Can You Put Tea Light Candles In Glass Jars?

Tea light candles in glass jars make for an easy and charming home decor element. The flickering light creates cozy ambience, the glass jars add rustic appeal, and the whole display brings warmth to any space. Tea lights come in a range of sizes and burn times, while jars are available in an array of shapes, colors, and materials. With a few simple supplies, you can artfully arrange tea lights in jars for a lighter centerpiece or scattered insightfully around your home. This uplifting decor blends functionality with style.

Benefits

Placing tea light candles in glass jars creates a warm, cozy ambiance. The flickering flame casts a soft glow and fills the room with a welcoming atmosphere. Using glass jars allows the candlelight to gently reflect and refract off the glass, adding to the ambiance. The aesthetic effect of the candlelit jars creates a decorative accent that enhances any room’s style. The jars come in diverse shapes and colors to suit any decor. Clustering several candlelit jars together amplifies the ambient lighting and visual appeal. Overall, the combination of candles and glass jars makes an excellent design choice for creating a relaxing, pleasant mood and accentuating your room’s decor.

According to Northumbrian Candle Works, using candles in glass provides a great piece of decor. The glass jars containing the flickering candles become an ornament that enhances the aesthetics of a space.

Considerations

When placing tea lights in jars, fire safety is the most important consideration. According to Derby Telegraph, you should never leave a burning candle or tea light unattended. Always put them out when leaving a room to prevent accidental fires. A tea light at the Palfrey bar in Derby caused a major building fire in 2017 due to unsafe placement.

It’s also important to choose candles that properly fit the jars you select. As ITV News reports, placing a tall candle or tea light in a small, narrow jar increases fire risk. Make sure the candle has room to burn safely and the flame stays lower than the jar’s rim.

Choosing Jars

When choosing jars for tea light candles, it’s important to consider the glass thickness, shape, and size. Thicker glass is less prone to cracking from the heat of candles. Look for jars with thicker bottoms and walls for maximum durability. Glass thickness is usually not specified, so examine jars in person before purchasing whenever possible.

The shape of the jar also matters. Tall slender vases are most prone to tipping over, while wide low jars with flat bases are most stable. Consider hurricane lamp styles and rounded shapes to prevent tipping. Cylinder and rounded square jars tend to work best.

Jars come in a wide range of sizes, from tiny 2-3 inch widths to large jars over 12 inches tall. In general, wider jars are safer since they place the candle further from the glass walls. Larger jars also allow more space for fragrance to disperse. Choose a size appropriate for the space, accounting for home safety and desired fragrance diffusion area.

Prepping Jars

Before placing a candle in a glass jar, it’s important to properly clean and prep the jar. Wash the jar thoroughly with soap and warm water, and rinse away any soap residue. Let the jar completely air dry before decorating or adding a candle. According to this Pinterest pin, you can decorate the outside of the jar using acrylic paint, washi tape, lace, twine, greenery, flowers, or other craft materials. Avoid using paper or other flammable materials. Apply any paint or glue at least 24 hours before using the jar. Alternatively, you can leave the jar plain for a simple, elegant look.

Make sure to prep the inside of the jar as well by wiping away any dust or oils. You may wish to wash with rubbing alcohol to fully sanitize and remove any lingering scents. Avoid using scented candles or essential oils on the jar’s interior, as this can impact the scent of the candle. The interior walls should be fully dry before a candle is placed inside.

Choosing Candles

When selecting candles for glass jars, consider the wax type, diameter, and burn time.

Wax Type

Paraffin wax candles are common and affordable, but produce more soot. Beeswax and soy wax burn cleaner. Gel wax is an alternative that burns slowly without hot wax pooling.

Diameter

Measure the inner diameter of your jars and choose candles slightly smaller to allow space for the candle to melt down the sides. Tealights are usually 1″-1.5″ diameter. Votive and pillar candles come in larger sizes.

Burn Time

Tealight candles provide 4-6 hours of burn time. Votive candles offer 10-15 hours. Pillar candles range from 15 hours for small (2″) to 80+ hours for large (3-4″) diameters. Calculate the height to match your desired burn hours.

Placement

When placing tea light candles in glass jars, grouping the jars together can create a beautiful, cohesive display. Consider clustering 3-5 jars together on a table, mantel, or shelf. Leave a few inches between each jar for safe spacing between the candle flames. Larger groupings of 5-15 jars can make an eye-catching statement on stair risers, the floor, or on the ground outdoors. For these larger displays, allow 2-3 inches between jars.

Staggering jars at different heights adds visual interest. Try placing some jars on candle pedestals or plates to vary the heights. Just be sure to keep at least 2 inches between flame heights for fire safety.

Placing jars in repetitive or symmetric patterns like rows, circles, or triangles can make the grouping appear more polished and intentional. But don’t be afraid to break out of formations and overlap jars for a playful, organic look as well.

When decorating a mantel or shelf, place jar candles in the foreground, middle ground and background to create depth. Keep taller jar candles toward the back and lower jars and tealights in the front.

Whatever placement you choose, be sure to follow fire safety recommendations and never leave burning candles unattended.

Lighting Safety

When lighting tea light candles in glass jars, proper supervision and ventilation are crucial for safety. According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), candles should never be left unattended and should be extinguished before leaving a room (NFPA). It’s also important to keep candles away from flammable materials like books, curtains, and holiday decorations (The Hartford).

Make sure to burn candles in rooms with good airflow and ventilation. Avoid lighting candles in small, enclosed spaces which can concentrate heat and smoke (Puroclean). Place candles at least one foot away from walls, furniture, curtains, and any other combustibles. Extinguish candles before the flame gets too close to the rim or container so molten wax doesn’t ignite nearby items.

With proper precautions, lighting tea light candles in glass jars can create a safe and beautiful ambiance. But always exercise caution and close supervision when burning open flames.

Maintaining

Properly maintaining your tea light jars will help extend their life and usage. Here are some tips for maintaining tea light candle jars:

Jar Cleaning
After a candle burns down, there will likely be leftover wax coating the inside of the jar. Make sure to let the wax fully cool and harden before attempting to clean the jar. Use a plastic scraper to gently peel off chunks of wax. You can also place the jar in the freezer for 1-2 hours which will make the wax even easier to remove. Once you’ve removed the bulk of the wax, clean any remaining residue with hot water, mild dish soap, and a washcloth or sponge. Rinse and dry thoroughly. Rubbing a thin coat of coconut, olive, or jojoba oil on the base of the jar will help prevent wax buildup over time (1).

Wick Trimming
Before lighting a new tea light, trim the wick to 1⁄4 inch length using small scissors. This will help the candle burn evenly and prevent excess smoking. Only trim the wick just prior to lighting, as wicks can fray over time when left untrimmed. Trimmed wicks will create the nicest flame when you go to light the candle (2).

Decorating Ideas

There are so many creative ways to decorate jars with tea lights to suit any theme or occasion. Popular jar and tea light decor ideas include:

Seasonal themes – Fill jars with artificial fall leaves or pinecones and nestle a tea light inside for autumn. Use peppermint sticks or candy canes for a festive winter look. Decorate with flowers or pastel colors for spring.

Weddings – Adorn jars with lace, pearls, ribbon or other wedding elements and use them to line the aisle or decorate reception tables.Susan Carruthers has beautiful examples of elegant wedding decor using tea lights in jars.

Embellishments – Glitter, sequins, buttons, sea shells, marbles or pebbles can be added inside or outside jars for a unique look. Stencils and paint can be used to customize the outside of jars.

Themes – Coordinate colors and decor to match specific themes like beach, woodland, or elegante evening. Select jars that fit the theme such as mason jars for a rustic feel.

DIY – Get creative with materials like twine, burlap, lace, dried flowers or leaves to make one of a kind jar decorations and holders.

The possibilities are endless! Tea lights inside decorated jars can provide beautiful ambiance, interest and charm for any occasion or season.