cndl:candlemaking

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cndl:candlemaking [2026/03/10 17:06] – Dave Darbycndl:candlemaking [2026/03/26 18:33] (current) – external edit 127.0.0.1
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-# Candlemaking+This topic is part of [[gt:crafts|Crafts & making]]. 
 +====== Candlemaking ======
  
  
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-## What is candlemaking?+===== What is candlemaking? =====
  
 Candlemaking is making a light source from a flammable wick surrounded by a combustible material (usually wax, usually solid). Candles have been used to light people’s homes and journeys since long before the advent of electricity. The symbolic properties of light also mean that candles have traditionally played an important part in ceremonies and festivals around the world. Candlemaking is making a light source from a flammable wick surrounded by a combustible material (usually wax, usually solid). Candles have been used to light people’s homes and journeys since long before the advent of electricity. The symbolic properties of light also mean that candles have traditionally played an important part in ceremonies and festivals around the world.
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-### History+==== History ====
  
 Early candles were made from rush lights or papyrus soaked in animal fat, though these lacked the wick of true candles. Over the centuries, different cultures experimented with adding a wick to a variety of combustible materials and by the Middle Ages tallow (from rendered animal fat) was the most common material for household candles across Europe. The introduction of cleaner-burning beeswax - obtained from bee-keeping monasteries - was a major improvement over the smelly, sooty tallow, but the high cost meant they were only affordable by the church or the wealthy. The development of stearin wax (from animal fat), paraffin wax (from petroleum) and braided wicks in the 19th century marked the high point of industrial production, but candle making declined shortly afterwards with the advent of electric lighting. Early candles were made from rush lights or papyrus soaked in animal fat, though these lacked the wick of true candles. Over the centuries, different cultures experimented with adding a wick to a variety of combustible materials and by the Middle Ages tallow (from rendered animal fat) was the most common material for household candles across Europe. The introduction of cleaner-burning beeswax - obtained from bee-keeping monasteries - was a major improvement over the smelly, sooty tallow, but the high cost meant they were only affordable by the church or the wealthy. The development of stearin wax (from animal fat), paraffin wax (from petroleum) and braided wicks in the 19th century marked the high point of industrial production, but candle making declined shortly afterwards with the advent of electric lighting.
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-## What are the benefits of candlemaking?+===== What are the benefits of candlemaking? =====
  
 Candles are a way of providing light without using electricity - beneficial from an environmental perspective, but also very useful in case of power cuts, or in remote areas away from the power grid. With minimal equipment and outlay it’s feasible to make your own candles at home which you can then use for decoration and relaxation, or as a beautiful, individual gift. Assuming you’re buying wax and essential oils in bulk, making your own candles is very cost-effective, and certainly cheaper than buying the same thing from a craft shop. Candles are a way of providing light without using electricity - beneficial from an environmental perspective, but also very useful in case of power cuts, or in remote areas away from the power grid. With minimal equipment and outlay it’s feasible to make your own candles at home which you can then use for decoration and relaxation, or as a beautiful, individual gift. Assuming you’re buying wax and essential oils in bulk, making your own candles is very cost-effective, and certainly cheaper than buying the same thing from a craft shop.
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-### Materials+==== Materials ====
  
 While the amount of raw materials used doesn’t differ that much from mass production, natural waxes are preferred by some craftspeople as being more environmentally-friendly than paraffin. They certainly give off a gentler, subtler fragrance and have the obvious advantage of not being a petroleum derivative in terms of production. While the amount of raw materials used doesn’t differ that much from mass production, natural waxes are preferred by some craftspeople as being more environmentally-friendly than paraffin. They certainly give off a gentler, subtler fragrance and have the obvious advantage of not being a petroleum derivative in terms of production.
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-## What can I do?+===== What can I do? =====
  
 Candlemaking is suitable for all ages and great fun for kids (properly supervised). It’s pretty safe as melt temperatures are fairly low: if you’re doing it right the wax should never get hot enough to burn the skin. Cover surfaces or use an old table to work on; any unwanted wax spills can normally be cleaned up with a hairdryer and soft cloth. Obviously you need to be careful around hot hobs and pans of water, and oven or safety gloves should be worn when handling neat fragrance or essential oils. Special care needs to be taken with fragrance or essential oils around children or pregnant women and you should only ever use materials - including waxes, fragrances and oils - that have been approved for use in candlemaking and are safe for burning. Candlemaking is suitable for all ages and great fun for kids (properly supervised). It’s pretty safe as melt temperatures are fairly low: if you’re doing it right the wax should never get hot enough to burn the skin. Cover surfaces or use an old table to work on; any unwanted wax spills can normally be cleaned up with a hairdryer and soft cloth. Obviously you need to be careful around hot hobs and pans of water, and oven or safety gloves should be worn when handling neat fragrance or essential oils. Special care needs to be taken with fragrance or essential oils around children or pregnant women and you should only ever use materials - including waxes, fragrances and oils - that have been approved for use in candlemaking and are safe for burning.
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-### Container candles+==== Container candles ====
  
 Container candles are by far the most popular type sold or made on candlemaking crafts courses. You can use any suitable heat-proof receptacle, from tumblers to teacups to jam jars, all of which can be scrounged from around the home or rooted out in charity shops and jumble sales if you don’t want to buy them new. Here’s how to make them: Container candles are by far the most popular type sold or made on candlemaking crafts courses. You can use any suitable heat-proof receptacle, from tumblers to teacups to jam jars, all of which can be scrounged from around the home or rooted out in charity shops and jumble sales if you don’t want to buy them new. Here’s how to make them:
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-### Pillar candles+==== Pillar candles ====
  
 Pillar candle wax is harder as it needs to support itself unaided and can only take about 2-3% essential oils. Here you do need to spend some money on special moulds, which come in everything from cheap, straight-sided aluminium to more expensive and elaborate shapes in plastic and latex (the term ‘pillar’ is a bit of a misnomer as these days they come in a wide variety of shapes and forms). Pillar candle wax is harder as it needs to support itself unaided and can only take about 2-3% essential oils. Here you do need to spend some money on special moulds, which come in everything from cheap, straight-sided aluminium to more expensive and elaborate shapes in plastic and latex (the term ‘pillar’ is a bit of a misnomer as these days they come in a wide variety of shapes and forms).
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-### Tapers+==== Tapers ====
  
 While a little more time-consuming than other candlemaking methods, beeswax tapers look and smell nice and are clean-burning. While a little more time-consuming than other candlemaking methods, beeswax tapers look and smell nice and are clean-burning.
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-## Further resources+===== Forum ===== 
 + 
 +This topic belongs to the section [[gt:crafts|Crafts & making]]. You can ask questions or add information on the corresponding [Forum section](https://forum.growingthecommons.org/t/crafts). 
 + 
 +===== Further resources =====
  
 - [Live Simply](https://livesimply.me/diy-homemade-candles-natural-lavender-rosemary-scent/) - homemade candles for beginners - [Live Simply](https://livesimply.me/diy-homemade-candles-natural-lavender-rosemary-scent/) - homemade candles for beginners
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-## Related topics+===== Related topics =====
  
-- [Beekeeping](https://knowledge.growingthecommons.org/doku.php/bees/beekeeping) +- [Beekeeping](bees:beekeeping) 
-- [Craft production](https://knowledge.growingthecommons.org/doku.php/craf/craft) +- [Craft production](craf:craft) 
-- [Essential oils](https://knowledge.growingthecommons.org/doku.php/eoil/essential_oils)+- [Essential oils](eoil:essential_oils)
  
-## Specialist curators of this topic+===== Specialist curators of this topic =====
  
  
  • cndl/candlemaking.1773162406.txt.gz
  • Last modified: 2026/03/10 17:06
  • by Dave Darby