Overview of Wicks for Candle Making
Wick Overview
One of the most important aspects of candle making is choosing the right wick for your project. The wick is integral in determining burn time and smoke output, as the wick controls the speed at which a candle burns and how clean it burns. A low quality wick- like those used in birthday candles- is typically twisted, whereas a higher quality one will be braided. A smaller wick will yield a smaller flame, and burn a smaller portion of wax, causing the candle to snuff itself out. A larger wick can melt too much wax and overpower the flame. The correct type of wick will be determined by a variety of factors, including the diameter and casing of a candle, the type of wax used, and whether any additives are introduced. Although there are literally hundreds of different types of wicks, they generally fall into three basic categories: flat, square, and cored.
Flat Wicks
Flat wicks are primarily made out of cotton, or a combination of cotton and paper. They are then soaked in a brine or salt solution to reduce the amount of smoke output. The flat, braided wick, made up of three ply strands of cotton, is the most commonly used wick. They are ideal for tapered and votive candles, as well as smaller diameter pillar candles. These wicks burn themselves out, and therefore do not need to be trimmed while the candle is burning.
Square Wicks
Like flat wicks, square wicks are primarily made out of cotton, or a combination of cotton and paper, and are soaked in a brine or salt solution. Because square wicks are braided to form a square, they tend to be sturdier. They are ideal for use in larger diameter pillar candles due to the larger flame they produce, insuring the entire candle burns evenly. They are also used almost exclusively when making novelty candles, for the same reason, as well as for beeswax candles. Beeswax burns slower than traditional paraffin or soy waxes, so a larger flame is necessary for even burning.
Cored Wicks
Unlike flat and square wicks, cored wicks are made with a zinc or tin center that is then surrounded by either paper or cotton. Traditionally, candles with such wicks were cored with lead. This practice, however, was outlawed following the Consumer Protection Act for fear of lead poisoning. Purchasing cored wicks from overseas vendors runs this risk, but can be easily mitigated by untwining one of the wicks and taking the core to paper, as a lead core will write and zinc and tin will not. Cored wicks are braided to form a round wick, and are the sturdiest of the three. These wicks are not self-trimming, and must therefore be cut by hand. They are ideally suited for smaller candles that don’t require trimming like votives, floating, and tea lights, or candles where the wick isn’t prominent, such as container or jar candles. Metal core wicks burn hotter than flat and square, and are often used in gel and other candles requiring higher temperatures to melt.
Click Here To Download Our Wick Quick Reference Guide
Other Wicks
There are a number of varieties of wicks that are gaining popularity outside of this broad classification. HTP (High Temperature Paper) wicks combine the rigidity of cored wicks with the ease of self-trimming. The increased sturdiness provides less mushrooming than traditional cored wicks and the self-trimming feature allows for use in candles where the wick is prominent. This wick is ideal for use with vegetable, paraffin and gel candles. Performa coreless wicks are special flat cotton braided wicks formed with a stiffening wrap, increasing rigidity and decreasing curling or bending while burning. These wicks also create a robust flame, and are ideal for use in soy, vegetable, and beeswax, and pillar, taper and container candles. LX, or German coreless, wicks are flat coreless wicks that are uniquely braided with stabilizing threads to maintain slight curl and a consistent flame that reduces afterglow, mushrooming, smoke, and soot. This wick is mainly used in the creation of container and pillar candles when used with paraffin and vegetable waxes. The RRD wick is a series of round directional wicks with a braided cotton core. The directional threading provides increased fuel flow, making them ideal for use with viscous materials like gel, soy and vegetable waxes, as they won’t snuff themselves out. These wicks are used with container candles, highly fragrant votives, and pillars. The CD wick series is a flat braided wick with interwoven paper threads. This wick offers increased rigidity and works well with many harder to melt waxes.
Additives For Candle Making
For a quick splash of color, consider sprinkling the following onto your flame:
Copper sulfate, borax, and aluminum will turn your flame green, while copper and calcium chloride will turn a flame blue, and potassium chloride purple. Sodium chloride, or table salt, will make a flame orange, strontium chloride will turn it red, and lithium chloride leads to pink. Try tossing in a dab of Epsom salt (magnesium sulfate) to watch your flame dance white!
