Generally, when people go out to buy candles, they usually tend to focus on the wax and fragrance of the candle, but the wick is just as important. An oil candle wick determines how your candle burns, casts light, and whether the flame smokes or is clean. It may sound elementary, but knowing the wick helps one design candles better or choose the right candle for their house.
What is an Oil Candle Wick?
The oil candle wick draws fuel to keep the flame burning steadily. The oils used by oil candles can be anything from vegetable oils to olive oils or some specially manufactured lamp oils. The oil gets absorbed by the wick and is carried to the flame, where it burns to produce light.
Normally, the wick is made of cotton or other natural fibre, but it must absorb the oil sufficiently to allow the oil to rise to the flame; it must not absorb it so much that it becomes soggy or allow the oil to be repelled and cause the wick to dry out. Right wicks keep the flame steady and make sure the oil burns efficiently and safely.
Why is the Wick Important?
The candle wick is maybe one of the last things to be decided on while making a candle. But this element makes the candle functional:
1. Controls the Burn Rate
If the wick is too big, it draws the oil too fast and, hence, the flame may become large and unstable. If the wick is too small, it hardly supplies enough oil to feed the flame into a weak flicker. A wick of proper size draws the oil precisely at the correct rate.
2. Affects Flame Size
The wick controls the size of the flame. If the wick has been matched correctly for a candle, then this will always allow a steady flame, never brighter or dimmer than is needed.
3. Prevents Excess Smoke
With an oversized or poorly crafted wick, smoke or soot can be an issue as it degrades the attractiveness of the flame while dispersing soot on a variety of surfaces. A wick of the correct dimension will suppress smoke so that the candle burns clean.
4. Ensures Safety
Big wicks might cause overheating, small wicks extinguish all the time, spilling oil. Correct wick size combined with correct materials allows the candle to burn safely and evenly throughout its life span.
5. Helps in the Diffusion of Scent
In scented oil candles, the wick carries the scent of burnt oil into the air. The stably burning flame emits an uninterrupted, slow diffusion of the fragrance in the air.
Types of Oil Candle Wicks
Not all wicks are alike. Several oil candle wicks are designed, and materials are chosen depending on the type of oil used as fuel and the size of the candle.
1. Cotton Wicks
These are the most common types of wicks. If sized properly, they are soft, absorbent, and burn more or less clean. Cotton wicks are suitable for vegetable oils, olive oil, and other light oils.
2. Wooden Wicks
The wooden wick is becoming more popular for oil candles as it gives a soft crackling sound when burning and looks quite charming. However, they need to be sized and shaped correctly to burn evenly.
3. Braided or Twisted Wicks
These wicks are intended to be more absorbent and stronger and are generally used for larger oil lamps or candles that need longer burning periods.
4. Flat or Square Wicks
Flat wicks are ideal for producing a steady and well-balanced flame. Heat distribution is also quite uniform in this type of wick; hence, they rarely curl or bend when used.
How to Choose the Right Wick
The type of wick to be used depends on certain factors. Here’s some information on how one can select the perfect oil candle wick:
1. Type of Oil
Any light vegetable oils, like olive and refined vegetable oils, are best suited for the small cotton wicks. Heavier oils may require a bigger wick or absorbent wick to keep the flame steady.
2. Size of the Container
A smaller glass holder requires a smaller wick, whereas a bigger lantern or bowl requires a thicker wick, which can draw sufficient oil and keep the flame evenly.
3. Burn Time
If you want your candles to burn for a few hours slowly, choose the wick accordingly. Larger wicks burn faster, and thinner ones are suitable for longer use.
4. Fragrance Strength
Your wick should burn scented oil evenly so that the smell does not get too strong or fade away.
5. Safety
Make sure that the wick size matches your container and the kind of oil being used. If you are sorting it out, it is better to go with the smaller wick first and increase it if needed than to select a wick too big for the container initially.
How to Prepare an Oil Candle Wick
When making your own oil candle, one must be sure to do the wick preparation adequately.
1. Cut the Wick
Take the wick and cut it to the desired length before placing the wick in the container. Usually, you have to cut it just a little longer than the depth of the container so the wick stays upright.
2. Soak the Wick
Let the wick soak in the oil before lighting it. This allows the wick to absorb sufficient oil for it to burn well.
3. Secure the Wick
You could use a wick holder or an adhesive to anchor a small weight at the bottom of the container to hold the wick in the centre. If it is crooked, wetting will be uneven.
4. Test the Wick
Burn for some minutes, check the flame; if it burns too fast or starts giving smoke, then try trimming the wick or go for one of a different size.
5. Maintain the Wick
After each use, before lighting, always trim your wick down to ¼ of an inch. This will keep the flame steady and will avoid the formation of soot.
Benefits of Using Oil Candles with the Right Wick
Here is a list of things an oil candle offers when the correct type of wick is steamed on:
- Longer Burn Time: Oil candles tend to burn slower and steadier than wax candles when the wick is properly trimmed.
- Cleaner Burn: Wise choice in wick measurement equals less soot and smoke, thus keeping the environment clean and fresh.
- Control Over Fragrance: This wick ensures that the oils are always being released; therefore, the fragrance is never interrupted by random sharp bursts.
- Eco-Friendly Alternatives: The oil candles can become an eco-friendly option by partnering them with cotton or wood wicks and plant based oils.
- Relaxation and Ambience: The steady flame governs ambience, setting the ideal mood for meditation, relaxation, or quiet evenings.
Conclusion
It’s somewhat astonishing how the most important things are often neglected. A good oil candle wick assures proper and safe burning while guaranteeing purity in the candle’s fragrance. Knowing how it works will enable you to better choose candles that suit your needs and take care of them, whether you are working, unwinding, meditating, or just relaxing.
From setting up an ambience, you can make some simple selections to make sure you enjoy it, either the right wick or trimming it every time before lighting.
See wick assortments and learn from candlessupplies.com how this little yet very important piece can greatly enhance the experience of every candle, the mellower, cleaner, and soothing it gets with every lighting.