Different types of candle - Guest Post by Sweet Aroma's

If you have ever been in your local supermarket and looked at the candles on the shelves or walked into a candle shop (do these exist anymore?) or even visited a craft fair or market and seen the different candles they have on display you will have seen many different kinds let alone smells! To be honest with you, really there are a few different types. Many shapes and sizes yes but really on a few actual different types.

All candles fall into one of these categories: Pillar, Container, Votive, Floating or Melts. Lets explore each of these individually because there is a lot of confusion about these categories.

1.Pillar Candles: This is a varied category that many candles can fall into. When you think of a pillar candle, the first thing that normally springs to mind is the image of the tall candles often found in a church. This is understandable because they are very well known. 

However, that kind of candle is not the only type of pillar candle. Confused? I'm not surprised because it is what many people associate a pillar candle with as looking. If you have dinner parties or even birthday parties for your family or friends and you have those long, tall candles often called “tapered candles” those candles are also pillar candles. The little candles on your child's birthday cake are also, in fact, pillar candles. Now I hope you can see why so many people get confused with the words “pillar candles”

2. Container Candles: This category is really for all those candles in some kind of tin or jar. It does not matter what shape it is or what size it is. If its in a container of some kind, whether it be jar or tin, it is a container candle.

3. Votive Candles: This category is for all those smaller candles that do not normally fit into either of the two categories above. Now votive candles can be container candles but because of their small size they are often referred to as votive candles. This next link is from Wikipedia about votive candles: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Votive_candle.  As you can see from that article that votives are also referred to as prayer candles.

4. Floating Candles: Essentially this category is for any kind of candle that will float in

water. The only kind of candle that cannot be considered a floating candle is the

container candle. If you look on youtube for floating candle videos you will find a few.

The main ones on youtube are about using a tapered candle as a floating candle. It is different but essentially can be called a floating candle. It is actually possible to make floating candles using only some wax, a wick and a mould. Very, very simple to make and can be quite effective as a display. When I first started experimenting in making floating candles, the one thing that sprang to mind (and I have been asked this question by some-one else) was “when it burns low, wont it go out?” Strangely enough I have found that the candle actually does not go out. It actually burns away almost completely! Pretty good eh?

5. Melts: Last, but no means least, category is your humble melt. It is often referred to as a tart by some chandlers. Hang on a second I hear you ask, what is a chandler?

Well really all a chandler is, is a person who makes candles. An old term that I do not think is used very much anymore in society today but basically that is what a chandler is. Anyway back to melts or tarts if you like. Simply all a melt is, is a candle without a wick. Often they are used in oil burners to make a room smell nice. The process in making one is exactly the same as making a candle but without a wick. I guess you are wondering “how it can burn if it has no wick?” The answer is very simple: It does not burn! You simply put 1 or 2 (depending on melt size and burner cup) into your oil burner, light a tealight, or if you have an electric oil burner you turn it on, pop the tealight into the base and the heat of the tealight melts the wax and releases the fragrance. Hence the name “ melt”. Melts can come in many shapes and sizes so really let your imagination run wild! Unlike candles, you will be left with wax in the burner cup. This isnt an issue at all because its very easy to clean out the burner cup and you can either re-use the wax or simply throw it away in the bin.

To find out more about Candle Making or even to buy some unusual candles, why not visit www.sweetaromas.co.uk today and start your journey enjoying scented candles.

Til next time......Stay Crafty Folks and Enjoy your Crafting

Jim

Jim Laver is the Owner and Main Crafter at Sweet Aroma’s