Wooden Wick Candles Troubleshooting
Why Wooden Wicks?
Candles are a great addition to our lives, whether they are used for celebration, romance, health, or some lovely aromatherapy. Across your candle buying journey, you may have purchased a candle with a wooden wick like those used in out Glass Tumbler Range
Wooden wicks offer an amazing crackle and a beautiful horizontal burn, but they're a bit different than their cotton-wicked contemporaries. Have you ever had trouble getting your wooden wick to stay lit? We’re sorry to break it to you, but it’s unlikely to be the candle or the wick... It’s probably you!
Did you know there’s a proper way to prepare and burn a wooden wick candle and ensure you’re getting the maximum burn from your wax? Let's talk about some tips for making the most out of your new candle.
Wooden Wick Benefits
So why use wooden wicks?
First and foremost, wooden wicks offer a subtle crackle that is reminiscent of a fireplace on a smaller scale. This is an amazing addition to a room's ambiance and can really help to set the correct mood.
Beyond that, Dalkey Aromatics Candles uses wooden wicks because they’re less harmful to the environment compared to most other wicks. Plus our wooden wicks are not chemically treated and are thus a natural product.
There are two parts that work together in a Dalkey Aromatics candle:
1.) The fuel - made up of 100% natural cocosoy wax with a custom blend of powerful fragrances
2.) The wooden wick - Soy wax burns at a slower rate and wooden wicks work perfectly for a longer, steady burn.
But before you burn your candle for the first time, the first and most important part is to prepare your wooden wick.
What is the Right Way to Burn A Wooden Wick Candle?
It's important to trim your wooden wicks before burning because when there's too much wood material between the flame and the wax, you run the risk of the candle not being able to light itself. If this happens, the candle will extinguish shortly after being lit.
You don’t need fancy tools for trimming the wick, a good pair of scissors or nail clippers will work efficiently. Here are a bunch of helpful tips for prepping your wick for a sustained burn.
- Before you trim, try quickly wiping the wooden wick down with a paper towel
- Make sure your wick is trimmed to between 1/8" - 3/16" (or 3.2mm – 4.8mm) before lighting.
- Wooden wicks have a larger surface area compared to their cotton-wicked contemporaries. We advise you to light the wick across the candle as opposed to at only one end.
- Do not burn candles for more than 4 hours at one time.
- Continue to trim your wick in between burns to avoid any shooting and remove the burnt bits of wood from the top of your wick. You can easily pinch these off with your fingertips
- For safety, only touch the candle when it has completely cooled.
- Take care to not let any of the soot from the wick fall into the candle.
Additional Tips and Safety Measures
- The first time you burn your candle, it's important to make sure the entire top layer melts to the edges before you extinguish the candle.
- Ensure that the candle is placed in an area away from breeze, ceiling fans or drafts - this will protect the flame from touching the side of the jar. A good practice is to always place it on a heat resistant surface and always in sight.
- Do not touch or move the candle when it’s hot. Allow the wax and wick to completely cool down before you decide to move it or trim its wick.
- Extinguish the candle when 1/2" (or 12.7mm) of wax is remaining.