Remove a Candle from a Mold
Candle makers can produce many different types of candles including dipped candles, jar candles or freestanding candles. You can create freestanding candles such as pillars or spheres using candle making molds. Removing the candle from the mold is an important part of the candle making process. Correct candle removal can help ensure optimum results.
Steps
- Lubricate inside of the candle mold with a releasing agent before pouring the candle wax. A releasing agent helps the candle wax detach from the mold walls once the candle has cooled. You can use a commercially prepared releasing agent specially formulated for candle making, or vegetable oil or cooking oil sprays. Some types of molds, including silicone molds, don't require you to use a releasing agent, so check your specific mold's instructions.
- Spray or wipe releasing agent inside the mold. Make sure you use a light coating of the releasing agent so that it doesn't affect the appearance of the surface of your completed candle.
- Wipe off excess releasing agent from the edges of the mold.
- Pour your candle and allow the wax to cool completely. Cooling times will vary based on the size of the mold.
- Remove mold sealer from the top of the candle mold. Mold sealer is a putty like substance you can use to plug the hole in the candle mold where the wick of the candle protrudes from the mold.
- Scrape mold sealer from the outside surface of the mold with your finger or a wooden craft stick. Be careful not to damage the wick or the mold.
- Unscrew the wick screw. The wick screw holds the top of the wick in place so that the appropriate length of wick stays outside of the mold while you pour the candle wax.
- Slide the candle out of the mold. The candle should slide out easily if you allowed it to cool completely, but you can also pull gently on the wick bar if needed to help pull the candle out of the mold. The wick bar will be located at the bottom of the mold, which is the open area where you poured the wax into the mold. The excess wick at the base of the candle is tied to the wick bar which works along with the wick screw to keep the wick centered within the mold while you pour the candle wax.
- Refrigerate the candle if it does not come out of the mold. Cooling the candle in the refrigerator causes the candle wax to retract from the sides of the mold.
- Place the mold in refrigerator for 5 minutes if you made a votive candle.
- Let the candle and mold cool for 15 minutes if you made a pillar candle. Adjust the amount of time if the candle mold is much smaller or larger than average.
- Remove the candle mold from the refrigerator and try sliding the candle out of the mold again.
- Cut excess wick from the bottom of the candle. You should cut the wick flush with the bottom of the candle. Some candle makers use wick pins for their candles. Wick pins are metal bases attached to the wick. If you used a wick pin, you can disregard this step.
Removing a Candle from a 2-Piece Mold
- Remove the wick clamps from the mold. Wick clamps help keep the 2 pieces of the mold together while you pour the wax and allow the candle to cool.
- Untie the candle wick from the wick bar. Set aside the wick bar.
- Take off the mold sealer from the wick end of the candle mold.
- Remove the wick screw or mold plug from the top of the candle mold.
- Pull apart the mold.
- Grasp the wick with 1 hand.
- Pull on 1 half of the mold until it breaks free from the candle.
- Take off the rubber ring located between the 2 halves of the candle mold. The rubber piece acts to help prevent hot wax from seeping out from the gap between the 2 mold pieces.
- Remove the completed candle from the mold.
- Cut off excess wick, and remove the wick bar from the candle.
Things You'll Need
- Candle mold with a completed candle
- Releasing agent
- Wick screw
- Wick bar
- Mold sealer
- Refrigerator
