Which wick should you use for a candle?

Why the wick matters as much as the wax

The wick draws up melted wax and burns it. Too thin for the candle's diameter, it only melts a small pool in the middle: the candle tunnels, wastes wax and ends up drowning its flame. Too thick, it gives a tall flame that smokes, blackens the jar and overheats the glass.

The right wick melts the whole surface to the edge in two to three hours, with a calm flame. It is also what releases the scent best: a tunnelling candle smells far less.

Cotton or wooden wick?

Braided cotton wick, by the metre

The most versatile. You cut it to length, and its number gives its thickness: the higher the number, the thicker the wick and the wider the candle it suits. It works with every wax, in jars and moulds.

Ready-to-use cotton wick

Cut to 15 cm, waxed and sold in packs of 100, in two sizes: no. 27 (5 MAD) and no. 40 (– MAD). The easiest choice for beginners: just fix it in the middle of the jar. No. 27 is the one in our beginner kit, for 200 ml jars.

Wooden wick

Sold with its holder (6 MAD), it gives a wide, low flame and crackles softly, like a small wood fire. It suits container candles in plant wax such as soy wax 4130. It is a little harder to tune than cotton, so test before a batch.

Our advice: start with cotton, which is easier to tune. Move to wood once your jar candles are right and you want the crackle.

Which wick size for which diameter?

It is the candle's diameter, not its height, that guides the choice. Measure the inside of the jar or mould, then start from these guidelines:

These are starting points, not rules: the wax and the amount of fragrance change the result. A hard wax like 4120 or fragrance at 10 % often needs one size up. All our wicks are on the candle wicks page.

For a very wide candle, several wicks spread over the surface often melt it better than one very thick wick.

Setting and centring the wick

1. 1

   Cut the right length

   Count the candle's height plus 2 to 3 cm. With 10 m of braided wick you can make about fifty candles 15 cm tall.

2. 2

   Weigh it down

   Slide the end of the wick into a metal wick base and crimp it: the wick stays at the bottom when you pour.

3. 3

   Stick it in the centre

   Fix the base to the bottom of the jar with a double-sided sticker. An off-centre wick melts one side only and heats the glass.

4. 4

   Keep it straight

   While the wax cools, hold the wick with a centring bar laid across the jar. Remove it once the wax has set, then trim the wick to about 5 mm.

Tunnelling, smoke, a drowning flame: common problems

The candle tunnels

The wick is too thin for the diameter, or the first burn was too short. Let it burn until the whole surface is liquid, and use a thicker wick next time.

The candle smokes or blackens the jar

The wick is too thick or too long. Trim it to about 5 mm before each lighting; if the flame stays tall, go one size down. A black ball at the tip of the wick is another sign it is too long.

The flame drowns in the wax

The wick is too thin, or too much fragrance weighs the wax down. Stay between 5 and 10 % fragrance and go up one wick size.

The flame leans or melts one side

The wick is off-centre or the candle sits in a draught. Centre it with the bar when pouring, and light the candle away from draughts.

The burn test

Before pouring a batch, make a test candle. Let it rest at least 24 hours (one to two weeks if it is scented), then burn it for two to three hours: the wax should melt to the edge without the flame smoking. Note the result, the wax, the fragrance load and the wick: that is your recipe.

Next, read which wax to choose for your candles and our step by step to make a scented candle at home.

Our wicks and accessories arrive in 2 to 3 days anywhere in Morocco, with the wax and fragrances of your order. Free delivery from 450 MAD, minimum order 70 MAD, cash on delivery.

Frequently asked questions