How To Make Taper Candles

I make candles in all kinds of interesting shapes, but tapers are my favorite. I can’t believe it’s taken me this long to create a taper candle tutorial, but today’s the day. This guide focuses on how to make taper candles with a mold. I’ll cover mold recommendations, the best type of wax to use, and a step-by-step guide to measuring, melting, pouring, and releasing a perfectly formed taper candle from the mold.

If you already have a mold picked out and all of your supplies on hand, you can skip to the candle making steps here.

Taper Candle Molds

Before you get started, you’ll need to choose a candle mold. Most taper molds are made out of a hard material (acrylic or metal) rather than a flexible material (silicone). Today I’m using a hard acrylic candle mold to make this taper candle, but if you are using a flexible silicone mold, you should check out my guide to silicone mold candle making.

Best Silicone Taper Candle Molds

In my pillar candle tutorial, I mentioned that I think silicone molds are easier to use. They require less prep to get started. Plus, the candle is less likely to get stuck. If you want to go the flexible mold route, here are a few of my favorite options:

Best Acrylic Taper Candle Molds

I think acrylic molds are “harder” to use because there are a few extra steps that you should take to prepare the mold if you want to get good results. Those steps are: (1) spraying the inside of the mold with mold release spray, (2) plugging the hole in the bottom of the mold with putty to prevent the wax from leaking out, and (3) pre-heating the mold before pouring the wax. You can skip all three of these steps if you are using a silicone mold.

How Much Wax to Use In a Taper Candle Mold

Here’s an easy trick to help you figure out exactly how much wax to use in any candle mold:

1. Use putty to plug the hole at the bottom of the mold (because you will be filling it with water).
2. Turn on a digital scale and place the mold on top, then tare the scale. Taring the scale just means setting the value to 0 so that when you add water in the next step, you’re only measuring the weight of the water by itself, not the water and the mold.
3. Fill the mold with water.
4. Multiply the water weight times 0.86 to get the wax weight.

Wax is about 86% of water’s weight so the formula for converting water weight to wax weight is: Water Weight x 0.86 = Wax Weight. The taper mold I’m using today holds 2.1 ounces of water so I will need to use 1.8 ounces of wax to fill the mold completely. I always round up to account for spills so I’m going to use 2 ounces of wax. 

Best Type of Wax For a Taper Mold

For molded candles, you should use one of the harder wax types: paraffin wax, beeswax, or a pillar wax blend. You can also create your own blend like I’m doing today. I used 70% paraffin wax and 30% soy wax.

While you can technically use any wax type, I do not recommend using softer wax types like soy or coconut for molded candles (unless you add a harder wax). The de-molding process can be a bit rough and soy wax is not very durable. A 100% soy wax candle is more likely to break, chip, or become deformed while you’re pulling it out of the mold.

An extra ingredient that you can add to the wax to improve your candle is stearic acid. It’s optional, but I recommend it because it helps to harden the wax and improve the color. I usually add about 10% of the total weight (including all ingredients, wax and stearic acid).

Here is the taper candle recipe I’m using today:

• 1.5 ounces of paraffin wax
• 0.5 ounces of soy wax
• 0.2 ounces of stearic acid (which comes out to 9% of the total 2.2 ounce weight)
• 2 drops of candle dye

Everything You Need to Make a Taper Candle

To make this candle, you will need:

Tools

• Candle Mold to shape the candle. This is the taper candle mold I used. 
• Putty to plug the hole in the mold so that the melted wax does not leak.
• Wick Bar to center the wick.
• Scissors to trim the wick.
• Wax Melter or Double Boiler to melt the wax. I’m using a double boiler. If you want to use the double boiler method, here’show to set it up.
• Thermometer to monitor wax temperature.

Ingredients

• Candle Wax: I recommend using a pillar wax blend or a paraffin/soy wax blend. I created my own blend (50% of this paraffin wax + 50% of this soy wax).
• Candle Wick: The wick sizes will depend on the diameter of the candle. I recommend keeping a range of wick sizes on hand for different molds. I used a size #6/0 wick for this taper candle (which is about 1 inch in diameter at the widest part of the candle).

Optional Items

• Mold Release Spray to prevent the candle from getting stuck in the mold.
• Fragrance Oil to scent the candle.
• Candle Dye to add color. I use Liquid Dye for intense/vibrant colors or Wax Dye Chips for lighter/pastel colors.
• Stearic Acid to improve the opacity of the candle and to harden the candle.
• Heat Gun to smooth out the bottom of the candle.

How to Make a Taper Candle

Okay, let’s get to the fun part!

Wick the Candle Mold

1. Spray the inside of the mold with mold release spray (or a coconut oil cooking spray) before you get started. Don’t skip this step. It prevents the candle from getting stuck! 
2. Cut a length of candle wick that is slightly longer than the length of the candle mold.
3. Thread the candle wick through the hole at the base of the mold and pull it all the way through.
4. Use a little bit of putty to plug the hole in the base of the mold so that the melted wax does not leak out during the pouring process.
5. Flip the candle mold over so that the opening faces up and then center the wick with a wick bar.

I’m using: a size #6/0 wick for this candle mold (which is about 1 inch in diameter at the base of the candle).

Measure the Ingredients

1. Determine how much wax to use with the water to wax conversion trick.
2. Measure out the correct amount of wax and any candle additives like stearic acid.
3. Add to a melting pitcher or a wax melter.

I’m using: 1.5 ounces of paraffin wax + 0.5 ounces of soy wax + 0.2 ounce of stearic acid.

Melt the Ingredients

There’s more than one way to melt candle wax. I’m using a double boiler today. If you want an alternative method, check out How to Melt Candle Wax – 3 Ways. Use your preferred melting method to bring the candle wax up to 185 degrees Fahrenheit. 

Add Candle Dye and/or Fragrance Oil

If you want to add scent or color, do it after the melted wax reaches 185 degrees Fahrenheit. Stir thoroughly but slowly so that you don’t introduce any air bubbles. I like to swirl the melting pitcher around a few times before I stir.

It’s hard to see the true color of candle wax while it’s in a melting pitcher so I like to drip some of the wax onto a white piece of paper, wait until it hardens, and then assess the color. If I don’t like the results of this test, I’ll add more dye. This tip has saved me from accidentally making candles in the wrong color!

Pour the Wax into the Candle Mold

After you’re done adding dye/fragrance oil, remove the melted wax from its heat source and let it cool down to its *optimal pouring temperature. 

While you wait for the wax to cool down, pre-heat your mold with a heat gun! This is an optional step, but it helps to prevent the candle from getting stuck in the mold and it helps with sinkholes.

I poured at 155 degrees Fahrenheit. If I pour at 165, I have issues with sinkholes. If I pour at 145, I have issues with jump lines (white lines around the edges of the candle). After trial and error, I get the best results with 155. Candle making is a constant Goldilocks problem. Too hot? Sinkhole. Too cool? Jump lines. The only way to know for sure is to test! If you want to know more about candle making temperatures, you should check out 5 Candle Making Temperature Tips You Need to Know.

*Optimal Pouring Temperature: If you are using a different wax type, your optimal pouring temperature is probably not the same as mine. I wish I could tell you the exact right temperature for your wax type, but it is going to require some trial and error (as candle making always does). Start with the manufacturer recommendations for pouring temperature and adjust up or down after you see how your first candle comes out.

De-Mold the Candle

I like to wait at least 6 hours before I de-mold a candle. Usually, I’ll leave it overnight.

1. After the wax has cured, remove the wick bar.
2. Trim the wick so that it is flush with the bottom of the candle.
3. If the bottom of the candle is uneven, use a heat gun to re-melt the wax until it is level. If you have to re-melt, wait a few hours before moving on to the next step.
4. To de-mold: shake the mold up and down until the candle comes free. If it does not come free easily, put the mold in your freezer for at least half an hour. The cold will cause the wax to contract slightly and it should be easier to remove. 
5. Trim the wick and enjoy! 

More Candle Making Resources

If you’re looking for another type of candle to make, check out my DIY Pillar Candle guide. I think pillar candles are easier so if you’re having trouble with tapers, check that out.

And if you found this post helpful, you may also want to check these out:

• 3 Ways to Prevent Candles from Getting Stuck in Molds
• 7 Helpful Tips for Beginner Candle Makers
• How to Melt Candle Wax – 3 Ways
• How Much Candle Wax Do I Need?
• Everything You Need to Start Making Candles Today – The Ultimate Candle Kit for Beginners 
• Where to Buy Candle Making Supplies 
• How Much It Costs to Make Your Own Candles