicks on the diameter of the melt puddle created by the wick.

Use our free print versionCandle wick size chartto choose a wick!

absorb up or down

Because each wax has different properties, you may not always be able to rely on the sizing chart that came with your wicks. With waxes that have a high melting point, it may be necessary to "soak" them, which means choosing a larger wick size than the size chart suggests. And low melting point waxes may require a "wick", meaning choose a smaller wick than those listed in the chart.

Here are some general wax notes:

• Palm wax and low-melting paraffin waxes burn very easily; are absorbed accordingly.
• Beeswax is very hard and dense. You will almost always have to look for beeswax candles.
• Single use paraffin or soy waxes tend to have a higher viscosity. This may require you to pick up multiple sizes.

Wick sample packs

If you still don't know where to start, it's a good idea to pick up a pack of wick samples. Sample packs are available for each wick range and contain five wicks of each size.

• LX-Docht-Trial Package
• Ultra Core Wick Trial Package
• Eco Wick Musterpackungen
• HPSP Wick sample packages
• CD Wick Sample Packs (Stabilo)
• CDN Wick-Probepakete
• Rigid Ripple Wick Musterpackungen
• Sample packs with wooden wicks

If you already have an idea of ​​the wick size you need, 10 packs of each wick type and size are also available. These are also ideal for testing purposes.

Ready to test? Read our blog belowmake test candlesto learn everything you need to know!