Five Tips for Flawless DIY Candle Making
If you love do-it-yourself projects such as DIY candle making, then you must read these ten tips for great candlemaking for the DIY enthusiast
Tip #1: Use High Quality Wax
Whether you use beeswax, paraffin, or soy oil to make your candles, DIY candle making is hardly worth the trouble unless you use the best quality wax you can afford. So forget about melting down candle stubs, and skip the paraffin in the canning aisle at the grocery store. Go to the craft store to get wax made especially for DIY candle making. If there is no craft store near you, shop online.
Tip #2: Use a Double Boiler for Melting Wax
Nothing melts wax with the gentle, radiant heat it needs like a double boiler. Using a boiling water bath under the melting pot is a time-honored method for DIY candle making because it works so well. Don't try to reinvent the wheel by using the microwave or direct heat methods.
Tip #3: Follow Safety Precautions
Most DIY candle making is done at home, where you can control your own environment. Set up your work area to make it as safe as possible. Children should not be left unsupervised in your work area. Turn pot handles on the stove away from you so they can't snag on your clothing or be pulled off the stove by children.
Never leave melting wax unattended, and never try to put out a wax fire with water. Keep damp towels and pot lids handy to snuff out any wax fires that start. Prevent wax fires by only using a double boiler to melt wax and by holding your melting wax at 165 to 185 degrees.
Tip #4: Start with Simple Candles
With DIY candle making, it's best to take baby steps before you try to run a marathon. If you're a beginner, start out with beeswax candles. With beeswax candles, you roll a sheet of beeswax around a wick, using the body heat generated by your fingers to seal the seams on the candle. No double boilers, boiling water, or melted wax are required.
Beeswax candles are a great craft project to make with your kids at home on weekends or when school is out. Attach contrasting strips of beeswax to your finished candle to form interesting geometric patterns, or roll finished beeswax candles in glitter to add pizzazz.
Tip #5: Have Fun With It!
The best DIY candle making tip of all is to have fun with the process. Experiment with different colors, fragrances, and blends of wax. Try dipped taper candles and molded candles. Use latex molds to make special novelty candles to give as gifts to people you love. With DIY candle making, the only limit is your own imagination.
