Are Mason Jars Ok For Candles?

Candle making has seen a resurgence in popularity in recent years, with more and more people crafting unique candles at home. Mason jars in particular have become a popular vessel choice for homemade candles. Their wide mouths make candles easy to light, and their classic shape looks great displayed around the home.

But can just any mason jar be used safely for candle making? In this article, we’ll cover everything you need to know about choosing and preparing mason jars for candles, from jar types to safety considerations. You’ll learn candle wax melting points, wick sizes, best practices for avoiding soot or tunneling, and how to add creative touches with scents, colors, and embellishments.

Whether you’re an experienced candle maker looking to try mason jars, or want to dip your toe into DIY candles for the first time, this guide will set you up for success. Let’s dive in to the versatile world of mason jar candles!

History of Candle Making

Candles have been used for thousands of years to provide light and warmth. According to Candlewic, candles were the single source for artificial light up until the early 1900s. The earliest candles are believed to have been made from tallow, which is rendered animal fat.

During the Middle Ages, candle making saw improvements with the use of beeswax. According to Cierra Candles, beeswax candles were a major advancement at the time, providing a cleaner burn compared to tallow candles. Beeswax remained the main candle wax for centuries until paraffin wax was introduced in the mid-1800s.

So in summary, early candle making primarily relied on tallow and beeswax until more modern waxes were developed. Tallow provided an inexpensive and widely available source of wax, while beeswax offered a higher quality burn.

Why Mason Jars for Candles?

Mason jars have become a popular vessel for homemade candles for several reasons. First, mason jars are inexpensive and reusable. As noted by Canadian Lights, once a candle has burned down, the jar can easily be cleaned and reused to hold a new candle or for other purposes around the home. This makes mason jars a cost-effective and environmentally friendly option for candle making.

Additionally, mason jars are designed to withstand high heat needed for candles. According to Boye Candle Supply, mason jars made from tempered glass will not break from the heat of the candle flame. This durability and versatility help explain why mason jars remain popular candle vessels for DIY candle makers.

Considerations for Mason Jar Candles

When making candles in mason jars, it’s important to consider proper wick size and leaving room for the wax to pool. Selecting the right wick diameter prevents issues like tunneling and mushrooming of the candle flame. As a general rule, use a wick approximately 1/8″ in diameter for a 4oz mason jar candle. For 8oz jars, go with 1/4″ diameter wicks. You can find candle wicking kits with various sizes to experiment with.

You’ll also want to avoid filling mason jars all the way to the top with wax. Leave at least 1/2″ of empty space at the top so that the wax can melt and pool freely as the candle burns. This allows the entire surface of the candle to liquify and prevents clogging issues with the wick. Leaving this gap helps the candle burn cleanly and evenly. Consult this guide for recommended fill levels based on jar size.

Best Practices for Safety

When making and burning candles in mason jars, it’s crucial to follow safety best practices to prevent fires or injuries. Here are some key tips:

Don’t burn candles unattended. Always keep a close eye on burning candles and never leave them alone for extended periods. According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), two of every five home candle fires occur when candles are left unattended, forgotten, or abandoned (https://www.nfpa.org/education-and-research/home-fire-safety/candles).

Keep candles away from drafts. Don’t place jar candles near open windows, fans, vents or air currents that can cause the flame to flicker and extend beyond the jar. The National Candle Association recommends keeping candles at least 12 inches from any drafts (https://candles.org/fire-safety-candles/).

Trim wicks to 1⁄4 inch before lighting. Long or uneven wicks can create tall, sooting flames. Always trim wicks down to 1⁄4 inch to reduce risk of flare ups.

Use heat-resistant, nonflammable candle holders. Glass and metal holders provide an extra layer of protection between the flame and surrounding surfaces.

Don’t overload candle holders with excess wax. Stop burning a candle once significant wax pooling occurs to prevent heat damage to the holder and surrounding surfaces.

Choosing the Right Candle Wax

When making candles in mason jars, one of the most important decisions is choosing the right candle wax. There are three main types of wax commonly used in candle making:

• Paraffin Wax
• Soy Wax
• Beeswax

Paraffin wax is derived from petroleum. It is inexpensive and makes hard, long-lasting candles. However, some avoid paraffin due to potential health risks from burning petroleum-based products. Paraffin candles also tend to release more soot.

Soy wax is made from soybeans. It is a clean-burning, renewable and biodegradable alternative to paraffin. Soy candles burn slower and cooler, so the scent may not be as strong. Soy wax is sensitive to temperature changes and requires proper candle making techniques.

Beeswax is a natural wax made by honey bees. It has a lovely natural honey aroma when burned. Beeswax is compatible with essential oils and makes dripless, long-burning candles. However, beeswax is expensive and challenging to work with due to its high melting point.

When comparing paraffin vs. soy wax vs. beeswax, crafters should consider the cost, performance, and environmental factors of each type of candle wax before deciding which is the best wax for candles (https://jessicawellinginteriors.com/best-wax-for-candles/). The right candle wax depends on the individual’s priorities and candle making needs.

Picking Fragrance Oils

When picking fragrance oils for homemade mason jar candles, you’ll want to consider the amount to use as well as blending scents. According to Jessica Welling Interiors, most candle makers recommend using 1 ounce of fragrance oil per 1 pound of wax as a starting point (Source). However, the exact amount can vary based on personal preference and the intensity of the fragrance oil. Start with this ratio and test burn your candle to see if the scent is strong enough for your liking.

You can also blend multiple fragrance oils together to create custom scents. Just make sure the scents complement each other instead of competing. Some popular fragrance oil blend ideas include:
– Pumpkin and cinnamon
– Lavender and vanilla
– Rose and jasmine

When blending fragrance oils, add equal amounts of each one to start. Then you can adjust the ratios as needed to get your desired scent profile. Scent blending takes some trial and error, so keep notes on which oil combinations and ratios you like best.

Decorative Touches

One of the best things about mason jar candles is how easy they are to customize and decorate. With just a little bit of creativity, you can transform a basic mason jar candle into a beautiful decorative piece.

Painting the jars is one of the simplest ways to dress up your candles. You can use acrylic paints, spray paints, chalk paints, or even nail polish to coat the outside of the jars. Solid colors work well, but you can also paint patterns, shapes, stripes, and more. Make sure to use heat-resistant paints formulated for glass surfaces. Let the paint fully dry before pouring wax into painted jars. Refer to this Pinterest pin for inspiration on painted mason jar candles: How To Make Your Own Mason Jar Candles And Decorate Them

Adding embellishments is another easy way to dress up mason jar candles. You can wrap twine, jute, lace, or raffia around the jar’s neck for a rustic touch. Affix seashells, beads, buttons, dried flowers, or other small decorations using hot glue. Cut out shapes from scrapbook paper to decoupage onto the outside of the jar. The options are endless – let your creativity run wild! Check out this Pinterest board for mason jar candle decorating ideas: Top 10 mason jar candle decorating ideas and inspiration

Troubleshooting Common Issues

When making candles at home, there are a few common issues that can occur. Three of the most frequent problems are tunnels, soot, and poor scent throw. Here are some troubleshooting tips for dealing with these candlemaking challenges:

Tunnels occur when the edges of the candle melt faster than the center, creating a hole or tunnel through the middle. This is often caused by the wick being too large for the diameter of the candle. To prevent tunnels, use a smaller wick or double-wick the candle. You can also pour candles at a lower temperature to help slow outer melting. Finally, allowing candles to cure 2-3 weeks helps stabilize tunneling (https://practicalselfreliance.com/candlemaking-beginners/).

Soot is black smoke residue left on candle jars. It indicates the candle is burning too hot. To reduce soot, trim wicks to 1⁄4” before each burn, or use a sustainably-wicked or braided wick. Cooler wax like soy is less prone to sooting. Properly curing candles for 2-3 weeks also minimizes soot issues.

Poor scent throw happens when candles lack aroma, often due to adding too little fragrance oil. Use 1 oz. of fragrance per 1 lb. of wax as a starting point. Consider using more potent essential oils. Curing candles fully and allowing the fragrance to stabilize also boosts hot and cold scent throw over time (https://practicalselfreliance.com/candlemaking-beginners/).

Conclusion

In summary, mason jars can make for beautiful, unique, and safe candle holders with the right precautions and preparations. Choosing the right wax, wicks, fragrances, and vessels will result in stunning mason jar candles to grace any space with cozy ambiance and homemade charm. Making candles in mason jars does come with some challenges like preventing tunneling and wet spots, but these can be mitigated by allowing adequate cure time and using proper wicking. With creativity and care, handcrafted mason jar candles make wonderful gifts, decoration pieces, or everyday illumination. If safety and performance guidelines are followed, mason jar candles can be an enjoyable DIY project and charming addition to your home.