Homemade Candle Wicks

Lighted candles

Wicks are an essential part of candle making. While commercially-prepared wicks are available in a wide range of sizes, including many specialized candle wicks, you might like to learn how to prepare your own wicks at home. Just follow these easy instructions to create wicks for your homemade candles.

How to Make Homemade Candle Wicks

Supplies Needed

  • Undyed cotton twine
  • Scissors
  • Tongs (Or anything you can use to pull the wicks out of the warm wax)
  • Clothspins for hanging wicks to dry
  • Small pair of needle nose pliers
  • Enough wick tabs for the number of wicks you want to make (Optional)
  • A small bowl
  • 2 Tablespoons of salt
  • 3 Tablespoons of boric acid powder (Available at many pharmacies and hardware stores)
  • Warm water
  • A double boiler
  • Whichever type of wax you use to make your candles (Beeswax, soy, paraffin)

Steps

  1. Decide how thick and how long of a wick you'll need. Small candles burn well with single wicks, while medium candles require a wick made from three strands of twine braided together. Larger candles may need two or three braided wicks spaced out to help the candle burn evenly.
  2. For a single wick, measure the twine so that it will be about three inches longer than the height of your candle, and cut the twine. If you plan to braid a wick, cut three equal lengths of twine that are approximately four inches longer than the height of the candle the wick will be used for. You'll eventually trim your wick down to the correct size once your candle is made, but this way you won't wind up with one that's too short.
  3. Combine the warm water, salt and boric acid powder in a bowl and stir to dissolve. Soak the lengths of twine in the solution for about one hour.
  4. Remove the twine from the solution and let dry for 24 to 48 hours. Once the twine is dry, you can braid a wick if you wish.
  5. Using a double boiler, slowly melt some of your chosen wax. You'll need enough to cover your strings/braid, and you can remelt any leftover wax the next time you want to make more wicks.
  6. Soak the twine for about 10 minutes to make sure the wax saturates it. (An alternative method is to simply grip the twine with tongs and dip it into the wax several times to coat the twine, and then hang it to dry.)
  7. Using tongs to protect your fingers, pull each piece of twine out of the wax, allow it to drip for a moment to remove excess wax, and then hang it to cool. As the wax begins to cool and before it hardens, you can gently straighten the wick so it is completely straight when the wax is finally firm.
  8. If you wish to add a wick tab to the bottom of your wick, thread the wick into the center opening and use the needle nose pliers to pinch it shut.

Reasons to Make Your Own Wicks

There are several reasons to forego the convenience of using commercially-made wicks.

  • You can create custom-length wicks for your original candle creations.
  • You can make as many wicks as you need, whenever you need them.
  • You can tailor your wick to a thickness that matches the size of your candle for a more efficient burn.
  • You can use the same exact wax for your wick that you plan to use for the candle.
  • Since you control the ingredients you use to make your wicks, you won't have to worry whether they contain any toxins. You can even create wicks using organic cotton twine and beeswax.

Give It a Try

Creating handmade candle wicks is a useful technique for a candle maker who wants a greater degree of control over the candle making process. Once you've made a few wicks following the instructions above, you may decide to always make your own custom wicks. Even if you don't, it's always nice to know you can make one in a pinch.