How To: Fitting Candles

Holder is too large.

What you'll need.

A few drips of hot wax in the bottom

Hold upright as the wax cools.

Standing straight and tall.

What you'll need when your candle holder is slightly too small.

Place water in microwave for 30 seconds.

Hold end of candle in hot water until soft.

Firmly, but gently push candle into place.

A perfect fit.

Thumbnails are a handy tool.

Barely noticeable scarring.

Candle fitting can be a challenge, especially when facing the inconsistent production techniques of many suppliers. In addition, vintage candle holders often come in unusual sizes. The holders made in our shop are consistently 1/2 or 3/4 inch (we may add others in the future). Given this variety it comes as no surprise we often must size a candle to its holder. Here are a couple of simple techniques for fitting your candles.  

Holder too large (the easy one)

1. Light the candle you are putting in the holder or, to keep its wick fresh, light a candle that’s already been used.

2. Let a few drips of hot wax fall into the opening.

3. Before the wax cools, insert your candle and hold upright for a few seconds.

4. Done! 

Holder too small (a little more complicated)

1. Heat a small, microwave-safe, bowl of water in the microwave for 30 seconds. The dish used should be one you don't mind having wax residue in. Here's a post on removing wax.

2. Dip the bottom of the candle into the hot water to a depth roughly equal to the candle's diameter.

3. Wait 10 seconds.

4. Firmly but gently push the candle into holder. If there is too much resistance, heat your water another 15 seconds and repeat steps 2 and 3.

5. Personally, I like the look of the collar of wax that is created by this process. If you prefer a cleaner look, the squeeze out can be removed easily using your thumbnail or a small knife.