✅ Safe Container Materials

• Glass - Mason jars, jelly jars, apothecary jars (most popular!)
• Metal Tins - Aluminum or steel tins with lids
• Ceramic - Mugs, bowls, pottery (if fully glazed)
• Concrete/Stone - Heavy, modern aesthetic

❌ Materials to AVOID

• Plastic - Will melt! Never use plastic.
• Wood - Fire hazard (unless it's just a holder, not the container)
• Thin glass - Wine glasses or delicate items can crack from heat
• Unglazed pottery - Can be porous and leak wax

🔥 Heat Test: Not sure if a container is safe? Fill it with hot water and let it sit. If it gets uncomfortably hot to touch or shows any cracks, don't use it for candles!

Essential Supplies

• Soy wax - 464 or Golden Wax are great for containers
• Wicks - Cotton wicks sized for your container diameter
• Wick stickers or hot glue - To secure wick to bottom
• Wick centering device - Or pencils/chopsticks
• Double boiler or pouring pot - To melt wax
• Thermometer - Candle or candy thermometer
• Scale - Digital kitchen scale
• Heat-safe containers - Your jars or tins!
• Stirring spoon - Heat-safe utensil

Optional But Nice

• Fragrance oils - For scented candles (6-10% of wax weight)
• Candle dye - For colored wax (optional - natural wax is beautiful too!)
• Heat gun - To smooth tops and fix imperfections

Before You Start: Calculate Wax Amount

Simple formula: Container volume in ounces × 1.5 = wax weight needed

Examples:

• 8 oz jar = 12 oz wax
• 16 oz jar = 24 oz (1.5 lbs) wax
• 4 oz tin = 6 oz wax

Step 1: Prep Your Workspace

Cover your work surface with newspaper or silicone mat. Wax is messy! Clean your containers with soap and water, dry completely. Gather all supplies - once you start melting wax, you don't want to hunt for things.

Step 2: Secure Your Wick

Attach wick sticker to bottom of wick tab (the metal base). Press firmly into center of container bottom. The wick should be perfectly centered!

Pro Tip: Measure your container diameter and mark the center with a pencil dot before placing the wick. Perfect centering = even burn!

Step 3: Center Your Wick

Use a wick centering device, or lay two pencils/chopsticks across the top of your container and clip the wick between them. The wick should stand straight up!

Step 4: Weigh and Melt Wax

Weigh your wax according to calculation from Step 1. Place in double boiler or pouring pot. Melt over medium heat, stirring occasionally.

Target temperature for soy wax: 185°F

⚠️ Safety: Never leave melting wax unattended! Wax can ignite if overheated. Use your thermometer!

Step 5: Add Fragrance (Optional)

Once wax is fully melted, remove from heat. Let cool to 185°F (this is important - too hot burns off fragrance!).

Add fragrance oil at 6-10% of wax weight. For 16 oz wax, use about 1-1.5 oz fragrance. Stir gently but thoroughly for 2 minutes.

💡 Fragrance Calculator:

• 8 oz wax = 0.5-0.8 oz fragrance
• 16 oz wax = 1-1.5 oz fragrance
• 32 oz wax = 2-3 oz fragrance

Step 6: Cool to Pouring Temperature

This is THE most important step for container candles! Let wax cool to proper pour temperature:

For Soy Wax: 135-140°F

Too hot = wet spots, poor glass adhesion, sink holes. Too cool = frosting, lumps. Use your thermometer!

Step 7: Pour Your Candle

Pour slowly and steadily down the side of the container (not directly onto the wick). Fill to about 1/2 inch from the top.

Pro Tip: Reserve about 10% of your wax for a second pour! As candles cool, they often form sink holes around the wick. You'll need that saved wax to fill them.

Step 8: Let It Cool (Don't Touch!)

Place candles in a cool, draft-free area. Do NOT move them for at least 24 hours! Moving too soon causes wet spots and uneven cooling.

As wax cools, you'll likely see a sink hole form around the wick. This is normal!

Step 9: Second Pour (Fill Sink Holes)

After 4-6 hours when wax is mostly set but still slightly warm, check for sink holes. If present, reheat your reserved wax to 185°F and pour a thin layer to fill the depression.

Tip: Poke a few relief holes around the wick before second pour to help prevent new sink holes!

Step 10: Cure and Trim

Let candle cure for 24-48 hours before burning. This allows fragrance to bind with wax for better scent throw.

Before first burn, trim wick to 1/4 inch. Now your candle is ready! 🎉

Problem: Wet Spots (Wax Pulling Away from Glass)

Causes: Pouring too hot, cooling too fast, temperature fluctuations

Fixes: Pour at 135-140°F max, let cool slowly at room temp, preheat jars to 100°F before pouring, avoid moving candles while cooling

Problem: Frosting (White, Crystalline Appearance)

Cause: Natural characteristic of soy wax (it's normal!)

Fixes: Use colored jars or embrace it as rustic charm! Add a tiny bit of coconut oil (5%) to wax, or try a soy/paraffin blend

Problem: Sink Holes Around Wick

Cause: Wax contracts as it cools (totally normal!)

Fix: Always do a second pour! Poke relief holes around wick, reheat reserved wax, pour thin layer to fill

Problem: Tunneling When Burning

Causes: Wick too small, first burn wasn't long enough

Fixes: Use larger wick next time, always burn candles until full melt pool reaches edges (usually 2-4 hours for first burn)

Problem: Poor Scent Throw

Causes: Not enough fragrance, wrong pour temp, didn't cure long enough

Fixes: Use 6-10% fragrance load, add fragrance at 185°F, cure 48 hours minimum, try a different fragrance brand

• 2-2.5 inch diameter: ECO 4, CD 8, or small wood wick
• 2.5-3 inch diameter: ECO 6, CD 10-12, or medium wood wick
• 3-3.5 inch diameter: ECO 10, CD 14-16
• 3.5-4 inch diameter: ECO 12-14, CD 18-20
• 4+ inch diameter: Multiple wicks or largest single wick