Homemade Pillar Candles

Pillar candles can be used to make almost any occasion more elegant, whether it is a large gathering of friends, or a simple decorative touch to your home. With the degree of flexibility that you have when designing a pillar candle, it is no wonder that homemade candle making is an exciting and rewarding project. Following a few basic instructions for making unscented or scented pillar candles will have you making these beautiful home accents in no time.

As with any project, it is important that you read the instructions thoroughly before you begin your project. Make sure that you have the appropriate materials, proper safety equipment and a basic knowledge of candle making procedures. Safety equipment includes hot pads to avoid accidental burns.

Materials Needed For Decorative Pillar Candles:
Mold
Wax
Add-Ins
Wick
Sealers
Wick Rod
Double Boiler

Make sure you clean your mold with warm water to remove any residue. Dry your mold completely, as water can damage the candle or prevent it from settling properly.

Thread the wick (Two inches longer than the pillar) through your mold and secure in place with a wick rod.

Seal your mold with a screw and sealer to stop leakage.

Melt the proper amount of wax in the double boiler. Hold the boiler just above the heat to prevent scorching the wax. Remove the double boiler from the heat when the wax reaches between 175 and 190 degrees.

Add in color chips or fragrance oil if you want to make a scented pillar candle. If you prefer an unscented pillar candle, you won't need to add anything to the wax, except color chips. Stir the wax and add-ins thoroughly. You can make uneven textures and tones, if you desire, by stirring more sporadically.

Pour the wax into your mold until it reaches ½ inch from the top. You will notice that as the wax is cooling, it will develop a depression in the center. You can use a needle to poke holes within one inch of the candle's length in the wax, causing a source of ventilation.

Add more wax to the mold to fill in the ventilation holes. Make sure the wax is level with the previously poured wax to prevent any seams along the base.

Let your candle completely cool for about 24 hours. This step can take longer.

Remove your candle from the mold carefully. If it does not slide out easily, place it in the refrigerator for about 15 minutes and try to remove it again.

Trim the wick so that it is ½ inch above the candle.

Smooth the base of the candle by trimming the surface with a nylon cloth.

Embellishing a Pillar Candle
There are a variety of ways that you can embellish a pillar candle, but here are a few simple things you can do:

• Give your pillar candle some texture by adding chunks to your mold before pouring wax.
• Experiment with layering colors to give your candle a personal touch. You can do this by adding a layer of one color of wax, letting it dry, and then adding in another wax color.
• Add spices, flower petals and other decorative items to the melted wax for an interesting appearance.
• Gently press pins into the surface of your completed pillar candle.

Glossary of Terms

Add-Ins
These consist of color chips and fragrances that can be mixed in with the wax to produce colors and scents.

Double Boiler
Two nested pans that are designed for slow, even cooking.

Mold
For this project, molds can be metal, aluminum, silicone or plastic. Make sure there is no residue in the mold before use.

Sealers
Mold the sealer, or tape, and a wick screw used to prevent wax from leaking out while pouring the candle in the mold.

Wax
There are a variety of waxes available. You can buy white, colorless or tinted wax to make pillar candles.

Wick and Wick Rod
The wick should be about two inches longer than the pillar, as it will be trimmed during the project. The wick rod holds the wick suspended in place. A wick rod can be a dowel or pencil.