Candle Wax & Wick Calculator
Estimate how much wax and fragrance oil a batch of container candles needs, and how many wicks to buy.
How it works
Wax per candle = container volume × wax-per-fl-oz · Fragrance = wax × load% · Totals = per-candle × number of candles
A container never fills to the brim and wax is lighter than water, so wax weight is estimated from volume with a density factor — about 0.85 oz of soy wax per fluid ounce of container. Fragrance oil is dosed as a percentage of the wax weight, typically 6–10%, and most soy waxes cannot hold much more than 10–12% before it seeps out. Plan one wick per container, and size the wick to the container diameter using the manufacturer’s chart.
Worked example
Six 8 fl oz jars at 0.85 oz/fl oz need 8 × 0.85 = 6.8 oz of wax each, or 40.8 oz total. At an 8% fragrance load that is 6.8 × 0.08 = 0.54 oz per candle, about 3.3 oz across the batch, plus 6 wicks.
Frequently asked questions
What fragrance load should I use?
Most soy container waxes perform best at 6–10% fragrance by weight. Going above the wax’s rated maximum (often 10–12%) risks the oil pooling or "sweating" out and can create a fire hazard.
How do I pick a wick size?
Wick size depends mainly on the container diameter and the wax type, not the volume. Use the wick manufacturer’s sizing chart for your wax, then test-burn — a wick that leaves a wide ring of unmelted wax is too small.
Why weight instead of volume for wax?
Wax is sold and measured by weight, and it does not fill a container to 100%. Converting the container’s fluid-ounce volume with a density factor gives a realistic weight to weigh out on a scale.
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This calculator is for educational purposes. Double-check important results before acting on them.