Your Total Guide to Picking Candle Wicks for Homemade Candles

collaborative post // You can make candles to express your creativity and craftsmanship and even start a small business. When making homemade candles, you may think about how you want your rooms to smell, the color of wax you want and the size and aesthetic of the container.

However, if you want to make one that performs well and meets all your expectations, then you should also consider the wick material. A wick is the little string that protrudes from the top of the wax and burns to melt the wax and produce the fragrance. In order to select a great wick, you must consider the following factors:

1. The material of the wick

Wooden: When wooden wicks burn, they produce a lovely crackling sound and beautiful fragrance. They are created using very thin pieces of wood, are usually about one inch wide and come in many different lengths. They are known for producing crackling, cozy sounds while burning. They can be used with wax blends and beeswax.

Cotton: Cotton is knitted, braided, or twisted together to form the wick. The cotton wicks come in different types, including flat-braided ones, which curl as they burn, and square-braided ones, which allow more melted wax to travel through it.

Hemp: These are very rigid, and they burn hot, giving off very little smoke.

HTP: They are self-trimming and rigid. They are made from paper and cotton that has been woven together. They are best for soy wax, paraffin, and gel wax.

2. The size of the wick

The size refers to the thickness of the wick, which affects the rate at which it will take up wax from the candle. Therefore, a smaller one will draw less wax while a larger one will draw more wax. Its size also affects the size of the flame that is produced.

If you choose a wick that is too small for you, it will just burrow through the middle of the wax, leaving a lot of wax on the sides that does not burn and is wasted. Furthermore, a small one can drown by being covered with melted wax.

On the other hand, choosing a wick that is too large will make the wax melt too quickly. In addition, it will cause too much wax to go through it and end up producing smoke and a flame that progresses too quickly.

3. The type of wick

Cored: These are knitted or braided, and they have a round core made from zinc, paper, tin or cotton.

Square: This is self-trimming and can be knitted or braided and is often used with beeswax.

Flat: These are knitted or flat-braided and are made from three layers of fiber. They are known for having a consistent burn and for being self-trimming.

Conclusion

If you want to choose the best candle wicks, you need to consider the material, size, and type of wick because these factors play a huge role in influencing the strength of fragrance, longevity, and clean burn of the candle you will make at home.