When making candles of larger size at a certain point it becomes a good idea to go from one wick per candle to two wicks per candle. Making candles with a double wick can sometimes solve a lot of the problems you experience in candle making. It often comes with more benefits than drawbacks as long as you do not get too far off with wick size.
Some candle makers only make candles with two wicks and a lot of customers prefer candles with two wicks. Double wick candles perform pretty well in a lot of the categories that are important to candle users so it is easy to see why some consumers prefer them.
Let’s take a look at when you know to double wick a candle.
When To Double Wick A Candle
Double wick candles that have a diameter of 4″ or more. Double wicks are preferable because a single wick can struggle to maintain a complete melt pool of wax in candles that are this size. Double wicks will burn cleaner, produce less soot, and provide more evenly distributed heat than a single wick.
Candles with multiple wicks outperform single wick candles when the diameter of the candle reaches a certain size. The size of the wick required to maintain a melt pool across 4 inches in width and at least 1/2 inch deep will bring with it a lot of negative side effects.
A single large wick can be more likely to mushroom, produce soot and have an unsightly large flame. The risk is when you increase candle size to make sure the melt pool extends from rim to rim, you also get a flame so hot that it melts too deep in to the surface, beyond the ideal 1/2 inch mark.
In some candles in excess of 4 inches, some candle makers may choose to use three wicks. Selecting the right size wick for these larger candles still takes some trial and error. You should still make multiple test candles with a variety of wicks in them when first attempting to make double wick candles.
Let’s tale a look at how to double wick a candle.
How To Double Wick A Candle
Double wick a candle by measuring the inside diameter of your candle and dividing it by 2, that will tell you the appropriate wick size. For example, a 5-inch diameter candle will use two wicks that are sized for a 2.5-inch candle. Place the wicks a minimum of 1 inch apart at equal distances from the center.
The larger the diameter of the candle the further you can space the wicks apart. For example, if a candle had a diameter of 6 inches you would not want to place the wicks 1 inch apart with two 3 inch wicks. The candle would be better served with the wicks 2 inches apart.
The distance between the wicks is nearly as important as the size of the wicks themselves. While it is okay to have some overlap between the wicks, too much overlap can be bad. Too much overlap between the wicks can make the melt pool go too deep which can cause the wicks to go off center or lean.
In addition, at a certain point 2 wicks become inadequate and it would be more ideal to switch to 3 wicks spaced equally out from the center as if they were the three points of a triangle.
Let’s take a look at some of the benefits of multi wick candles.
Benefits Of Multi Wick Candles
Here are some of the benefits of multi-wick candles
- Prevent mushrooming
- Prevent soot
- Better scent throw
- Eliminates tunneling
- Services large rooms
- Aesthetically pleasing
Prevent mushrooming
In a large candle with a single wick you will be forced to use a large wick. However, large wicks are more likely to mushroom. Mushrooming is when a candle wick begins building up carbon because it is trying to consume more wax than it can efficiently burn.
Prevent soot
Large candle wicks can mushroom, but in addition they tend to be less likely to self trim and will need more maintenance to keep them in good burning order. A large wick can easily become too long and struggle to burn the wax that it is pulling up or not be able to pull up enough wax once the wick gets long. All of the above can cause a candle wick to produce soot as it burns.
Better scent throw
Double wick candles normally have a better scent throw than single wick candles. This is because they melt the surface wax faster giving you a more immediate and robust scent throw. Two flames equally spread out can heat the surface wax more quickly and efficiently than a single-centered wick.
Eliminates tunneling
Double candle wicks can eliminate tunneling. If you are struggling to pick the right size wick and one seems to drown while another size seems too large, sometimes using two smaller wicks is the solution. They will distribute the heat more evenly across the surface of the candle and melt the surface wax completely which prevents tunneling.
Services large rooms
A large candle with multiple wicks might be the scented candle solution for the largest room in your house. You can think of a candle as a container of water, and how much of the room it covers depends on the size of the room. When you have a large room you need a large candle for the scent to carry through the room. That is unless you want to place multiple candles around the room.
Aesthetically pleasing
While not performance-related, a lot of consumers just prefer double wicked candles. They like the look of a large candle with multiple flames. They are more fun to look at and more aesthetically pleasing. I believe every candlemaker should offer at least one multi-wick candle.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do two wick candles burn faster?
Two wick candles can burn faster. However, candles with two wicks are usually much larger in diameter than single wick candles and the two wicks are generally much smaller a single wick used in large candles. Multi-wick candles can burn down faster than candles of similar size with wicks of similar size.
Why do candles have 2 Wicks?
Candles have two wicks when the diameter of the candle becomes so large one wick can not burn adequately. Two wicks can make the surface wax burn evenly in large candles while a single wick might start tunneling. In addition, the wax burning evenly and not tunneling gets you the most value for your money.
How many wicks should I put in my candle?
Add one wick for every inch in diameter the candle is over 3 inches. This means a candle can have a single wick for 3 inches in size. A 4-inch candle can have two wicks, and a 5-inch candle can have three wicks. In some cases, you must lower the size of the wick, as you add more wicks, however, in some cases you can keep them the same size.
Conclusion
In conclusion, if you want to create candles that perform well then at a certain size the candle will need multiple wicks rather than one. Putting double wicks in a candle can to a certain degree make the job easier for you when choosing wick sizes and it comes with a lot of benefits.
Double wicks can give you less soot, less mushrooming, stable and complete wax pool and even a better scent throw. Not to mention that some customers just prefer the look of a double wick candle.
However, it is just as important to test double wick candles as single wick candles. Perform your burn tests as normal, try out different size sicks and make sure that you are producing a product that will be safe for your customers.