Candle Making Molds

Candle making molds make it easy to create a wide variety of candles. Sometimes it seems that there are almost as many different candle making molds as there are candle makers. Most people start out with one or two molds and add to their collection as their interest in the hobby grows.

As you're probably aware, one of the oldest ways to make candles was to repeatedly dip a wick in molten wax. Since you need to let the wax cool enough to slightly harden between each dip this can be a very time-consuming method (although it does make a nice candle when done well).

Molds hold melted wax in the desired shape until the wax cools and hardens. The candle maker chooses the mold, positions the wick in the middle of it, pours the melted wax in, and then simply sets it aside and waits for the wax to cool and harden.

This method is less labor intensive than dipping.

The two basic categories of candle making molds are rigid or flexible. You can buy commercial molds, but most people do enjoy making their own.

Rigid Candle Making Molds

As the name implies, rigid molds are stiff. Because of this they need to be smooth to allow the candle to slide out after its hardens. Flexible molds on the other hand can be stretched off the candle and so can have fairly intricate forms on the surface of the candle.

Most common commercially made rigid candle making molds are aluminum. I think this is a good choice for your first molds. They are durable, heat resistant, easy to handle and inexpensive. They produce a smooth finish without any visible seam.

You can find molds of various diameters from slender tapers to chunky pillars. Circular molds are the most common, but square will ones are available.

Another thing I like about aluminum molds is that they are easy to clean. I put a layer of aluminum foil on a cookie sheet and then put the mold on it with the open end down. When you put the cookie sheet and mold in a slightly warm of an older little bit of wax will melt off onto the aluminum foil. Swipe the inside of the mold out with a paper towel and you're done.

Commericially available rigid molds are also made of plastic. These are usually less expensive than metal molds.

Flexible Candle Making Molds

Flexible candle making molds can have a more intricate form. For example, you could use a flexible molds make a candle in the shape of the Christmas tree. If you tried to do that with rigid mold you wouldn't be able to remove the finished candle. Flexible molds on the other hand have enough stretching them to allow them to be pulled off the finished candle.

The most common materials for flexible molds are polyurethane and silicone.

Polyurethane molds work well enough but they don't have quite as much stretch as silicone molds, don't release as easily and tend to have a bit of an odor. The advantage of polyurethane over silicone is that it is usually less expensive.

Flexible molds can be used multiple times, but they are not nearly as durable as a well cared for aluminum mold. You'll get a longer life out of your flexible molds if you use a releasing agent and are gentle as you free the candle.

It's also possible to make your own flexible molds using a liquid latex product. To produce the mold, you select the object you would like to copy, coat it with a releasing agent and then paint multiple layers of the mold material over at until it's built up enough fitness to serve as a candle mold.

As word of advice, do not use a precious figurine as a model.

Again, one of the nice things about the craft of candle making is that you can start very simply and acquire more equipment gradually as your experience grows. This certainly applies to candle making molds. Start with a simple, versatile mold such as a 10 inch taper or medium sized pillar and work with that for a while. You can experiment with different types of waxes, colors, scents and decorations to produce a wide variety of different candle from the same mold.

Then, as you interest grows in your budget allows you can add to your collection of candle making molds.

Learn to make beautiful candles at home. Check out:

Home Candle Making Made Easy