QA

Why Are My Candles Cracking

Rough Surfaces/Cracking: Candles have an uneven, rough surface or small air bubbles which lead to small holes, cracking, and/or jump lines. Possible Causes: Stirring too vigorously, water somehow got into the wax, your candles cooled too fast, candles were poured at too cool of a temp.

What causes cracks in soy candles?

Cracking. Finding a very thin crack in a circle about 1″ from the wick is common. This is caused by the combination of the wax shrinking slightly as it cools and tiny air bubbles stuck in the bottom of the container. After the wax hardens, it sinks a bit where the air bubble left a void.

What happens if you put too much fragrance oil in a candle?

Adding too much fragrance oil can lead to impaired burning characteristics. Temperature at Which the Fragrance Was Added – Adding fragrance oil add too high of a temperature may cause it to dissipate, or burn off, in the melted wax.

Why does my wax keep cracking?

The wax for facial services can be a bit more fluid, but as long as you still have control over its movement on the stick then that is when you know it isn’t too hot! Wax that is too hot will spread too thin, and thus lead to cracking.

Why do my candles have sinkholes?

Sinkholes occur naturally from the process of the wax setting up. As wax is heated to melt it into liquid form, the wax expands literally taking up more space as it changes form from solid to liquid. This is the reasoning as to why sink holes can appear in your candles.

How do you stop a candle from crackling?

First, usually this is caused by water, or other moisture being present while the candle is burning. This could have occurred while the candle was being made or between a burning session. Try to keep candles in a cool and dry place to avoid this. Second, crackling can also be caused by other improprieties in the wax.

What happens if you heat candle wax too hot?

A heating solution that heats wax evenly will ensure even mixing during this process. Prevents overheating. Overheating can also cause discoloration—along with cracking, poor fragrance throw, poor glass adhesion, frosting, and rough tops—ultimately creating a weakened product.

What happens if you pour your candles too hot?

At really high mix temperatures over 160 degrees you can lose allot of your scent out into the air while waiting for the wax to cool before pouring. Try 130-150 degrees. c) Fragrance oil not fully mixed with the melted wax or settled.

How many drops of fragrance oil do you put in a candle?

How much essential oil to add to candles. I have found through much testing, that you will want to add a minimum of about 100 drops of essential oil for every pound of wax.

How do you fix cracked beeswax candles?

To avoid cracks, try to cool your candle gradually in a warm area of your house, but if they do happen to crack don’t despair! It is not likely to impact the performance of the candle and will almost always fill in again when the candle is next lit.

What temperature should you pour soy wax?

The wax should be poured into the container while it is 120 – 165 F to reduce cracking and speed up the cure time of the wax. If wax is to be left in the melter over night, the wax should be stored at a temperature of 130 – 145 F.

How do you prevent bubbles when making candles?

The single best way to avoid getting air bubbles in your glass jar candles is to make sure to pre-heat your glass jars to about 160 degrees before pouring your candle wax into them.

Why is my candle flame bouncing?

Sometimes a draft or burst of air can cause your candle to smoke as it burns, which reduces the air quality in your home. When a rush of air makes the flame flicker in and out, this can also cause your wick to fuel the candle inconsistently by drawing too much oil from the candle wax.

How do you smooth a candle surface?

Melt the top of the candle until it’s smooth and let set. You can also use the “top pour” method, which means leaving a few millimeters of empty space on top of the jar, allowing the wax to set and then pouring more wax on top to smooth out the surface. Just be sure to use the same wax blend and you’re good to go.

Do you cure candles with lids on or off?

Let your candles cure before test burning them. The minimum cure time is 3 days, while 1-2 weeks is the preferred curing time, especially for natural waxes such as soy and coconut. Place a lid on each candle and store them in a place away from excessive heat or light. Keep the container size and room size in mind.

When should you throw out candles?

As with most things, knowing when to stop burning your candle is important. This keeps you, and your furniture, safe. When there is approximately 1/2” of wax left in the bottom of your candle it’s time to stop burning. It’s okay for there to be some wax left over, candles are created with this little buffer of wax.

How long should candles last?

The lifetime of a candle mainly depends on the type of wax used, as well as how it’s stored. The short answer is that certain types of candles, like paraffin candles, can last almost indefinitely when stored properly. Other types, like soy candles, are best used within a year or two.

Do candles go out on their own?

Only candles in the jars or containers with a wick that comes with a metal bottom can self-extinguish. When you let the other kind of candles (pillar candles or taper candles) to burn themselves out, it becomes a safety concern.

Should you Stir wax when making candles?

Stir consistently for at least 3-5 minutes: This is also very important. Stirring for a short amount of time can keep your fragrance oil from binding to the wax. This can cause the oil to settle to the bottom of the wax which can also result in a weak scent throw.

Can you reheat soy candle wax?

The simple answer is yes. The best thing to do is melt down the remaining wax and pour it into a smaller votive—et voilà, you have yourself a new candle. Make sure you combine all the same type of wax (beeswax, paraffin, or soy). (The melting point of different waxes ranges from 100 to 145 degrees.)Mar 4, 2020.