It can be tough to know which wicks make for the best burning candles, especially if you are new to the craft of candle making. Once you learn a few tips however, getting the right wick for every new candle creation is easy and effortless with more practice.
When shopping for a wick, the four most popular kinds you will see commonly are Cotton Core, Flat Braid, Square Braid, and Wire Core types. The type of wick you will need will greatly depend on which type of candle you are trying to create.
Wicks that are the right type and size will give you an even melting pool without a drip. When the wick is too small, you will often get too small of a melt pool, which unfortunately means very little scent and a lot of wasted wax. A wick that is too long can also be potentially dangerous, as it can cause a lot of unexected smoke and burns through too quickly. If you don’t use the proper wick, you risk a lot of issues that not only might affect the way it burns or smells, but it could also be a potential danger as well. While it would be nice if there was only one type of wick to choose from, that is unfortunately not the case. It greatly depends on candle recipes which can vary widely from one ingredient to the next, but this is part of what makes making your own candles so special. When you take the time to test and practice early on, it will save you a lot of time and money in mistakes later on. If you are putting the time and effort into choosing candle making recipes then it is worth it to make sure you are using the right type of wick as well. It is best to usually purchase several samples in different sizes to test what kind will be best for your project. Many professional candle makers will also try making a wickless candle first to see how the wax mixture holds up on its own.
Although it can take some time to get to the point where you can pick the perfect wick each time, eventually selecting one becomes natural and effortless over time. There is no better reward than knowing you’ve made the perfect candle!