Making Floating Candles

Choosing a Mold

Molds for making floating candles can generally be purchased wherever candle making supplies are sold. If you’re having trouble finding floating candle molds in your local area, you can order molds online from the following Web sites:

• Candle Wic
• Yaley
• Discount Candle Shop
• Spirit Crafts
• Craft Cave

If you’re fairly new to candle making and don’t feel like spending a ton of money on expensive molds you may only use once or twice, there also are several items in your kitchen that may be repurposed as floating candle molds. Almost any type of baking mold that is wider on the bottom than the top should work to create a floating candle. Mini muffin tins work well for basic floating candles. If you’re looking for more decorative candles, most individual Jello or candy molds will work as well. Just keep in mind that once you’ve used something for candle making, it’s no longer suitable for food preparation.

Steps for Making Floating Candles

Once you’ve selected the appropriate mold, the process for making floating candles is essentially the same as the steps you’d use to make any other small votive candle.

Supplies:

• Candle making mold
• Paraffin wax
• Candle dyes or small chunks of broken crayons to tint your wax to the appropriate color
• Candle fragrance, if desired
• Pretabbed wicks
• Candy thermometer
• Double boiler
• Wooden spoon
• Pot holders

Instructions:

1. Put chunks of wax into the double boiler and set the heat to high. Stir frequently until the wax is melted.
2. Use the candy thermometer to monitor the temperature of your wax. Turn off the heat when the temperature reaches 180 degrees Fahrenheit.
3. Stir coloring and fragrance into the melted wax. As a general rule, you’ll want to use no more than 1/8 oz. undiluted candle scent for every 1 lb. wax.
4. Slowly pour wax into the mold.
5. After the wax has partially hardened and formed a skin, add wicks to candle molds. Press the tab down into the bottom of the mold with a spoon or skewer.
6. When the wax cools, you may notice that it has shrunk to create a small pit around your wick. This is normal and will not influence how your candle burns. However, if you wish, you may reheat your leftover wax and fill in the pit to create a floating candle with a smooth top.
7. Let candles cool completely before trimming the wicks. Generally, it is recommended to trim the wick between ¼ and ½ inch above the base of the candle.
8. Remove your candles from the mold. If a candle doesn’t come out of the mold easily, try placing it in the refrigerator for about 10 minutes. Don’t try to scrape the candle out of the mold with a knife, since you’ll leave unsightly impressions in the wax.

Displaying Your Floating Candles

If you have followed the directions correctly, your handmade candles should be of a comparable or slightly better quality than most of the mass-produced floating candles that are available for purchase. You’ll also be able to enjoy the satisfaction that comes with knowing you’ve created a one-of-kind item.

Floating candles look great in a variety of settings. A single candle can be floated in a small votive holder for a fresh and contemporary look. You can float a few small candles in a wine or margarita glass. For a larger display, try dropping several floating candles into a pretty salad bowl. Fresh flowers can also be added to your centerpiece for an interesting effect.