liminfoCandle Making Calculator
Free web tool: Candle Making Calculator
Candle Making Calculator
Calculate wax, fragrance oil, dye, and wick size for your candle project.
Typical range: 6–10%
Tips
- • Always test burn candles before selling or gifting.
- • Fragrance load varies by wax type — soy wax typically handles 6–10%.
- • Wick size depends on container diameter; always do a test burn.
- • Add fragrance oil at the recommended temp for your wax (typically 185°F / 85°C for soy).
About Candle Making Calculator
The Candle Making Calculator takes the guesswork out of candle recipes by calculating the exact amounts of wax, fragrance oil, and dye needed for any container size. Enter the container volume (in fluid ounces or milliliters), your desired fragrance load percentage, and dye percentage, and the tool instantly outputs the total wax weight, pure wax weight (after subtracting fragrance and dye), fragrance oil weight, dye weight, and a recommended wick size — all calibrated for real candle making.
The calculator uses a wax density factor of 0.86 to convert fluid volume to mass, which reflects the typical density of common candle waxes such as soy wax (density ~0.88), paraffin (density ~0.86), and coconut wax (density ~0.85). Fragrance load is expressed as a percentage of total wax weight — industry standard for soy wax is 6–10%, with a maximum of about 12% before the fragrance begins to pool. Dye is similarly expressed as a percentage of wax weight, typically 0.1–1% depending on colorant type and desired intensity.
Wick size recommendations are based on the approximate container diameter, which is estimated from the volume input. Small containers (diameter under 2 inches) are assigned ECO-2 or CD-3 wicks; medium (2–3 inches) ECO-6 or CD-8; large (3–4 inches) ECO-10 or CD-12; extra-large or wide containers ECO-14 or CD-18, or double wick. These are starting points — always conduct a test burn to finalize wick selection. All calculations run entirely in your browser with no data sent to any server.
Key Features
- Total wax weight calculated using 0.86 density factor to convert volume to mass
- Pure wax weight shown separately after deducting fragrance oil and dye portions
- Fragrance oil weight based on user-defined fragrance load percentage (typical 6–10%)
- Dye weight based on user-defined dye percentage (typical 0.1–1%)
- Wick size recommendation (ECO and CD series) based on estimated container diameter
- Supports both fluid ounces (oz) and milliliters (ml) for international use
- Practical tips panel covering fragrance load limits, burn testing, and pour temperature
- Real-time results with bilingual Korean/English interface and dark mode support
Frequently Asked Questions
How is wax weight calculated from container volume?
The calculator multiplies the container volume by a density factor of 0.86 to convert fluid volume to mass. This approximates the density of common candle waxes (soy, paraffin, coconut). For example, an 8 oz container yields approximately 6.88 oz of wax by weight.
What is fragrance load and what percentage should I use?
Fragrance load is the percentage of fragrance oil relative to total wax weight. For soy wax, the typical range is 6–10%. Going above 10–12% risks fragrance pooling, tunneling, or soot. Start at 8% and adjust based on test burn results.
How much dye should I use?
Dye is typically 0.1–1% of wax weight depending on the colorant type and the desired color intensity. Liquid dyes are usually used at 0.1–0.3%, while dye blocks or chips may require 0.5–1%. Start low and increase until you reach the desired shade in a test batch.
How is wick size determined?
Wick size is estimated from the approximate container diameter, which the calculator derives from the volume input. The diameter thresholds used are: under 2 inches → small wick (ECO-2/CD-3), 2–3 inches → medium (ECO-6/CD-8), 3–4 inches → large (ECO-10/CD-12), over 4 inches → extra-large or double wick. Always conduct a test burn to verify.
What is the difference between total wax and pure wax?
Total wax is the overall weight of wax material needed to fill the container (volume × 0.86). Pure wax is total wax minus the fragrance oil and dye portions. When you purchase wax, buy the total wax amount; the pure wax figure tells you how much actual wax (without additives) goes into the candle.
Can I use this for beeswax or gel candles?
The default density factor of 0.86 is calibrated for soy, paraffin, and coconut wax. Beeswax has a higher density (~0.96), so this calculator will slightly underestimate the needed amount. Gel wax has a different density too. Use the results as a starting estimate and adjust for your specific wax type.
Why should I always do a test burn?
Wick performance depends on container shape, wax type, fragrance oil chemistry, dye concentration, and ambient temperature — factors this calculator cannot fully account for. A test burn (burn the candle for 3–4 hours, check for a full melt pool and clean flame) is the only reliable way to confirm the correct wick size.
What temperature should I add fragrance oil?
For soy wax, add fragrance oil when the wax has cooled to around 85°C (185°F) after melting. Adding fragrance oil too hot (above 90°C) can cause it to flash off and lose scent throw. Adding it too cool (below 75°C) may cause poor binding and fragrance separation.