If you're feeling creative and want to make your own wood wick candles, choosing the right wax, type of wick and size is very important if you want to achieve the best candle-making results.
For making the best wood wick candles at home, we suggest using soy wax, this is a great natural wax to burn and will not pollute the air inside your home, paraffin wax is a cheaper alternative.
Down below, we've put together the ultimate candle-making guide for wood-wick candles to ensure you get the best results when choosing or making your candle at home.
As we mentioned above, the best wax to use in wooden wicks candles is natural waxes like soy wax since they burn clean and still hold a decent fragrance load if you want them scented.
However, depending on your preference and budget, you might want to use other types of non-natural candle waxes or blends. We've listed some other types of waxes to consider below.
Now we have covered the main kinds of waxes you can use when making wooden wick candles, let's move on to the main types of wicks you can use.
Wooden wicks come in three different types; spiral, single-ply and booster wicks. They are also known as hard wicks and soft wood wicks, the latter producing a better crackling sound.
This is the thinnest kind of candle wicks you can choose, it is a strip of wood which has a thickness under 0.04 inches, due to the small size of the flat wick, it is best for use on smaller candles with a diameter under 2 inches. This style wick is best used with paraffin waxes rather than natural options.
Booster wicks are similar to single-ply wicks except they are thicker wicks since they have an extra strip of wood attached down the middle.
The wick type is great to use on slower-burning fragrance candles which are made with natural waxes like soy or beeswax.
Spiral wicks are tube wick with a hollow centre and a cylinder shape, unlike normal cotton wicks or wood wicks, the thick design and high heat output means they can create large wax pools in candles, which means they are suited to candles which are larger in diameter.
A good advantage to this kind of wood wick is that it can be used with all wax types.
Due to the cracking sound hard and soft wood wicks make, many people wonder if wood wicks are as safe as your traditional cotton wicks in candles.
Woodwicks are just as safe as any other kind of wick to burn, they are recommended over classic cotton wick candles since they are sustainably sourced and a natural material, free of chemicals which will not pollute your home when lit.
We've done a deeper comparison of traditional cotton wick candle types and wood wicks below if you're still unsure which wick to use.
Many people still make candles with traditional cotton wicks rather than natural wooden wicks, but why? Are cotton wicks better?
Well, cotton wicks have the advantage over wooden wicks due to them being cheaper and widely available, making them an easy choice for candle making. They are also easier to light up.
The negative of cotton wicks is that they use a lot of wax for burning and can produce carbon while burning which causes the wick to smoke, ruining the scent and appearance of the candle.
Wooden wick candles have the advantage over cotton wick types since they burn evenly, meaning there is a lesser chance of that ugly black smoke coming from your candle. They are also more natural and burn clean.
People often prefer wooden wicks due to the crackling sound they make too. The main drawbacks to wooden wicks are that they take longer to light and can be harder to keep alight.
Since wood wicks are made out of natural plant material, they give that pleasing burning crackling sound when they are lit.
This is because the cellulose turns into a gas and tries to get out of the wood, it instead explodes, causing a crackling sound.
It should be noted that the strength of your candles crackling sound also depends on a few other factors such as the wax type, paraffin can offer to produce a stronger crackling sound and the fragrance content, which shouldn't be too high or low, 6%-8% is often recommended.
Apart from choosing the right kind of wax and type of wood wick for your candle and the best crackle, you also need to consider the size of the wood wick.
In order to find the right wood wick size, conducting a burn test might be the best choice. Before that, find the right wick size and type for your container diameter then choose one smaller and one larger.
Make sure the wicks are trimmed to a standard 1/4 inch size then burn them all for around 4 hours, test them all and make sure the flames do not reach over 3 inches in height.
Now we've got all the background information out the way about choosing your wood wicks, wax and sizes, let's move on to the fun part, how to make your wood wick candle!
You can make the best wood wick candle in the world, but if you want it to burn properly and last, you should ensure you are taking care of it properly.
We've listed our best care tips for taking care of these kinds of candles below.
What are some popular wood wick candles brands?
Some well-known brands that make wood wick candles are; Wood Wick candles themselves, Craft & Kin, CLCo., Cocobowl co and Aromeo.
What is a dual wick?
A dual wick is a larger wick suited to large candles and creates a better wax pool and cleaner burn, also known as booster wicks in our guide above or two single wicks in a candle.
Can I use woodwick candles inside my home?
Wood wick candles are safe to burn inside of your home but they should be burned inside with some ventilation, choose natural wax as the safest option.
Do I need to wax wooden wick candles?
No, wooden wicks can be used as they are in candles and do not need to be waxed or soaked in oil beforehand.
How long do Wood Wick candles last?
Branded wood wick candles will last different amounts according to the size, for example, you can expect their Wood wick mini candle to last 20 hours and their Hearthwick candle to last 50 hours in total.
Do wood-wick candles smell better than cotton-wick candles?
Wood wick candles are said to give a better throw than cotton wick candles since they burn hotter and slower, cotton wicks can mushroom and give off a lot of smoke.
Why will my wooden wick not stay alight?
If your wood wick is not staying alight then it might need to have a trim, remember it should be 1/8 of an inch or it might need to be cleaned of soot.
Why is paraffin wax harmful?
Many people are moving away from paraffin wax for burning due to the chemicals it can give off when burning. Paraffin is derived from petroleum and is known to give off carcinogens when burned which could cause cancer!
To conclude, the best wax for wood wick candles tends to be soy wax, this is thanks to its slow burning and great scent throw, it also does not give off any chemicals when burned, unlike paraffin wax. As a cheaper alternative, you could use a blend of both.
Always remember to make sure you're using the right type of wood wick and size when making a wood wick candle for the best burn and take care of your candle properly to make it last longer.
I had a question...
You wrote:
"What type of wax should I use with wood wicks?
Vegetable-based soy waxes blend – Another great candle wax choice could be a blend of soy wax and coconut oil (make sure to never use over 50%), soy wax and paraffin waxes or soy wax and beeswax. This could make the wax more budget-friendly and help it to hold fragrance."
What did you mean by making sure not to use over %50?
I had a question...
You wrote:
"What type of wax should I use with wood wicks?
Vegetable-based soy waxes blend – Another great candle wax choice could be a blend of soy wax and coconut oil (make sure to never use over 50%), soy wax and paraffin waxes or soy wax and beeswax. This could make the wax more budget-friendly and help it to hold fragrance."
What did you mean by making sure not to use over %50?