Best Wicks for Beeswax Candles

Candles provide reliable, cost-effective lighting and they are used in homes, offices and in other places like camping tents. There are different types of candles that you can find on the market and some consist of fragrances, artificial dyes, and chemicals. On the other hand, there are also candles that are made from natural wax like beeswax candles.

In most cases, many people believe that the type of wax used in the production of certain types of candles is the most important thing but that is not the case. As you are going to see, the wick is central in the whole process of making candles and there are different types of wicks. 

While beeswax candles are the best choice by virtue of containing natural wax, they should also feature the best wicks for an excellent performance. You can also make beeswax candles at home. As such, this article analyses the best wicks for beeswax candles as well as their benefits.

Why Beeswax Candles?  

As the name suggests, beeswax is a natural wax that is produced by honey bees. Candles that are made from this type of wax do not produce any toxins and they burn with a beautiful golden flame that is relaxing to your eyes. Beeswax candles also have a high melting point which entails that they have a longer burning time than others. 

On top of that, beeswax candles produce a pleasant honey fragrance that can neutralize some air pollutants. The beeswax candles also help people who suffer from asthma to breathe more easily since they can reduce dust and mold molecules. With all these benefits of beeswax candles, it can be observed that they do not come cheap.

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However, you can make your own candles at home and still get the same results. Homemade candles are cheaper but you should know the types of wicks to use. The next part discusses the benefits of wicks as well as the best types of wicks that go along well with beeswax candles.

Significance of Candle Wicks

If you do not choose the right wick for your candle, it will not burn properly no matter what kind of wax, container or fragrance you use. In other words, the wick is very important since it is the candle’s fuel. A candle should receive the right amount of propellant which is determined by the type of wick it uses. 

Essentially, the right type of candlewick helps you to achieve the following elements:

• Moderate temperature of the container
• Consistent flame
• Prevent dripping while at the same time forming a stable wax pool
• Minimal carbon deposits
• Minimal glow after extinguishing the candle

Thus, if you fail to choose the proper wick for your candle in the first place, it might not burn properly. The following are some of the factors that can help you to choose the right wick for your beeswax candles. 

How to Choose the Best Wicks for Beeswax Candles?

Selecting the right wick for your candle is one of the most difficult challenges that you can encounter in candle making. However, as you are going to see, there are different factors such as fragrance, size, wax, color as well as the shape of the candle that can determine the right wicks that you can choose.  

Candle wicks are made of hemp, cotton or a combination of cotton and paper. There are mainly four categories of candles wicks outline in detail below.

Flat wicks: these are the most common types of knitted wicks which bend slightly while the candle is burning. These are ideal for taper and pillar candles.

Square wicks: the wicks are either braided or knitted and they also bend slightly while the candle is burning. However, they are stiffer than flat wicks and they are also appropriate for beeswax candles.  

Cored wicks: these wicks are also either knitted or braided but they remain straight when burning and they do not bend like other two types mentioned above. These are used for pillar, votive, jar and novelties candles. The wicks are made of paper, cotton, tin or zinc.

Specialty wicks: as the name suggests, these wicks are used in candles that are designed to repel insects or in oil lamps. 

For beeswax candles, square wicks are the right choice as a result of the fact that these candles have a higher melting point compared to other types of candles made of soy or paraffin. As such, beeswax candles require larger and powerful wicks in order for them to burn efficiently. 

All the same, you must know the other types of wicks to avoid picking the wrong ones for your beeswax candles. The other thing that you should take into consideration is the length of the beeswax candlewick depending on its shape and size. 

Candle wicks have different levels of thickness and there are mainly two categories. The other category has a thickness range of between 6/0 – 1/0 while the other one has a range of between 1 and 10. The thickness of the wick determines the dimension of the candle where it can be used as illustrated in the table below. 

Thickness Range	Dimension of the Candle
#6/0 to #4/0 wicks	diameter up to ½’’
#3/0 wicks	diameter up to ¾’’
#2/0 wicks	diameter up to 1”
#1/0 wicks	diameter up to 2’’
#1 wicks	diameter up to 2 ½’’
#2 wicks	diameter up to 3’’
#3 wicks	diameter up to 3 ½’’
#4 wicks	diameter up to 4’’
#5 wicks	diameter up to 5’’
#6 to #10 wicks	Large outdoor candles

Conclusion

Choosing the best wicks for beeswax candles can be challenging but you can overcome this if you take into consideration different factors such as fragrance, size, wax, color as well as the shape of the candle. A candle wick is more important than wax since it determines how your candle will burn. 

If you choose the wrong wick, then your candle can give you a poor flame. I hope you have enjoyed reading this post. If you have any comment you can leave it below.