How to Make a Pillar Candle with a Mold

Why a pillar is not a jar candle

A jar candle lives inside its container. The glass holds the melted wax. A pillar stands on its own, so it has to be hard enough to keep its shape and has to melt into a pool inside its own walls. Container wax is usually too soft for that. Wax makers sell pillar or molded candle blends that are harder and shrink a little as they cool, which also helps them release from the mold.

Look for a wax your supplier lists for pillars. The data sheet will tell you things like its melt point and the fragrance level it was designed for. One pillar soy blend’s data sheet, for example, lists a melting point of about 60°C (140°F) and a fragrance range of 5 to 10%. That is one product’s figure, not a rule for all pillar wax.

What you need

• Pillar or molded-candle wax, with its data sheet or instructions
• A mold made for candles (metal, silicone or plastic), clean and dry
• Wick sized for that wax and the mold’s width (your wick maker’s chart will help; see how to choose a candle wick)
• A mold plug or wick sticker, tape, and a wick bar or a pencil to hold the wick
• Scale, thermometer, pouring pitcher, double boiler, skewer
• A heat-resistant holder or tray for burn testing
• A pan to set the mold in during the first pour, in case it leaks

Wick and seal the mold

1. Wipe the mold with isopropyl alcohol on a lint-free cloth and let it dry.
2. Thread the wick through the hole in the mold. Leave a little extra on both ends, since you will trim it later. One supplier suggests cutting a piece 8 to 10 inches long.
3. Seal the hole so no wax leaks. Use the mold’s plug, or a wick sticker and tape pressed flat.
4. Turn the mold over and use a wick bar to hold the wick straight and centered. Remember that the rounded or concave bottom of the mold becomes the top of the candle.
5. Stand the mold in a pan. If you are using a metal or plastic mold, make sure it is at least at room temperature. One wax maker says warming the mold to about 45 to 50°C (113 to 122°F) can help.

A centered, straight wick matters. If it drifts toward a wall, the pillar will burn lopsided.

Melt, scent and pour

Melt the wax gently in a double boiler and never leave it unattended. Add fragrance and dye as your wax maker directs, and stir for a couple of minutes until the oil is fully mixed in.

Temperatures vary by wax and by supplier. One supplier’s tutorial adds fragrance at 185°F and pours at about 170°F. Another kit pours at 175 to 180°F, and a third recommends about 150°F. These are different waxes, so there is no single right number. Follow the data sheet for your wax. Fragrance load also differs; one kit says its pillar wax holds about an ounce per pound at most, while a wax maker’s sheet gives a range as a percent. Check yours.

1. Pour slowly, down toward the wick, and try not to splash the mold walls. Wax that hardens on the sides can mark the candle and make it stick.
2. Keep a little wax in the pitcher for the second pour.
3. Hold the wick taut and centered while the wax cools.

Relief holes and the second pour

Pillar wax shrinks as it cools, and a hollow or sinkhole is common. Two steps help:

1. Relief holes. When a skin forms on top, poke a hole about the width of a dime with a skewer, about three-quarters of the way down, taking care not to touch the sides. You may need to do this more than once as it cools. This lets trapped pressure out and keeps a void from forming in the middle.
2. Second pour. After the candle is cool, reheat the leftover wax and fill the sinkhole until it is level with the original top. Do not overfill. One supplier suggests reheating to about 175°F; follow your wax’s instructions. A data sheet for one pillar blend also advises against heating the wax too hot or for too long when re-melting.

See also sinkholes and rough tops for more on why wax shrinks.

Cool, unmold and finish

1. Let the candle cool completely. Several suppliers say at least four hours, and overnight is easier.
2. Remove the sticker or plug and any tape. Gently pull the wick to ease the candle out. If it sticks, squeeze the sides of a flexible mold or roll it lightly on a flat surface.
3. Still stuck? Suppliers disagree on how: one says the fridge for about five minutes (do not freeze), another says the freezer for a few minutes. Use the shorter, gentler option and check your mold’s maker for limits.
4. Trim the top wick to about ¼ inch and cut the bottom wick flush with the base.
5. Add any caution label or packaging that your state or the supplier calls for.

Common pillar problems

Burn test a pillar

A pillar does not need to melt out to the edge the way a jar candle does. One supplier’s burn-test guide says many makers leave about ¼ inch (6 mm) of side wall to avoid spills, though that is up to you. Watch the whole burn, not just the first hour. Burn it on a holder or tray that is stable, heat-resistant and able to catch drips.