Candle Making Wicks: Choosing The Right One Is Crucial
Of all the aspects of candle making, the importance of choosing a wick is often overlooked. When we think of candles we think of the beautiful colors, shapes, and the wonderful fragrances. However, without a wick a candle is just a pretty piece of wax. Obviously a candle cannot function without a wick but not just any old wick will do. Proper care must go into choosing the right candle making wick.
You must not dismiss the importance of choosing a candle making wick. If you make the wrong choice of wick for your candle it will not burn correctly. For example, if your wick is too thick the flame will burn too brightly, causing the candle to burn too fast. In addition to being inefficient, it is also a hazard.
On the other hand, if your wick is too thin the candle will burn too slowly and only the inner part of the candle melts. The wick will become saturated by the wax and will no longer burn.
There are key variables involved in choosing a candle making wick. You need to take into account your candles size, the type of wax and the fragrance density. Now, don’t start to worry that choosing a wick will be too complicated and that you might screw it up. Selecting the proper candle making wick is really not difficult. It may seem challenging but the more you do it the easier it becomes. Before you know it choosing wicks will become second nature.
Perhaps the most important factor in choosing a wick is its diameter. There is a science to how a wick works. You may be interested in learning more about how and why the wick does what it does. However, for now it is important to understand that the size of the wick is what matters most.
Most candle making wicks that you buy are braided. There is a good reason for this. You may think that it is because it looks nice but that is not the case. Braided wicks tell you the thickness. The more braids it has the thicker it is.
One tip that will help greatly is to keep a log. You are kind of like a scientist experimenting with different concoctions. Some things you try will not work so well while others will work great. When working on a project write down everything you do, the type of wax you use, the size of the wick, fragrance type, etc. This way you will have a record of what works well and you won’t have to worry about remembering what you did.
Now that you understand how crucial it is to select the proper wick for your candle, do not be intimidated. As I have said, it really is not difficult. Remember, practice makes perfect! It won’t take long at all before you are very confident in your wick selections. You have enough information now to get started so go make some beautiful home made candles!
