Candle Molds
Making decorative candle molds can be both fun and rewarding through bouts of creativity. A mold will be filled with candle material and a wick to create a candle. Candle votive molds and soap molds come in thousands of shapes or sizes to create almost any candle mold you put your mind to. Most candle molding supplies are made up of molds, resin melters, waxes, and wicks.
What types of wax can be used to make candles?
There are many different kinds of candle materials that can be used in candle votive molds. Some materials are better suited to specific rubber candle molds and candle mold types. For instance, soy resin can be more difficult to use while making a scented candle. Different types of materials commonly used in candle molds include:
- Soy: Burns slowly with less soot.
- Beeswax: Naturally scented, burning long and clean.
- Paraffin Wax: Widely available and burns quickly.
- Gel Wax: Easy to handle, needs to be burned in heat-resistant glass.
- Palm Wax: Great for long burn times and brighter flames.
How much wax is needed for a candle mold?
One pound of candle mold making material or soap is the equivalent of 20 ounces of mold volume in a candle or soap mold. To find out how much candle material or soap you will need in a mold, multiply the number of candles/soap bars by the volume each mold will hold. Divide that number by 20 to get the amount you will need for all candle molds.
How do you prevent candle molds from leaking?
Some candle molds will have leaking seams or wick holes that leak while making candles. In some cases, you can't prevent this from happening and workarounds must be used on the mold to help the candle mold settle properly. For this reason, there are several different kinds of mold supplies available to help plug up seams including:
- Mold Putty: Widely used and flexible, like melted rubber.
- Mold Plugs: These are often made of rubber and used for quick mold production to plug wick holes.
- Magnetic Mold Sealers: Used for metal or magnetic molds and hold very well.
How do you clean a candle mold?
Resin can be tricky to clean from candle making equipment since it will often stick and harden to supplies. The easiest way to clean rubber candle molds or equipment is to reheat them until the resin softens within the mold. You can also use chemical products such as candle removers to clean candle leftovers from rubber or plastic molds.
How do you store molded candles to prevent fading color?
A candle's color will fade over time if it is stored in a hot or bright area. The easiest way to prevent color fading is to store candles in a cool to room temperature area with little to no light touching them. Molded candles don't need to be stored in air-tight containers to stay preserved.