What makes a pillar candle unique is its ability to be able to stand on a bowl or holder without melting into a large mess. The process of making a pillar candle is different than a regular candle allowing it to be more durable. It is important that before you start to make your pillar candle that your work space is clean and tidy, and you have the following items to make it:
Utensils Needed to Make a Pillar Candle:
- Candle Mould
- Clothes Peg – to help hold your wick in the right place
- Double boiler – or a saucepan inside a saucepan to melt your wax in
- Heat Source – to melt your candle pillar wax
- Jug – to pour your candle wax
- Utensil for stirring
- Thermometer – to make sure you heat the wax to the correct temperature
Ingredients Need to Make a Pillar Candle:
- Dye
- Fragrance
- Wax
How to Make a Pillar Candle:
It is important to follow the following steps carefully to ensure you get the correct results for the best pillar candle.
- Step One – Follow our measurements and percentages guide to figure out how much wax you are going to need to make your candle. Once you have the correct amount of candle wax, place it into the double boiler and melt the wax to a maximum temperature of 65°C. Occasionally carefully stir the wax as it melts.
- Step Two – When allowing the wax to melt you can also make sure your container is ready to use. The candle container needs to be clean from any cross contamination. The first step is ensuring that the wick is placed in the container correctly. Wick placement is dependent on the type of mould you are using. To make it easier for the wick to stay in place we recommend supporting the wick externally with a clothing peg or a similar item.
- Step Three – Once the wax is completely melted and is 65°C, the dye of your choice can be added to the wax. You have to keep stirring the wax and dye to allow the candle dye to be evenly dispersed so the candle is a consistent colour. Stir in a gentle manner to avoid air bubbles forming in the wax.
- Step Four – Now grab your chosen candle fragrance oil to be added to the wax. Using your thermometer measure the temperature of the wax and make sure it is below the flash point of the fragrance. The flash point is the level in which the fragrance evaporates from the wax. Once the wax is at the needed temperature, slowly pour in the fragrance and mix while doing so.
- Step Five – Once the wax is at 60°C or below you can begin to pour it in the mould. Pour the wax slowly and carefully to avoid air bubbles as they can alter the burning process of a candle. Fill the mould to the very top and leave it on an even surface for around half an hour to cool down. You may have had excess wax, that should be reheated in case your pouring went wrong and you need it for a re-pour.
- Step Six – Allow between 12-24 hours for the candle to completely set. Once it has set you can remove it from the mould. The candle will have shrunk when it cooled down and should be easy to remove from the mould. It is important, like with all other candles that you trim the wick.