Paraffin wax comes in different grades and therefore each will have a different melting point. Dependent on what type of candle you are making will depend on the wax you will need to use, and what additives may need to be included. You need a lower melt point for container candles; a higher melt point for pillar candles and a high melt point for taper candles and hurricane candles. Our paraffin wax has a melting point of 57°C - 60°C.
Beeswax comes in blocks, pellets or honeycomb sheets and has a beautiful colour and smell. It has a melting point of approximately 62°C.
Soya wax is made from hydrogenated soybean oil and is a reliable wax as it doesn’t shrink after it cools, and has a melting point which can vary on the blend; it can be as low as 50°C going up to 80°C. Soy wax doesn’t allow pigment dyes to dissolve properly, so use liquid dyes to colour, and use a larger diameter wick. Other waxes available include rapeseed and specialist waxes such as micro waxes, carving waxes and hard waxes.
Preparing wax safely
Treat wax like you would cooking oil. Wax doesn’t boil; it gets hotter and hotter. It is likely to be fairly safe below 100°C, but it is likely to catch fire at high temperatures as the wax turns to vapour so don’t ever leave it unattended. Ensure your thermometer is accurate, and always place the thermometer in your wax to monitor the temperature.
Keep your area tidy – cover everywhere with newspaper, and keep some spare to mop up any spills! Always wear old clothes.
Got wax on your carpet? Scrape off the excess, and then place some newspaper over the rest. Apply a hot iron and the wax will transfer to the paper.
Please don’t pour wax down the sink. It will block your pipes. A better idea would be to pour unwanted wax into a baking tray, and cut it into blocks to be used for chunk candles.
Melting the wax
Whether you use a double boiler or a wax pot, do not leave the wax unattended once you have placed it on the heat source.
Double Boiler
1. Pour water into the bottom of the larger saucepan. Place a trivet into this pan if required – this will hold the second, smaller pan in position. Pour wax (0.5kg) into the small pan and place in the larger pan of water. Place both on a low heat source.
2. Add the thermometer into the pan containing wax and monitor the temperature. Top up the water if necessary – do not let it boil dry.
Wax Pot
- Ensure the inner pot is inserted into your wax pot. Pour the wax into the pot. Switch on to the maximum setting. Add a thermometer to monitor the temperature.
- Add any additives you wish to use, such as Stearin or Vybar
- Add any dyes you wish to use. Some dyes require melting with the wax whereas others can be added after the wax has melted. Check the instructions on your dyes thoroughly.
Remove the wax from the heat source once it reaches 90°C.
Add fragrance to wax when it is in its molten state.
For ease of pouring, decant the wax from the double boiler or wax pot into a suitable heatproof jug.
Pouring the candle
- For ease of pouring, decant the wax from the double boiler or wax pot into a suitable heatproof jug.
- Tilt the mould slightly and pour the wax down the side of the mould. Tilting the mould prevents air bubbles. Fill your mould until it reaches 1cm from the top. Leave some wax in the jug for the next stage but don’t return it to the heat.
- Allow a skin to form on the surface of the candle. As the wax cools it contracts leaving a ‘well’. A good tip at this point is to poke relief holes into the candle in order to deal with the natural shrinkage of the candle as it solidifies. Poke the holes around the wick using an ordinary skewer, and poke to a depth of 4cm less than the depth of the whole candle. This poking may need to be done a couple of times during the cooling process, but when making your first candle just do it once to establish the process.
- Leave the candle to cool. Once cool, melt the leftover wax from step 2 and heat it to a higher temperature than before, approximately 5°C - 10°C higher than the original pouring temperature. This will help adhesion between the layers, i.e. the new layer will melt to the old layer successfully. Fill your candle to the level just below the first filling. Filling above the level may cause a visible seam once cool, and over filling may cause wax to seep between the existing candle and the mould itself, causing an uneven surface. Again, leave to cool.
