How to make a candle with your own hands: 9 master classes with step-by-step instructions and photos (decorative and gel candles)

In autumn and winter, it is especially pleasant to wrap yourself in a warm blanket and, after turning off the lights and leaving only the candles burning, enjoy hot tea while watching the snowflakes falling outside the window. And if you add coffee beans and a little vanilla to homemade candles, your home will be filled with amazing “winter” aromas. Unlike those bought in stores, they will not emit a pungent and cloying chemical aroma.

To make them, you will need:

small jars or cups;
wax for candles (you can also use old candles by melting and filling the jar you like with them);
wick;
coffee beans;
ground vanilla beans.

Melt the wax in a steam bath (you can also melt it in the microwave using a special container for this). Glue the wick to the bottom of the jar or vase you choose. Pour in some melted wax and then add coffee beans and vanilla. Then fill the jar to the brim. If desired, stir it with a wooden stick. Leave the workpiece to harden and then trim off the excess end of the wick.

Master class No. 2

By adding shavings from colored wax pencils to a homemade candle, you can achieve a variety of color combinations and effects. In this tutorial we will talk about how to make a candle with a multi-colored geometric pattern, but you can experiment and try to create your own unique pattern. If you want the colors to smoothly transition into one another, simply pour the next layer without waiting for the first one to dry.

You will need:

small glass cups (made of clear or frosted glass), as well as dishes in which you will heat the wax (paper cups for ice cream are also suitable);
wax;
wax pencils;
wick;
wooden stirring sticks.

1: Fill a glass with wax and microwave for 1 minute. Place hot wax on the bottom of a glass cup and secure the wick in it. Wait until it hardens.

2: Prepare the wax crayons: to do this, remove the paper and cut them into small pieces. Fill one of the cups with wax, put pieces of pencil on top (of the same color!) and microwave for 2 minutes, then stir to form a homogeneous mass.

3: Take glass cups, tilt them at an angle of about 300 (you can use a dish drainer as a support) and fill them with colored wax (about 1/3 full). Leave on for 20-30 minutes until the wax hardens. Turn the jars over and pour the second layer, then wait until it hardens again. Before pouring the last layer, place the jars vertically on the table. Wait about an hour for the candle to cool completely before lighting it.

And you're done!

Room

You don't need a large room to produce candles - that's why our business idea can be implemented at home. But even when opening a large production, the equipment does not take up much space.

To organize a candle business, you need a room with an area of about 30 square meters. m. It consists of a workshop with a production line installed in it and a warehouse. Several points are important. First, you need to have good ventilation. Secondly, both in the workshop and in the warehouse it is necessary to maintain a constant temperature within 20°C. Candles do not like temperature changes, and in the heat they even begin to float.

It is recommended to install racks in the warehouse to store the product. Candles should not touch each other. There must be a fire extinguisher in the workshop.

Carved candle

Candles with this pattern are ideal for creating a cozy atmosphere on cold and long autumn evenings. You will need:

candle;
paper;
pencil;

Measure the circumference of your candle and cut a corresponding piece of paper. Draw the pattern that you would like to transfer to it.

Then wrap it in a sheet of paper (with the design facing out) and use a scalpel to trace the design.

Then, using a knife, carefully remove the layers to make your drawing three-dimensional.

Floating candles

Small floating candles are popular these days. They can add charm to your home decor or you can use them when taking a relaxing bath. How to make a new floating candle from old candles? Yes, very simple. Instead of a mold, you can use silicone ice molds with all kinds of figures. We pour the melted old candles into these molds, insert the wicks and the new candles are ready. At your discretion, you can give your candle any color and scent that will help you relax. These candles can be custom made to suit your taste. They can also be a wonderful gift for your friends.

DIY gel candles

Gel candles are very simple to make, and at the same time you can fill them with absolutely any decorative decorations to your taste: shells, colored stones or even beads and buttons.

You will need:

jar, glass or glass for a candle;
wick;
gel wax;
decorative ornaments;
dyes (you can use food coloring).

Step 1: Warm up the wax. To do this, place a saucepan or any other container on the stove and heat the gel over low heat until it melts into a thick mass. Make sure that the temperature does not exceed 100°C.

Step 2: Glue the wick to the bottom of the glass or jar of your choice. Wait for the glue to dry before pouring in the hot gel.

Step 3: Add coloring. To get a uniform color, add it while the gel is heating up. If you want air bubbles to form in it, simply stir it. And to make a multi-colored candle, simply heat several portions, adding dyes of different colors to each of them.

Step 4: Place decorations at the bottom of a jar or glass, then fill with a layer of gel. Wait for it to dry, then add a second layer of decorations and fill with gel again. Here are our gel candles:

How to make a candle from bulk stearin

Frame: My Harmony / YouTube

What you will need

Bulk stearin;
glass or jar;
wick;
scissors.

How to do

Measure and cut the wick - it should be slightly longer than the glass.

Frame: My Harmony / YouTube

Warm the wick in your hands, smooth it with your fingers, compacting it so that it holds its shape better.

Frame: My Harmony / YouTube

Pour stearin into a glass and gently shake several times to even out the mass.

Frame: My Harmony / YouTube

Insert the wick so that it reaches the very bottom.

Frame: My Harmony / YouTube

This is what it looks like in the video:

What other options are there?

Stearin of different colors, poured in layers, looks good:

Especially if you make a simple pattern out of it:

Lesson #5: Geometric Candle

To make such unusual candles, you will need:

paraffin wax;
wick;
container for heating;
wooden stick for stirring;
scissors;
ruler;
PVA glue;
newspaper (to protect the desktop from drops);
candle stands;
aromatic oil (optional);
thick paper.

1: Print and cut out the candle templates. Using a blunt object (for example, the back of a knife), “push” the folds (as shown in the picture).

Bend the template: bend it towards you along the dotted lines, and away from you along the regular lines. Fold the shape and glue the bottom and sides. After the glue has completely dried, make sure that all joints are sealed (otherwise wax may seep through the cracks). If necessary, reinforce the seams with tape.

2: Glue the wick to the bottom of the mold. To secure it upright, wrap (or glue) string around a pencil and place it on the edges of the mold.

Melt the wax in a steam bath, add dyes and/or aromatic oils. Then pour it into a cardboard mold. Make sure the wick remains in the middle of the candle.

After the candle has cooled, you may find that the center has “settled” slightly. Just add a little more wax and wait for it to cool.

3: After the wax has completely hardened, remove the paper. We recommend that you first put the candle in the refrigerator, then the paper will come off easier. Trim the wick and use your finger to slightly round the edges of the candle.

Equipment and scale of the candle shop

The necessary equipment for the production of candles is selected depending on the direction and volume of production. This can be either manual equipment or automated complexes.

Handmade production of exclusive products

Small batches of unique designs can be produced independently in your home kitchen or utility room. At the same time, any popular technologies are freely used or your own recognizable style is developed. You can make decorative candles with your own hands in a full cycle or using purchased blanks.

To work with the full cycle you will need the following equipment:

Utensils for melting wax or paraffin;
Wooden rods 0.5 cm thick (for fixing the wick);
Casting molds;
Carving knives (for carved models);
Wax melting plate with thermostat;
Hairdryer and stationery (for decoupage).

Most of the equipment can be borrowed from household items. Raw materials are purchased in specialized stores for artists in small wholesale.

The most difficult, but also the most profitable direction is making carved candles at home. The cost of one such product is from 20 dollars. Less labor-intensive, but widely in demand, are models with integrated decor. In this case, design elements, dyes and fragrances are placed into the body of the candle during casting. The cost of such products depends on their composition.

The most expensive (in terms of cost) is making gel candles at home. This is due to the high cost of the gel itself, glass containers for the product and decorative elements. On the other hand, the price of the simplest gel candle with a diameter of 3 cm is at least 3 dollars.

If the full production cycle is difficult for you, you can purchase ready-made products and decorate them using decoupage, painting and auxiliary elements. The price of the finished product is determined by the cost of materials and the cost of your work.

Registration of an enterprise in this type of production is not required. To legalize an activity, it is enough to pay personal income tax.

Making exclusive candles at home allows you to create a small home business

How to produce large batches

On-line production of candles requires specialized equipment and a separate room. Such an enterprise can be organized in a garage or in a household building on the plot of a private house. Using production lines, they produce household, church, carved (molded), tablets and tableware.

An approximate set of equipment includes:

Molds for candles of a given diameter and cross-section (cylinders, balls, curly, polyhedrons). They can be multi-seat or single-seat, with an integrated cooling system. Made from plastic and aluminum.
Machine tools . Automatic lines that carry out the production cycle from wick supply to air cooling and cutting. A special feature of the work is the need to organize the supply of liquid candle mass into the bunker. The choice of machine is made based on productivity from 16 to 96 kg of finished products per hour, and overall dimensions from 4 to 10 meters in length, and from 1.8 to 2.2 meters in height. The cost of the machine varies from 16,000 to 40,000 dollars.
Extruder presses . Allows automatic production of paraffin and wax candles in volumes from 20 to 100 kg per hour. Unlike machine tools, solid candle mass is loaded into the hopper, which is subjected to plasticization and subsequent extrusion through an extruder with a centralized wick. The dimensions of the presses are from 1.8 to 4.5 meters in length, and up to 2.3 meters in height. The cost of the car is from 9,000 to 20,000 dollars.
Hand stamps for applying relief designs.
Thermometer.

On-line production of candles requires mandatory registration with the tax control service. You can simplify the procedure by choosing the form of an individual entrepreneur (PE) - read more about registering an individual entrepreneur here - How to register an individual entrepreneur in 2021 in Russia: step-by-step instructions. To start operating your enterprise, you must obtain permission from the sanitary-epidemiological and fire services, which must assess the suitability of the premises and the safety of the products.

A mini workshop for the production of candles must be equipped with a ventilation and fire extinguishing system. To connect automated equipment, a powerful electrical network is required. Separate premises are required for storing raw materials and finished products. No license or certificates are required for products.

You can save on starting investments by purchasing equipment that has been used, is illiquid (with minor defects), or has not been purchased from the factory.

Master class No. 6

Floating candles look very romantic. You can also experiment with different colors and sizes.

You will need:

wax;
melting pan;
wick;
wax pencils;
old baking tins;
baking spray (to make it easier to remove finished candles from the molds);
aromatic oil (optional).

1: Spray each ramekin with baking spray - this will make it easier to separate the candle from the ramekin later. For each candle, take a piece of wick approximately 8 cm long and glue it to the bottom.

Melt the wax by adding wax pencils cut into small pieces. To make 6 candles you will need approximately 4 cups of wax and 20 drops of aromatic oil (5 drops for each serving). To get this coral color, use red and orange wax pencils.

2: Once you have melted the wax, fill each of the baking tins about ¼ full with it. Please note that candles should be light so that they do not sink. When completely cool, remove the candles from the molds by pulling the wick.

Place them in a vase filled with water and light them.