What does it mean if my candle tunnels?

Tunneling happens when the wick is too small (under-wicked) to melt the wax all the way to the edges of the jar. You should test heating it with a larger size wick.

Why is the melt pool so deep?

If your melt pool gets deeper than 1/2 inch in less than 2-3 hours, or if the flame is dancing and producing black soot, your wick is too large (over-wicked). Size down.

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Wick Size Calculator

Find the recommended wick size for your candle jar diameter. Stop the guesswork and get the perfect melt pool.

Enter your measurements

Jar Inner Diameter(in)

Wax Type

Wick Troubleshooting Guide

Under-wicked (Too small)

The wick isn't generating enough heat to melt the wax to the edges of the jar.

Symptoms:

❌ Tunneling: Burns a hole straight down.
❌ Drowning: Melted wax extinguishes the tiny flame.
❌ Poor scent throw: Melt pool is too small.

Solution: Size UP your wick!

Over-wicked (Too large)

The wick is generating way too much heat, burning through wax too quickly. This is a fire hazard!

Symptoms:

⚠️ Dancing flame: Flame flickers and is very tall.
⚠️ Black soot: Black smoke coats the glass.
⚠️ Deep melt pool: Deeper than 1/2" in 2 hours.
⚠️ Mushrooming: Carbon buildup on the wick tip.

Solution: Size DOWN your wick!

Common Wick Series Explained

ECO Series

Flat cotton wick braided with paper threads. Excellent rigidity in melt pools. Great for natural soy waxes.

CD Series

Flat braided cotton wick with paper threads woven in. Known to "curl" as it burns, which minimizes carbon buildup (mushrooming). Very versatile.

LX / HTP

Coreless cotton wicks designed to reduce afterglow, smoke, and soot. Very common for paraffin and paraffin-blends.

Wick Sizing is a Starting Point

This calculator gives you an excellent starting point based on industry standards, but wick sizing is more of an art than a science. The amount of fragrance oil, heavily dyed wax, and ambient room temperature can all affect how a candle burns.

Why Double Wick?

Once a jar is wider than 3-3.25 inches, it becomes difficult for a single wick to create a full melt pool without creating a flame that is dangerously high. Using two smaller wicks provides a safe, even burn across a wide jar.

Frequently Asked Questions

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