Using the correct candle wick

Using the correct candle wick.



The primary purpose of a candle wick is to supply the correct amount of fuel (candle wax) to the flame for burning, in effect, the fuel supply system.

If you would like a candle that burns with a clean constant flame, and I am sure that you do, then choosing the correct candle wick for that candle is very important. Choosing the wrong candle wick will result in either the candle continuously going out or spluttering, or alternatively burning with a lot of smoke.

Firstly let’s look at the different types of candle wicks available:

Cored candle wick – Cored wicks will not curl, so they are commonly used when curling may cause

problems, such as deep melting jars or votives.

Flat candle wick - Flat braided wicks are like a braid of a lady’s hair - a three strand braid made up of lots of thin strands. They burn very evenly, curling in the flame just a bit to "self-trim." they come in sizes that indicate the number of plies or strands in the wick. They are probably the most commonly used candle wicks.



Square candle wick – These wicks are braided or knitted wicks and will also curl in the flame, but are larger allowing more melted wax (fuel) to flow through them. Square wicks are used with beeswax, but can also be used for other applications like taper candles and pillar candles.



Round candle wick - Round wicks are the wicks chosen most often by chandlers when using more viscous waxes eg. palm wax or soy wax. Just like the square wick, round wicks allow the thicker wax to flow smoothly through the wick giving a nice even burn.



The candle wicks that you are using will probably be one of the above mentioned types. Whatever category they fall into, it’s important to remember that the wick is one of the most important components in the candle making art. Use the correct wick for the type of wax, the size of candle as well as suiting the additives that you might be using.



It is possible to make your own wick, in fact making your own wick is important if you are going to make non-standard or unique candles. When making your own wick you can choose the colour of the flame that you would like by soaking the wick in different solutions. A teaspoon of Epsom

salt added to your soaking solution will result in a white flame. A teaspoon of saltpetre added to

your soaking solution will give you a violet flame. You can get a green flame by adding a teaspoon of

copper sulphate (can be found in a chemistry set or crystal growing set) or a blue flame by adding a

teaspoon of calcium chloride (used in making pickles)