Choosing and fixing a wick

A wick carries melted wax up to the flame. The wick does not burn much itself, but it must be the right size. A wick that is too small drowns in its own pool of wax and goes out. A wick that is too large burns fast, flares and smokes. Choosing and fixing the wick is the first decision in any candle, and it is the one that is hardest to undo later.

What a wick is

Most wicks are a braided core of cotton or a similar fibre, often with a thin paper or metal strand to hold the shape upright. The core draws the wax up. The stiffer strand keeps the wick straight while the candle is poured or dipped. Wicks are sold by size, and each size is meant for a range of candle diameters.

Steps

1. Measure the diameter of the finished candle at the level where the flame will sit.
2. Look up the wick size given for that diameter in the guidance supplied with the wick or the wax.
3. Cut a length a little longer than the candle, so there is room to adjust it.
4. Fix the base of the wick to the centre of the mould with a wick tab or a small dot of melted wax.
5. Pull the wick taut from the base to the top, and check that it runs straight through the centre.
6. Hold it in place until the pour or dip has set, and do not move the wick while the wax is soft.

What can go wrong

• A wick that is too small gives a small flame, a shallow pool, and a candle that tunnels down the centre.
• A wick that is too large gives a high flame, black soot, and a pool that runs too fast.
• A wick that is off centre leaves a lopsided pool and a flame that leans.
• A wick that is not held taut bends or sinks during the pour.

The wick is set correctly when it stands straight in the centre, when the flame sits in the middle of the top, and when the pool of wax reaches the edge of the candle within the first hour of burning.