Just Candles
- An extensive range of scented candles including the popular "Yankee Candle" range, together with the latest manufacturer to be added to the range, "Colony Candles". Check out the full range including pillars, jars, tealights and floating candles.

How to make candles.

Candle making can be quite complicated. There are many different types of candles - for some you need molds, whereas taper candles are made by the wick being dipped in hot wax repeatedly, allowing the wax to set between each dipping. There are also different types of wax, different sizes of wicks and different additives for the wax. If this is to be a serious hobby I would recommend buying a book on candle making, or to start you off, a candle making kit that will contain everything you need, plus step by step instructions.

Having said that, I will now provide you with some basic instructions.

How do I know how much wax I will need?

Fill your mold with water, then weigh the water. 86g of wax are needed for every 100g of water.

How do I melt the wax?

First, a few safety points. Think of wax in the same way as you would cooking oil. At high temperatures it will catch fire. You will need a thermometer to check the temperature of the wax - you should never let it get hotter than 100°C. You should put your thermometer in the saucepan when you start melting the wax. Never leave melting wax unattended (think of it as a chip pan!).

You will need a "double boiler" to melt the wax. Basically, this is a large saucepan filled with water, into which you put a smaller saucepan or metal container which will contain the wax to be melted. The wax should be broken into small, even sized pieces before the melting process begins. The inner container should be clean and dry, and no water should be allowed inside it.

Stir the wax frequently whilst it melts, and monitor its temperature using a cooking thermometer (but do not let the thermometer touch the bottom of the container or you will get a false reading). The wax starts to melt at about 52°C.

Be ready to pour the wax into your molds when it has reached the correct pouring temperature. This will depend on the type of mold you are using - molds made from metal need the highest temperature - between 80 to 90°C. None conductive molds, ie those made from glass, rubber or cardboard require a lower temperature - 55 to 65°C.

Prime the wick

This is done by placing the wick in the melted wax until it has absorbed as much wax as it can, then remove it (not with your fingers - the wax is hot!) and lay it flat to dry. This makes the wick easier to light and easier to thread through the mold.

Put the wick in the mold

Thread the wick through the hole in the top of the mold (you can use a paper cup if you like). Plug the hole with blu tack so the wax doesn't leak out. Wrap the wick around a pencil to secure it in the centre of the mold at the opposite end.

Pour the wax

Pour the wax slowly into the mold, and tap the mold to release air bubbles that would spoil the finished look of your candle. As the wax dries it shrinks - keep some wax to top up the mold as required.

Leave the candle to set

Leave the candle to set for a few hours. You can speed the setting process up by putting it in the fridge for 15 minutes.

Removing the candle from the mold

Turn the mold upside down over some kitchen towel and the candle should slide out. Trim the wick to about 1 cm above the top of the candle.

There you have it - your finished candle!