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One of the most frequently asked questions that we get at Scents Soaps and Candles is “what wick do I use?”. There is no simple answer to this question but to fully determine what size wick you should use in candle making you should carry out test burns. We carry many different types of wicks, and sizes, all of which can be found in our candle making supplies section.
Candle makers carry out a test burn to see how a candle burns. You will quickly discover that pillar and container candles burn differently and this is affected by the type of wax that you use, the size of container that you use, the percentage of fragrance oil that you use and also what wick you use.
Each candle must be test burned to see how the wick performs to get an accurate performance of the candle. It is important to carry out a full burn test as performance can change during the burning of the candle.
Many people new to candle making make the mistake of thinking that one size of wick will be good for each different type of candle that you make. This is NOT the case as wicks perform differently in each candle depending upon the container, wax, scent and dye that you are using. Also remember that waxes burn differently as well - do not make the mistake of assuming that all types of wax perform the same. You can use two different types of soy wax and they can have completely different scent throws and burn differently to each other.
When test burning you should burn more than one candle with the same wick. You must be confident that you can reproduce your results and so you need to test burn more than one candle with the same wick. Also make sure that you do not leave the wick too long or trim it too short. It is also important not to test burn your candles in a drafty location. When test burning multiple candles using the same wick, wax and scent combinations you will get far more accurate results.
Use different wick sizes and types when test burning candles and burn them at the same time. By doing this you can compare the performance of each different wick size. Also remember NOT to have the candles too near to each other as the heat that they generate can affect performance.
When carrying out a test burn to see what wick size you need you should burn the whole candle. This is because candles burn differently as they burn down. You will discover that as a candle burns down it will burn out further horizontally. This is because the flame creates heat and more of the heat is trapped as the candle burns down. What then happens is that this trapped heat helps the candle wax to burn the sides of the container.
When test burning a candle to determine what wick size you need, you must record all of your data. Good candle makers have good data - it is not by happy chance that they make good candles, it is because they have put the time and effort into testing and recording their results. You will then have accurate information to follow to get the best and most consistent results.
It is important to record the room temperature, the temperature that you add your fragrance oil, the percentage of fragrance oil and dye that you use and the temperature that you pour your wax. Then when you are happy with your end result you will know which wick to use for that combination of candle wax, container and scent. Happy candle making!