Combustion is a chemical process in which complex molecules break down into smaller, more stable molecules as the bonds between their atoms rearrange. As a candle burns, this process produces heat, which melts the wax into a liquid that fuels the flame. The candle wick draws this liquid wax up to the flame. Wax and the surrounding air are the two essential elements that keep the flame alight.
You now know how to use a wick. Here is a list of the various problems you may come across with candle wicks, along with solutions in a few simple steps.
Candle wick positions and behaviours that cause problems
The position of your wick, or the way it behaves while burning, can cause you problems. Every one of these situations has a simple fix. Read on to find out how!
Corkscrew-twisted wick
This may be caused by uneven tension in the yarn during braiding, or by two yarns with different thread counts. Another possible cause is the wick strands crossing over each other before the wick is inserted into the candle.
Wick too thick
The flame is too large for the diameter of the candle and produces soot.
Wick too straight
Heavy carbon residue is probably the most common and most frustrating problem affecting how well your candle wick burns. The wick does not curl, so its tip never reaches the outer edge of the flame, where the temperature is highest and the carbon burns off completely.
2 possible reasons:
- Paper threads, paper or other substances mixed into the wick stop it from curling.
- Contaminants such as hard wax, additives, dyes or fragrance oils clog the wick and stop it from curling.
Wick too thin
The flame melts more wax than the wick can burn. The melt pool fills with liquid wax and eventually overflows or leaks.
Fallen wick
The wick was set too loosely in the candle. This happens with poured candles when the wicks have too much room.
Wick too short
The wick has been damaged by contaminants in the candle material. The flame shrinks, the melt pool fills with liquid wax and the candle leaks. In extreme cases, the candle may go out. This is caused by inorganic contaminants in the wax: hard wax, synthetic wax, dyes (pigments in particular) and fragrance oil.
Smoking wick
This kind of soot is caused by draughts. Keep your candle away from draughts.
Wick curling too much
This may be caused by paraffin (strong penetration) or by insufficient wick priming. A specially treated wick stands up to paraffin better than a standard one.
Wick leaving ash residue
This ash comes from contaminants in the wax. Unburnt material collects at the tip of the wick as fine threads, sometimes even forming a double wick.
Common wick-related problems
Some problems you notice in your candle can actually come down to the wick.
Why is my candle wick mushrooming?
The "mushroom" shape you sometimes see on the tip of a candle wick after burning is the result of carbon build-up. It happens when the flame draws up more fuel (wax + fragrance + dye) than it can burn.
It is very common, but there are a few things you can do about it!
Use less fragrance and/or dye
With less fragrance and dye, you make sure the flame properly burns off all the material in the wick. Remember that you do not necessarily need a large amount of fragrance to get a powerful scent throw; too much can even have the opposite effect and hamper the scent of your creation.
Trim the wick before each burn
Some wick series are more prone to mushrooming than others. Make sure you trim your wick by 0.5 cm every time you light your candle.
Go down a wick size
If you get a very deep melt pool soon after lighting, more than 1.5 cm in 30 minutes, and you see excess smoke or soot building up on the container, try a smaller wick size from the same series.
Excess soot and an oversized flame
When you burn a candle, you may notice a little smoke rising from the flame. This is normal. Anything that burns gives off smoke, but a well-made candle does not produce an excessive amount of visible smoke.
If you see a lot of smoke coming off the flame, it may be a sign that you need to adjust your method and/or your supplies.
When a candle produces a lot of soot, it is often because the wick is too thick, there are impurities in the melt pool, or there is a draught!
Check your wick size and series
Although some smoke is to be expected, excessive smoke is a sign that you may be using the wrong wick size. Do you see a thick, steady stream of smoke rising from the flame, large puffs of smoke, smoke coming off the wick continuously, or excess smoke or soot building up on the container? These are all signs that you need to go down a wick size. Make sure you are using a wick from the recommended series.
Reduce the amount of fragrance
If your fragrance load is too high, the flame may burn off the excess fragrance that could not bind with the wax, creating heavier, darker smoke than usual. The maximum recommended fragrance load is rarely necessary. Most fragrances are strong enough at 6%, 8% or 10%. Do not go above 10%, even if your wax says it can hold more.
Try a different wick series
If you have already tried different wick sizes within the same series and are still having problems, try switching to another wick series.
Why does my candle wick keep going out?
The main reason your wick will not stay lit is usually that it is too small, or that it has been clogged by dyes.
Use a larger wick
If the wick is too small, it cannot burn all the fuel (wax + fragrance) efficiently or generate enough heat, so it goes out. Try a larger wick size from the same series.
Reduce the amount of dye and fragrance oil in your candle
By using less fragrance and dye, you make sure the flame properly burns off all the material in the wick.
Off-centre wick
When you make your candle, positioning the wick correctly is essential for a creation that burns properly and evenly (provided you have chosen the right wick in the first place). If the wick sits too far to one side or leans over, you may end up with a candle that only burns on one side. In extreme cases, a wick too close to the side of the container can overheat the glass and cause it to break.
To make sure your wick stays centred while you pour, use some of the tools available on our website. Our self-adhesive wick pads are perfect for holding your wick to the bottom of your container while you pour the wax. The other tool we offer is our wick centring tool. Also available online, it keeps your wick straight and upright while the candle cools.
Use a wick centring tool
A wick centring tool is an easy way to make sure your wick sits in the middle of your container. It is also easy to use for multi-wick candles, as it keeps the spacing between the wicks even.
Keep the wick taut while the wax cools
When you secure your wick, make sure it is pulled taut. If it is too slack, the wick may bend and drift off-centre as the candle sets.
The melt pool is too small
It takes a little time for the melt pool to reach the full diameter of the container: as a rule, it widens by about 2 to 3 cm per hour. If your candle has burned for a length of time suited to the size of your container and the melted wax still has not reached the edge, the candle is not generating enough heat to melt the whole surface of the pool.
Go up a wick size
A melt pool that is too small means the candle is not generating enough heat.
The wick is therefore not burning hot enough to create a melt pool as wide as your candle. Try keeping the same wick series but switching to a different size.
Do not trim your wick too short
If you trim your wick too much, the candle may not generate enough heat to create a proper melt pool. Make sure your wick is trimmed to between 0.6 and 1.2 cm.
Give the melt pool enough time to form
A full melt pool can take a while. Burning your candle for one hour creates a melt pool of 2 to 3 cm. So for a container 6 cm in diameter, you will need a burn time of 2 to 3 hours.
Use an additive
Your wax may also be too hard: try an additive such as beeswax to soften it.
Rescuing a candle that is tunnelling
Tunnelling happens when a wick draws up too much fuel (wax + fragrance) too quickly, faster than it can burn it off. Instead of melting the wax right to the edges, it burns a tunnel down the middle of the candle, leaving unmelted wax around the sides.
Go up a wick size
If the wick is too small, it cannot burn all the fuel (wax + oil) efficiently or generate enough heat to form a full melt pool. Try a larger wick size from the same series.
Go down a wick size
If the wick is too large, it draws up too much fuel too quickly, generating too much heat and melting only the middle of your candle. This is less common, but it does happen. The fix: if you have already gone up a wick size and the melt pool got smaller, try going down a size instead.
Conclusion
With our complete wick guides, wicks should hold no more secrets for you! Still have questions? Our team is here to help and will give you a precise answer!
