How Are Candles Made?
Candles used to be a main source of light all over the world. Now candles have become an important part of many religious ceremonies, birthdays, celebrations of all kinds. Candles are now more than just a light source. Candles can be made at home, or in candle producing factories, called chandlers.
Many people worldwide make their own candles. This saves money and ensures that you get exactly the size, shape, and color candle you want, without you having to go from store to store looking for it. Candles are fairly simple to make and can even be a project for the whole family, as long as all safety precautions are followed!
Items you will need to make candles
- Paraffin wax (1 pound)
- Candle wick
- Candle mold
- Stearine (2 to 3 tablespoons) (Stearine is a product that is usually created from animal or vegetable fats and oils. It increases the hardness of your candle, helping it to drip less and melt more slowly.)
- Two pots, one smaller and one larger (or a double boiler can be used)
- Large bowl
- Kitchen thermometer
- Newspaper
Safety guidelines
- Never melt wax over direct heat
- Never overheat wax
- Never walk away from melting wax
Instructions for making candles
- Choose a working surface away from your source of heat. Cover all working surfaces with newspaper to protect your surfaces from the damages of melted wax.
- Ready the wick inside the candle mold. If you are not using a candle mold, and are using a jar or other container, be sure to center the wick inside the container so that the candle will burn evenly.
- Pour water into the larger pot. Put your wax into the smaller pot. Bring the water to a low heat and place the smaller pot inside the larger one. Allow the heating water to melt the wax.
- Once the wax is melted, add the stearine.
- Once the wax and stearine have combined and the wax is completely melted, it is time to pour the wax into the mold. You must be very careful when doing this. Sometimes it is better to pour the wax into a container with an easy pour spout before pouring it into the mold. Also, if you tilt the mold while you are filling it with wax, your candle will have fewer air bubbles.
- When you have finished pouring your wax, place the mold into the bowl and fill it with cool water. This will help your candle to solidify. But watch your candle. As the wax cools, it will often contract, which will cause parts of your candle to shrink. You must sometimes carefully add more wax to the mold to even the candle out.
- Once your candle is cool and has solidified, you can remove it from the mold.
And you have now made your first candle! If you want a colored or scented candle, just add dye or fragrance oils to the wax after it has been heated but before you pour it into the mold. You are now ready to make any type of candle you want! And just remember, if your candle does not turn out quite like you wanted…you can always melt it down and start again.