Glass-contained candles are adorable and give a romantic appeal to the environment. They are also easy to use since you can just put them anywhere in the room without bothering about the surface. However, the million-dollar question lingers, especially among candle makers (DIY or not) “are all waxes good for glass containers?”
In candle-making, Soy, paraffin, palm, and beeswax are the best wax for achieving glass adhesion (candle wax sticking to the glass container evenly). These candle waxes are generally known among candlemakers as container waxes because they generate fewer ‘wet spots’ and are easier to control toward achieving glass adhesion.
Since glass adhesion helps boost the aesthetic appeal of your container candles, this article will enlighten you about the best wax to enable you to achieve it. You will also discover what glass adhesion problems are and how to handle them. So read on to learn more!
What Is the Best Wax for Glass Adhesion, and How To Identify Them Quickly?
Believe it or not, all container waxes are great for achieving glass adhesion. However, Soy, paraffin, palm, parasoy, and beeswax stand out for excellent glass adhesion. Therefore, it is up to you based on your preference to choose the one you like most.
Here are fundamental qualities or elements that can help you choose the best wax for glass adhesion:
| Best Wax For Glass Adhesion | Natural or Synthetic | Scent Throw |
| Soy | Natural | Strong |
| Paraffin | Synthetic | Strong |
| Palm | Natural | Strong |
| Parasoy | Hybrid | Intense |
| Beeswax | Natural | Strong |
Soy Wax
Soy is a natural wax from Soy with a relatively soft texture and melting point. Its ability to take any shape makes it an excellent container wax and gives good glass adherence. In addition, it is eco-friendly and holds fragrance pretty well.
Paraffin Wax
Paraffin wax is easily molded into any container, provides excellent glass adhesion, and is readily available. However, it is synthetic—a product of petroleum and emits volatile compounds during burning. It comes in different grades and holds fragrance perfectly.
Palm Wax
Palm wax is a naturally occurring wax from the palm plant. It has a low melting point and adheres well to the glass. Also, it burns slowly and holds onto fragrance well enough.
Parasoy Wax
Parasoy wax is the resultant wax from a super blend of paraffin and soy wax to create a hybrid wax. It has substantial glass adhesion quality and creates a unique natural and synthetic wax combination. However, some people still regard it as slightly harmful and less eco-friendly because of the paraffin part.
Beeswax
Beeswax has a low melting point regardless of its hard nature when unmelted. It adheres readily to glass and makes a good quality container wax with any shape. People love it for its health benefit as a natural air purifier and slow-burning rate. However, some people find its natural honey scent unpleasant.
Could Something Go Wrong Even With the Best Wax for Glass Adhesion?
Wet spots are inevitable. As a result, you can not avoid them even with the best wax for glass adhesion. The reason is that container waxes still develop poor glass adhesion due to several factors that may not always be in your power to control. Fortunately, you can reduce the appearance of wet spots and gain better wax-to-glass adhesion by taking some precautions.
Here is how to mitigate poor wax-to-glass adhesion with the best wax you have:
- Choose wax with great wax-to-glass adhesion property
- Pour your candle wax at the appropriate pouring temperature
- Prepare candles in a warm room
- Remove all impurities in your glass jar by washing thoroughly
- Add fragrance to your molten wax at the appropriate temperature
- Do not use compromised glass jars (chipped glass)
- Guard against water sipping into the wax during the melting process
- Avoid vigorous stirring of the molten wax
- Do not add excessive oil
- Preheat your glass jar lightly before pouring
- Optimize your packing and shipping process
Why Should You Care About Wax-to-Glass Adhesion When You Have the Best Wax?
Although wax-to-glass adhesion might not seem like a big deal, it makes excellent sense to care about your wax-to-glass adhesion if you can consider candles a thing of beauty. Essentially, caring about the wax-to-glass adhesion means reducing the wet spots in your glass-contained candles.
Therefore, glass adhesion refers to the ability of candle wax to stick uniformly to the corners or body of the glass container due to strong forces of attraction—Adhesion between the gas molecules and the candle wax.
Similarly, poor glass adhesion, also known as wet spots, is the inability of wax to stick uniformly to the body of the glass container due to minor shrinkage during the cooling process of the molten candle wax.
Wet spots or poor glass adhesion appear like visible water droplets on the body of the glass container. While it does not entirely ruin the inherent quality of your candles, it is pretty unpleasant to the eye, thereby reducing its aesthetic appeal. Additionally, your candles risk falling off the glass container if the wet spots or glass adhesion problem is more significant.
Now that you know why wax-to-glass adhesion is relevant in candle making, it is also helpful to understand those factors that influence or affect it. That way, you will be more mindful of satisfying those criteria and reducing the wet spots on your candles. Here they are:
Factors Affecting Wax-to-Glass Adhesion
Poor Adhesive Force of Attraction
Adhesion is the force responsible for keeping two unlikely materials together like wax and glass. Therefore if the adhesion force between the molecules of the wax and the glass jar is low, you will have poor wax-to-glass adhesion and more wet spots in your candles.
Factors That Reduce Adhesion Forces Between Wax and Glass
- Air pockets and bubbles
- Water droplets
- Excess oil droplets
- Unstable heating and cooling temperature
Surface Tension
Surface tension causes liquid—water to behave like a stretched elastic membrane. Therefore, if you use the double boiler method or any other moisture-dependent method to melt the wax, there are chances that water can accidentally sip into the wax. So, the high temperature from melting causes sudden expansion that results in more wet spots and poor wax-to-glass adhesion.
FAQs
Q1) How Can I Make My Glass Adhesion Candle Better?
Temperature regulation is essential for maintaining proper glass adhesion. Essentially, you need to slowly pour your wax at the appropriate temperature and observe all candle melting precautions. You can lightly tap the body of your glass if you notice slight air bubbles.
Q2) Why Is My Wax Not Sticking to the Glass?
Your wax is not sticking to the glass due to mild shrinkage occurring during the cooldown process of the candle making. The inability for candle wax to stick to the glass surface is due to wet spots caused by several factors which are not always within your control. Fortunately, you can take some precautions to reduce it.
Q3) What Are Wet Spots in Candles?
Wet spots in candles refer to visible patches or spots like water patches in container candles. They appear like air pockets or bubbles and are familiar with candle making and storage. Also, it is a regular complaint among candle makers. However, it does not ruin the candle quality.
Final Thoughts
Although wet spots are inevitable occurrences in candle-making, they are only aesthetic faults and do not compromise the quality of your candles. Since you cannot always prevent the formation of wet spots because their causes are not entirely within your control, it is more helpful to at least minimize their occurrences by insisting on using the best wax for glass adhesion.
