This guide has everything you need to know about how to use an acrylic candle mold: a full tutorial plus tips on the best type of wax to use in molds, where to buy them, and how to prevent your candles from getting stuck in them. If you’re a visual learner, you can skip to the YouTube video I filmed of this process! If you want to know how to use a soft silicone candle mold (instead of these hard acrylic candle molds), I wrote a separate guide to silicone candle molds here.
How to Use a Candle Mold: Tools & Ingredients
Candle Mold: I made these candles using this acrylic mold. It makes a ribbed candle with a cool architectural shape. It’s 3 inches tall and about 2.7 inches wide at the base.
Ingredients
Candle Wax: Use paraffin wax, beeswax, or a pillar wax blend. I needed about 7 ounces of wax for this mold and I used a blend of beeswax and soy wax.
Candle Wick: Pick a size appropriate for the diameter of the mold. This candle is tricky because the top level is 2 inches wide and the bottom level is 2.7 inches wide. I used a size 1/0 cotton wick (made for candles that are up to 2 inches in diameter). I didn’t want to over-wick the top of the candle by selecting a larger size.
Dye: You can either use wax dye chips or liquid dye.
Stearic Acid (OPTIONAL): Stearic acid is an additive I use in most of my candles. It helps to make the color more opaque and improves burn time. You do not need this, but if you choose to add it – I add 10% of the candle weight (so for this 7 ounce blend, I used 0.7 ounces of stearic acid).
Tools & Miscellaneous Items
Heat Gun: I always use a heat gun to pre-heat acrylic molds before I pour. While you don’t technically need to use a heat gun, I highly recommend it. It is the candle making tool that I use the most.
Mold Release Spray: Mold release spray is ESSENTIAL for any candle that is made using a hard mold. If you don’t want the candle to get stuck, spray this on the inside of the mold before you pour.
Sticky Tack / Putty: After you wick the candle, you’ll need to plug the hole with putty so that the wax doesn’t leak out of the mold while you’re waiting for the candle to cure.
How to Use a Candle Mold: Step-by-Step Tutorial
Here’s how I make candles using a candle mold:
1. SPRAY THE MOLD: Spray the inside of the mold with mold release spray to prevent the candle from getting stuck later. I spray 2-3 times. If you don’t have mold release spray, you can use cooking oil spray (like olive oil or coconut oil spray).
2. WICK THE MOLD: First, thread your wick through the hole in the mold. Next, you’ll need to plug the hole with putty so that the melted wax doesn’t leak out while you’re pouring. Then, flip the mold over and use a wick bar to center the wick.
2. MELT THE WAX: Put your preferred wax blend into a melting pitcher or wax melter and heat until the wax reaches its melting point. I heated my beeswax/soy wax blend until the temperature reached 185 degrees Fahrenheit. Melting point does vary by wax type so make sure to read the packaging to get the correct numbers for your candle.
3. ADD COLOR / SCENT (OPTIONAL): I don’t scent my molded candles, but sometimes I add dye. Once you thoroughly mix the scent and/or dye into the wax, remove it from the heat.
4. PRE-HEAT THE MOLD: You should never pour the wax right away because if you pour piping hot wax, you’ll get sink holes on the surface of the candle. I wait for my wax to cool down to between 155-160 degrees Fahrenheit before I pour. While I wait, I use my heat gun to pre-heat the candle container. Just turn it on and point it at the mold. Move it around to warm up the whole container.
This may seem like an unnecessary step but trust me, it makes a better candle. You don’t want to shock the candle wax by moving it from a hot melting pitcher into a much cooler container. The slower your wax cools down, the better. This is why you should (a) wait for the wax to cool slightly before pouring and (b) pre-heat the container. Some candle makers pre-heat by popping their molds into the oven on low heat. I don’t make candles in my kitchen so that’s why I use a heat gun.
5. POUR THE WAX: Once your wax has cooled down to between 155-160 degrees Fahrenheit, it’s time to pour. Pour slowly until you fill the mold completely.
6. WAIT: After you fill the candle mold, wait for at least 12 hours before you de-mold the candle. I like to wait 24+ hours because I want to give the candle as long as possible to cure before I touch it. Impatience leads to broken candles!
7. DE-MOLD THE CANDLE: Remove the wick bar then flip the mold over and remove the putty. Shake the mold up and down until the candle comes out. I like to de-mold into my hand so that the candle doesn’t hit a hard surface. You want to be gentle with this step so that you don’t break your candle! PRO TIP: If your candle gets stuck, pop it in the freezer for several hours. The cold will cause the wax to contract away from the walls of the mold. This makes it much easier to remove.
8. CUT THE WICK AT THE BOTTOM OF THE CANDLE: Cut the wick at the bottom of the candle as close to the wax as possible so that it will lay flat.
9. TRIM THE WICK AT THE TOP OF THE CANDLE: This is the final step. After you trim the wick to about 1/4 inch above the wax level, you’re ready to enjoy your candle!
How to Use a Candle Mold: Video Tutorial!
I’ve also filmed a candle mold video tutorial for YouTube. You can watch it here:
Best Type of Wax to Use in Acrylic Candle Molds
For molded candles, you should use one of the harder wax types. There are 2 reasons for this.
- You’ll have to de-mold these candles and that process can be a little bit rough. You want a candle made of wax that can withstand the de-molding process without breaking, chipping, or becoming deformed.
- These candles also have to stand up on their own while they burn. If you make a taper candle or a pillar candle with 100% soy wax, it may collapse in on itself at some point.
With that in mind, here are the best wax types to use for candle molds:
- Paraffin Wax: Paraffin wax is a great option for molded candles. It gets bonus points for being one of the more affordable wax types.
- Beeswax: I think that beeswax is a little more difficult to work with than paraffin, but it is also a good option for molded candles because it is one of the harder wax types.
- Pillar Wax Blends: Most candle supply companies sell blends that are specifically made to be used with molded candles. Blends like this paraffin/soy option are good because the paraffin gives it the hardness it needs to be suitable for molds and the soy gives it a creamier look. You get the best of both worlds.
I do not recommend using a softer wax like soy unless it is blended with something else. For most of my molded candles, I use a 70/30 ratio of a harder wax and a softer wax. It’s usually either 70% paraffin + 30% soy or 70% beeswax + 30% soy. Again, you can just buy a pillar wax blend so you don’t have to measure out different wax types like I do.
Where to Buy Acrylic Candle Molds
You can find acrylic candle molds on:
- Etsy: Etsy is my favorite place to buy silicone candle molds because there is so much variety.
- Amazon: Amazon has a decent selection of molds, but the quality can be hit or miss so read the reviews! I have received a few molds that were misshapen (either because they weren’t packaged well or because they weren’t made well).
- Boowan Nicole: Boowan Nicole doesn’t have acrylic candle molds, but they do have a ton of silicone candle molds. This is where I got one of my favorite molds of all time – the asparagus candle mold! If you’re looking for unique molds, I highly recommend checking them out.
- Makesy: Makesy also only sells silicone candle molds and they only had a few options the last time I checked. I hope they expand their selection.
- Other Retailers like Temu, Alibaba, etc: I personally don’t shop on Temu or Alibaba, but they do offer candle molds. Just keep in mind that shipping times are generally very long if you are also in the U.S. like me.
Hard Acrylic Candle Molds versus Silicone Candle Molds
As you’re shopping for molds, you’ll also find flexible silicone candle molds like these:
I think that the flexible silicone candle molds are easier to use, but the hard acrylic candle molds are better at consistently creating candles with a good shape. Flexible molds can get warped and lead to candles that aren’t level on the bottom or that are slightly misshapen.
I think that the acrylic candle molds are less suitable for beginners, but they’re not super complicated. They just involve more prep work. The extra steps I take when using an acrylic candle mold include:
(1) spraying the inside of the mold to prevent stuck candles,
(2) plugging up the wick hole to prevent candle wax from leaking, and
(3) pre-heating the candle container to prevent sinkholes and stuck candles.
Technically, steps 1 and 3 are optional, but they help to prevent candles from getting stuck so I always do them. I do not have to worry about any of these steps with a soft silicone candle mold so I can make candles much faster.
