Wick size comes down to two facts: the wax you pour and the diameter of the container or pillar mold. CandleScience’s Candle Wick Guide uses the wax to choose the wick series (ECO, CD or LX, plus Aroma-Lite AL for its Coconut Apricot Wax) and the diameter to choose the size. The charts below copy the guide’s first-choice wicks for nine waxes that CandleScience currently lists, with each wax’s melt point and pour temperature from its product page.

Treat every entry as a starting point. CandleScience says all recommendations in the guide are based on a 7.5% fragrance oil load and no dyes, and that dyed or heavily fragranced candles may require a larger wick. Always confirm with a burn test.

How to read the charts

  • Find your band. Measure the diameter of your container or pillar mold, then find its row. The bands are the guide’s own, from Extra Small (1.75 to 2.19 in.) to 2XL multi-wick (3.8 to 4.5 in.).
  • Compare numbers only within a series. CandleScience says a larger number means a larger wick within a series, so an ECO 14 is always bigger than an ECO 10. Numbers between series are not comparable: an LX 22 may or may not be bigger than an ECO 8.
  • ×2 and ×3 mean the guide recommends two or three wicks of that size.
  • (6 in.) marks the 6-inch length the guide names for that wick.

Soy container wax wick chart

Container diameter SimplySoy Artisan Golden Brands 464 Golden Brands 444
Extra Small (1.75–2.19 in.) CD 4 CD 4 CD 4
Small (2.2–2.69 in.) CD 8 CD 8 CD 10
Medium (2.7–2.94 in.) CD 12 CD 12 CD 14
Large (2.95–3.29 in.) CD 20 CD 18 CD 20
Extra Large (3.3–3.79 in.) LX 12 ×2 CD 22 CD 24
2X Large (3.8–4.2 in.) LX 20 ×2 CD 26 CD 26
2XL multi-wick (3.8–4.5 in.) LX 12 ×3 CD 6 ×3 CD 6 ×3

The guide also lists alternates. For Golden Brands 464 they are ECO 4, ECO 8, ECO 10, ECO 14 and ECO 16 from Extra Small to Extra Large. For SimplySoy Artisan they are LX 10, LX 14, LX 20 and LX 26 from Extra Small to Large.

Coconut and paraffin blend wick chart

Container diameter Coconut Apricot IGI 4630 Harmony Blend IGI 6006 Paraffin-Soy
Extra Small (1.75–2.19 in.) AL100 LX 12 ECO 1
Small (2.2–2.69 in.) AL140 LX 14 ECO 2
Medium (2.7–2.94 in.) LX 16 LX 18 ECO 4
Large (2.95–3.29 in.) LX 18 LX 22 ECO 8
Extra Large (3.3–3.79 in.) AL110 ×2 LX 24 ECO 10
2X Large (3.8–4.2 in.) AL110 ×2 or AL100 ×3 LX 26 ECO 2 ×2
2XL multi-wick (3.8–4.5 in.) AL100 ×3 LX 14 ×3 CD 4 (6 in.) ×3

For Coconut Apricot Wax, CandleScience says containers with diameters larger than 3.25 in. will likely need more than one wick. If a single wick makes too much soot, it suggests double- or triple-wicking with smaller wicks.

Pillar wax wick chart

Pillar diameter CocoSol Soy Pillar BW-921 Pillar Soy IGI 6028 Pillar Blend
Votive LX 12 LX 16 LX 14
2 in. LX 14 LX 20 LX 16
3 in. LX 26 LX 26 LX 24
4 in. LX 28 LX 28 LX 28

All three pillar waxes list LX as their recommended wick series. CandleScience says LX wick burns with a tighter controlled flame, which helps keep pillars from tunneling or leaking out the side.

Wax specs behind the charts

Wax Ingredients Wick series Melt point Pour temp
SimplySoy Artisan Soy CD, LX 122–128°F 160°F
Golden Brands 464 Soy CD, ECO 113°F 135°F
Golden Brands 444 Soy CD, ECO 119°F 135°F
Coconut Apricot Apricot, coconut, paraffin, soy AL, CD, LX 121–131°F 170°F
IGI 4630 Harmony Blend Paraffin LX 119°F 170°F
IGI 6006 Paraffin-Soy Paraffin, soy CD, ECO 133°F 170°F
CocoSol Soy Pillar Coconut, soy, sunflower LX 128–136°F 170–175°F
BW-921 Pillar Soy Soy LX 135°F 170°F
IGI 6028 Pillar Blend Paraffin, soy LX 133°F 180°F

CandleScience’s instructions heat each of these waxes to 185°F in a double boiler before pouring, except SimplySoy Artisan, which heats to 180°F.

Where to find the waxes

Wick series in the charts

  • CD: a flat braided cotton wick with paper threads woven in, which CandleScience says is designed for a consistent burn with higher fragrance loads, especially in softer natural waxes. Search Amazon for CD candle wicks
  • LX: a flat-braided cotton wick with a rigid structure and a tighter controlled flame, which CandleScience says helps keep glass containers from overheating on one side. Search Amazon for LX candle wicks
  • ECO: a flat cotton wick braided with thin paper threads that CandleScience calls an excellent choice for soy candles; it also works with wax blends and low melt-point paraffin. Search Amazon for ECO candle wicks
  • Aroma-Lite (AL): 100% natural cotton wicks made in the USA that unfurl slightly as they burn, for a smaller flame and larger melt pool. CandleScience recommends them for small and multi-wick candles. Search Amazon for Aroma-Lite AL candle wicks

Burn test the starting wick

CandleScience’s basic burn test runs like this:

  1. Let the finished candle cure for at least 24 hours.
  2. Trim the wick to 1/4 inch (6 mm) before every lighting.
  3. Burn it on a clean, flat, heat-resistant surface, never unattended, and put it out after four hours. Let it cool for at least five hours, then repeat until 1/4 inch (6 mm) of wax remains.
  4. At three to four hours, the melt pool should reach within 1/4 inch (6 mm) of the container’s edge and be about 1/4 to 1/2 inch (6 to 13 mm) deep. Most flames are about an inch tall, and up to two inches can be normal.
  5. Wait until at least the fourth burn cycle before judging the wick.

Then read the result:

  • Under-wicked: the candle burns down the middle, or tunnels, instead of out to the edge, and the flame often goes out before all the wax burns. Go up one size in the same series. CandleScience’s example: if an LX 14 tests under-wicked, try an LX 16.
  • Over-wicked: the flame is too tall and flickers continually, the melt pool is deeper than 1/2 inch (13 mm), and carbon mushrooms on the wick tip and gives off soot. The container can get very hot. Go down a size.
  • Soot: occasional small bursts are normal. Frequent large plumes, or soot building on the container’s edge, may mean you should wick down. Too much fragrance, or certain fragrance oils, can also cause it.

When the chart is not enough

  • Dye and heavy fragrance: the guide assumes a 7.5% fragrance oil load and no dye, so heavier loads or dyed wax may need a larger wick.
  • Beeswax: none of these charts covers it. CandleScience generally recommends the ECO series for beeswax and suggests buying several sizes to test, since its wicking is hard to predict.
  • New batches of wax: because soy and natural waxes vary, CandleScience advises re-testing your candles at the start of each season, or at least twice a year.

If you are still gathering supplies, see the best candle making kits for beginners , and keep wicks and wax organized with the candle making storage picks .

FAQ

What size wick does a 3-inch jar need?

A 3-inch jar falls in the guide’s Large band (2.95 to 3.29 in.). The starting wick is CD 20 for SimplySoy Artisan, CD 18 for Golden Brands 464, LX 18 for Coconut Apricot and LX 22 for IGI 4630 Harmony Blend. Burn test it before you settle on it.

Is an LX 20 bigger than a CD 20?

Not necessarily. CandleScience says a larger number means a larger wick only within one series. Numbers from different series are not comparable, so an LX 22 may or may not be bigger than an ECO 8.

When does a candle need more than one wick?

In the guide, SimplySoy Artisan and Coconut Apricot switch to two wicks at the Extra Large band (3.3 to 3.79 in.), and every container wax in these charts uses three wicks in the 2XL multi-wick band (3.8 to 4.5 in.).

Sources