Can You Turn Crayons Into Candles?

Crayons have a long history, dating back to the early 19th century when they were first invented in Europe as wax writing instruments (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crayon). Since then, crayons have become popular colorful art supplies, especially for children, with brands like Crayola dominating the market. Candles also have an extensive past, being used for light and rituals for thousands of years across many cultures. Making candles out of crayons combines these two creative mediums in a fun do-it-yourself project. This article will walk through the simple steps to turn old crayons into decorative candles. With just crayons, wicks, and jars, you can give new life to broken crayons by melting them down and molding them into colorful candle creations.

Supplies Needed

To make candles from crayons, you’ll need just a few basic supplies:

Crayons – You can use new or old crayons for this project. Collect crayons in a variety of colors to create colorful candles. According to The Shabby Creek Cottage, you’ll need approximately 5-10 crayons per candle you want to make. Crayons are the main material that will be melted down to form the candle wax.

Candle Wicks – You’ll need wicks to put inside the melted crayon wax so that the finished candles can be lit. Purchase candle wicks, often called tabbed wicks, online or at a craft store. According to WikiHow, the wicks should be about 2 inches taller than your candle container. The tab will help anchor the wick at the base of the container.

Empty Glass Jars or Tin Cans – To hold the melted crayon wax, you’ll need empty containers. Small glass jars like baby food jars or jam jars work well. Short tin cans or aluminum containers can also work. Make sure containers are cleaned and dried before starting. The containers will determine the size and shape of your finished crayon candles.

Step 1: Peel the Crayon Wrappers

The first step in making crayon candles is to remove all of the paper wrappers from the crayons. Peeling off all the wrappers allows the wax from the different crayons to melt together more evenly.

To quickly unwrap multiple crayons at once, gather them into a bundle with the tips pointing in the same direction. Then take a knife and slice off the wrapped ends in one motion ^[1]. You can also carefully use a vegetable peeler to remove the paper wrappers ^[2].

Unwrapping all the crayons before melting them allows the different wax colors to blend more smoothly into new colors when melted together. The paper wrappers can also catch fire or create unwanted black specks in the wax if left on during melting.

Step 2: Break the Crayons

Breaking the crayons into small pieces is an important step that makes melting them faster and easier. According to this source, you’ll want to break the crayons “into small pieces.” Another source recommends to “Break Apart Crayons and Sort by Color” before melting them (source). Breaking them into smaller pieces increases their surface area, allowing them to melt quicker. It also prevents you from ending up with large chunks in the melted wax. For best results, break the peeled crayons into pieces about 1/2 inch or smaller before moving on to melting them.

Step 3: Melt the Crayon Pieces

Once you have broken up the crayons into smaller pieces, it’s time to melt them down. This step requires care and patience. According to the National Education Association, heating materials like crayons can release toxic fumes, so proper ventilation is key https://www.njea.org/art-hazards-toxic-materials-abound/.

To melt the crayon pieces:

• Put the broken crayon pieces into a glass jar, tin can, or other heatproof container. Glass Mason jars work well.
• Place the container with the crayon pieces into a saucepan or pot filled with water, creating a double boiler. The water should come partway up the side of the container holding the crayons.
• Heat the water slowly over low heat on the stove. Do not let the water boil rapidly.
• You can also melt the crayons in the oven using the double boiler method. Heat the oven to 175°F – 200°F.
• As the crayons melt, stir frequently to combine the colors and wax.
• Melt the crayons completely, continuing to stir often. This may take 30-60 minutes.
• Remove the melted crayons from the heat once fully liquefied and smooth.

Melting the crayons slowly and patiently prevents scorching the wax. Keep a close eye on the crayons as they melt to avoid overheating. Continued stirring helps the colors blend together into new shades. Once smooth and liquid, the melted crayons are ready for the next step – preparing the wicks.

Step 4: Prepare the Wicks

Once the crayon pieces are broken up and ready to melt, the next step is to prepare the wicks. You’ll need one wick for each candle you are making. The wicks should be made of 100% cotton and can be purchased at craft stores or handmade using cotton string or thread (Source).

Cut the wicks about 1-2 inches longer than the height of the jar or can you’ll be pouring the wax into. This extra length helps anchor the wick at the bottom and leaves room for trimming. To anchor, you can tape or glue the end of the wick to the bottom of the container so it stands straight up when you pour in the wax (Source). The wick needs to be centered so it comes out the middle of the finished candle.

Step 5: Pour the Melted Wax

Once the crayon wax has completely melted and the wicks are secured in the containers, you are ready to carefully pour the liquid wax into the containers. As recommended in this video on pouring candle wax, use caution when handling the hot liquid wax and pour slowly to avoid spills.

Gently pour the melted crayon wax into each container, leaving about 1/2 inch of space at the top. According to this guide on making teacup candles, this headspace allows room for the wick as the candle burns down. Pour carefully and steadily until each container is filled to the proper level.

Allow the poured wax to cool slightly and solidify before moving the containers. The crayon wax will fully harden as it cools into finished candles.

Step 6: Cool and Harden the Candles

Once you have poured the melted crayon wax into the prepared containers, it’s time to let the candles cool and harden. This is an important step, as the candles need time to fully set up and cure before they can be used.

Let the poured candles cool completely before moving them. Moving or disturbing the candles too soon can cause cracks or divots in the finished product. It’s best to let the candles sit undisturbed as they cool and harden.

It may take a few hours for the crayon wax candles to fully harden. According to Wax & Wick, candle wax can take 24-48 hours to reach its full set point. Have patience and allow the converted crayon candles time to completely cure before attempting to light them.

Once cooled and hardened, the recycled crayon candles will be ready to use! Enjoy your unique handmade candles crafted from old crayons.

Fun Ideas and Variations

Making crayon candles offers lots of room for creativity. Here are some fun ideas to try:

Add glitter or flowers for decoration. Sprinkle glitter on top of the melted crayon wax before pouring into molds. Or, press flower petals into the wax while it’s still warm. The flowers and glitter will be embedded in the finished candles for a sparkly, colorful effect. For more ideas, see this guide on making glitter crayon candles (https://www.pinterest.com/demy722/crayon-candle/).

Use cookie cutters to make shaped candles. Let the melted crayon wax cool slightly and then pour it into cookie cutters to create candle shapes like stars, hearts, or animals. Carefully remove the shaped candle from the cookie cutter after the wax has hardened. Kids will love making candle shapes with their favorite cookie cutters.

These are just a few of the many possibilities for customizing recycled crayon candles. With some creativity, you can make these candles into personalized gifts or decorative objects to enjoy.

Conclusion

Upcycling old broken crayons into candles is a creative way to reuse art supplies and reduce waste. As we’ve seen, the process involves peeling the wrappers, breaking crayons into pieces, melting them down, preparing wicks, pouring into molds, and cooling to harden. The end result is handmade candles – a fun craft project and gifts for any occasion.

The benefits of repurposing crayons are many. Kids can learn about recycling and reusing materials creatively. Families can spend quality time together making the candles. And these eco-friendly candles ensure used crayons don’t end up in landfills. The candles can be designed in different shapes and colors using various crayon pieces and molds.

We encourage you to gather old broken crayons and try making your own upcycled candles. It’s an easy, affordable project with lots of room for creativity. Share your candle making experience and homemade candles with family and friends.