What Should I Soak Wood Wicks In?


Wooden wicks are great for use in candles. However, putting them to use can be a bit challenging. It might seem more difficult if you are new to the craft of candle making. If you are wondering- what should I soak my wood wicks in, you’ve come to the right place!

Wooden wicks must be soaked in oil or a burning agent before they are used. Any type of oil can be used to soak the wooden wicks. However, if they are being made for commercial purposes, it’s best to choose an oil that won’t go bad quickly. For example – fractionated coconut oil.

Candle made with soaked wood wicks

While it may sound simple and easy to do, that is not always the case. You have to be careful when it comes to selecting the wooden wick and the oil. It can be quite challenging to figure out which matches are best for your candle. However, with the right tools and techniques, you can easily master it.

Why Soak Wood Wicks In Oil

Wooden wicks cannot be made from any type of wood available. To ensure that the candle burns safely and for a long time, some particular variations of wood are used. These wooden wicks are soaked in oil to ensure maximum burning efficiency.

The types of wooden wicks that are used for candles include – woodcraft sticks, balsa wood, dowels, etc. Due to several different issues, for instance – incorrect wick size, the wick being too high above the surface, and the material being lowly inflammable, it can get difficult for the wooden wick to burn in the candle.

Due to improper positioning and not burning adequately, the melting pool of the candle can be damaged. The melting pool may either burn too fast or melt by tunneling. For this reason, to ensure that the wooden wicks are burning properly, they are soaked in oil or any burning agent beforehand.

Otherwise, the impact of insufficient burning can cause your candle to go to waste altogether. You should study beforehand how to use wooden wicks in candles. If you rush into making it right away, things might not get the same result as you would prefer.

How To Soak The Wooden Wicks

Wooden wicks generally come in two different types- the single wick and the dual wick. The dual wooden wick is also called a booster wick. They are made from either hardwood or softwood. Depending on the type of wooden wick that you are using, the soaking process is conducted.

Step One: Cut The Wooden Wick

Cut the wooden wick According to your desired size; the size that best suits your candle container. Make sure the wick is trimmed in a way that is optimal for the candle. You don’t want the wick to be too short for it to create tunneling or be too big to have a fast-melting pool.

When you are done cutting the wicks, keep them aside in a shallow dish or pot. You can use any type of wood for wicks, but balsa wood is highly recommended. This is because balsa wood sticks are the easiest to use, while they are also very affordable. But you can use any wooden wick of your preference as well.

Step Two: Select Your Oil

Wooden wicks can be soaked in any oil you want. You can use the oils readily available at hand. This includes- olive oil, palm oil, soya-bean oil, coconut oil, mustard oil, etc. All of these options are good for use and will work in the same way to ensure the maximum efficiency of the wooden wicks.

When you are done selecting the oil for use, bring in the wooden wicks. You can proceed to the next step as soon as the oil to soak your wooden wicks is ready. Make sure you are using a shallow pot or container to pour the oil into.

Step Three: Coat And Soak The Wicks

First, evenly lay out the wooden wicks in the shallow container. Then pour your selected oil over them. You have to make sure that the oil has covered the wicks from all sides. Make sure to check the same for every stick. Otherwise, they will not be the best for use.

When you are done coating the wooden wicks in oil, leave them in a cold place to soak up the oil. Usually, the process of soaking up the oil by the wicks takes around 20 to 30 minutes.

Wait until that period before you remove them. You can set an alarm for 20 or 30 minutes if you want to make sure that they are properly done soaking up the oil.

Step Four: Remove And Place In Wick Tabs

After the wooden wicks have been left in the oil for 20 to 30 minutes, remove the wicks from the oil. Put the wicks out of the oil onto a paper towel. Let the excess oil drip into it. Make sure the excess oil is removed properly. Otherwise, it can create a mess and even damage the candle when used with so much oil.

When the excess oil has been drained from the paper towel, you can go grab your wood wick tabs. Push the wick pieces that have just been oil-treated into the wick tabs.

However, make sure that you are using the right tabs for the wooden wicks. This is because the tabs made for cotton or hemp will not work for the wooden wicks. With that, you are done with the procedure.

Can You Avoid Soaking The Wood Wicks?

For beginners who have just entered the craft of making candles, it is recommended to soak the wooden wicks before use. This not only ensures that the wicks burn effectively but also provides your candle with the safety of working properly.

Often, people use wooden wicks as they are. This can apply to some wood wicks as well. They tend to burn effectively as they are. Some shops sell already prepared ready-to-use wooden wicks. Those particular wicks do not require to be soaked in oil or any other burning agent.

There are many advantages to following this simple procedure. You can also reuse the oil by soaking the wood in it for the next batch of wooden wicks. As a result, there is hardly any waste of resources.

At the same time, the wooden wicks can attain the best capacity to burn in the candle. Your candle will have the appropriate melting pool, with little to no residue. There will be no carbon build-up, so there is no chance of mushrooming in the candle. In simple words, this short process is highly recommended for you.

How To Make The Candles Burn Better?

To increase the effectiveness of the candles, several tools and techniques can be used. These tools will allow your candle to burn better. This includes using stearic acid, which is a great ingredient to add to your candle mix. You can also use double wicks in your candle to make it burn better.

Using stearic acid is an effective way to ensure that the candle stays firm and does not slack off. This creates better longevity for the candle. So, your candle burns better. At the same time, the candle maintains a good fragrance, melt pool, and overall texture stays the best.

You can also multi-wick your candles according to the size of the container. However, make sure that you are not using too many wicks. In that case, the candle will melt too quickly. The objective here is to make the candle burn better. To ensure that, two to three wicks will be enough for the candle.

Conclusion

Now that you know all about what to soak your wood wicks in, your inventory is open for use. There are multiple oils that you can choose from to soak your wood wicks in. So, you can use any oil that you have at home.

By maintaining the right process and the correct tools and techniques, you can have the best performing wooden wicks for your candles.

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