Finishing a candle is the last short step before it is ready to burn or sell. The wax is poured and set; what remains is removing the wick bars, trimming the wicks, cleaning any wax off the container, and adding a caution label. The whole pass takes a few minutes, and it is what separates a candle that looks and burns like a finished product from one that still looks like it just came off the workspace. After finishing, the candle cures before its first burn.
This guide covers each step in order, the wick length to trim to, why the caution label matters, and how long to let the candle rest before you light it.
How to Finish a Candle
Work through these four steps once the wax has fully set and the container is cool to the touch. They apply to container candles of any wax; the only difference is the wick length you trim to, covered below.
How to Finish a Candle
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1
Remove the wick bars
Slide each wick out of the notch in the wick bar, then lift the bar away. The wicks now stand free, and you can see how much length needs to come off. They are usually far longer than a finished wick should be.
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2
Trim the wicks
Cut each wick to length with a pair of scissors or a wick trimmer. Trim a paraffin wick to about one-quarter inch and a soy wick to about one-eighth inch. A short, clean wick keeps the flame small and steady on the first burn.
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3
Clean wax off the jar
Wipe away any wax that ran down the outside of the container. Small drips will wipe away cleanly with a paper towel. If needed, warm the cooled wax with a heat gun until it turns liquid, then clean it off with a paper towel. Reheating releases hardened wax cleanly, so there is no need to scrape.
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4
Apply the caution label and lid
Peel a caution label off the roll and apply it to the bottom of the container. Add your brand or scent label, and finish with a lid if the container takes one. The candle is now finished and ready to cure.
Trim the Wick Before the First Burn
A trimmed wick is the difference between a clean first burn and a smoky one. A candle's flame draws fuel up the wick from the melt pool, and a short wick keeps that draw steady and the flame small[1]. A wick left long burns taller, flickers more, and can leave soot on the glass. Trim to length before the first burn, and trim again to about one-quarter inch before every burn after that.
Wick Trim Length by Wax
| Wax | Trim to | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Paraffin | About 1/4 inch | Paraffin carries fuel readily, so a slightly longer wick still burns clean and steady. |
| Soy | About 1/8 inch | Soy burns at a lower temperature, so a shorter wick keeps the flame from running tall and sooty. |
| Every later burn | About 1/4 inch | Re-trim before each burn to clear the carbon ball and keep the flame controlled. |
Wooden wicks finish differently. Instead of cutting with scissors, snap off the charred top with your fingers or a trimmer down to about one-quarter inch. See our How to Make Wooden Wick Candles for the full method.
Clean Wax Off the Container
Drips that ran down the outside of a jar during the pour wipe away easily once you treat them the right way. Do not scrape dried wax off cold glass, where a blade can scratch the surface. Warm the wax back to liquid and it wipes off with a paper towel in one pass.
Apply a Caution Label
A caution label carries the fire-safety instructions a consumer needs, and it is expected on any candle you sell. Apply it to the bottom of the container so it stays with the candle through its whole life.
We stock pre-printed caution labels sized for the bottom of a jar, so the required wording is ready to peel and apply. Pair the caution label with your own brand or scent label on the side of the container.
Cure Before the First Burn
Scented candles generally perform better after a short rest, so allow them to cure for about a week before lighting them. During this time, the wax has an opportunity to retain the fragrance, so a cured candle often throws more scent than one burned the day it was poured. Our scent guide covers cure time and the other factors that influence scent throw.
Finishing is the last step that belongs to the maker. The full pour-to-set process that comes before it is in our How to Make Container Candles, and the broader fire-safety practices for burning a finished candle are in our Candle Making Safety Tips.