How to make pillar candles for your fall and winter tablescape

Up your candle game with sophisticated free-standing molded pillar candles!

If you’re like me, when you started making candles, you started with container candles. So easy! Well, from there it can be a little intimidating to try something new, but I’m here to assure you that pillar candles are just about as easy to make as container candles. And, while container candles are lovely, pillar candles can really make an impact in your decor and, especially, your fall and winter tablescapes.

My blogging partner, Jill, and I recently threw a fall themed dinner party, and I made these pillar candles for the table decor. Don’t they look fancy and expensive? While any candle will require materials, patience, and a bit of skill, pillar candles are definitely something you can learn to make. And I’m going to show you how!

Yellow and red pillar candles on a fall tablescape with mums and flower pots

Hero image above

Graphic that says "Total cost: $6-$88, Time to make: 2+ hours. Skill level: Medium.

* $6 is the cost per candle if you already have a mold and the cost of wax per candle. $88 is the start up cost if you have to buy everything in the quantities listed below (minus basic candlemaking equipment), which will leave enough wax and wick for many, many more candles. If you plan on making a large batch, be sure to purchase enough fragrance oil and color blocks for the amount you make.

Materials list
Step 1: Prep your pillar candle molds
Step 2: Prepare your pillar candle wax
Step 3: Calculate your fragrance oil
Step 4: Prepare your wax color blocks
Step 5: Add the fragrance oil and color blocks
Step 6: Pour the wax into the molds
Step 7: Fill in sinkholes in the wax
Step 8: Remove the pillar candle mold and trim the wick
Using your pillar candles

Materials list

IGI 6028 Paraffin/Soy Pillar Blend Wax or beeswax, or a different wax blend specifically for pillar candles. I make my batches in 1 pound wax increments, which makes 2-3 candles depending on the size of the mold. This wax comes in the smallest quantity of 10 pounds. ($33.26 +shipping ($26 to get to Maine) for a 10 pound slab, which will make 20+ candles)
Pillar candle molds. I used a striped cone mold and a striped cylinder mold (approximately $10 each)
I ounce of fall themed fragrance oil. I used pumpkin souflee from CandleScience. (Cost $2.92). You’ll need 1 ounce of fragrance oil per 1 pound of wax (6% fragrance load – do NOT go higher with this wax)
Orange, red, or yellow wax dye blocks. ($1.07 for one dye block). You’ll only need 1/4 of a block per pound of wax.
LX series wick on a spool. (I used LX 20 for molds that were about 2 inches wide) ($12.37 for a 300 foot spool, which will make, oh, about 300 candles). You’ll need about 10-12 inches of wick per candle, depending on the height of the candle. Take the height of your candle and add about 4 inches.
Duck tape ($5.99)
Wooden skewers
Mold release spray or cooking spray (optional)
Basic candlemaking supplies, such as a pot and double boiler and a wax pitcher, spoons for stirring

Step 1: Prep your pillar candle molds

When I make pillar candles, the first thing I do is prep my molds. This is how you do it:

You’ll need your candle molds (I have a cylinder and a cone), wick on a spool, Duck Tape, Scotch Tape, and scissors.

Wick your candle. Cut a piece of wick 4 inches longer than the height of your mold. Put the wick through the small hole at the bottom of the mold (which will actually be the top of your candle. Some molds make this easy, some do not. Generally, you can wrap the end in a piece of tape, such as Scotch tape or even Duck tape to make a firm and somewhat pointy end that is easier to thread through the hole. Another technique that works for me, particularly for the cone shaped mold is to patiently poke the wick in with a wooden skewer. At a certain point, you can reach inside and grab the wick. Just be patient, you’ll get it!

Scotch tape wrapped around wick. — Wrap a small piece of Scotch Tape around the wick to create a sturdy, pointy end that will thread easily through the mold wick hole.

Wick threading through pillar candle mold wick hole — Thread your wick through the hold in the mold.

2. Position the wick so there is about an inch of wick sticking out of the bottom hole and 3 inches on the wide end of the mold. Now, you need to create a seal on the bottom of the mold. There are a few ways to do this, but I use Duck tape. The molds I use have bases, so I can’t use too much Duck dape or they won’t fit back into the base. So I take a square piece of tape about 1 inch wide and carefully cover the hole with the wick in it. Just lay the wick as flat as you can, and then press down firmly with the tape, making sure there are no air holes. Then carefully put your mold into the base (if it has one).

Duck tape holding wick in place and creating a seal — Place a few pieces of Duck Tape over the wick. Remove any air holes and make sure it’s secure. This will keep wax from pouring out the bottom of the mold.

Duck Tape wrapped around tip of cone mold — For the cone mold, wrap the tape around the wick, but don’t use too much or you won’t be able to fit the mold back into the stand.

3. Now you need to secure the wick on the wider end (which will be the bottom of your pillar candle). There are tools you can use for this, but I’ve found the easiest thing is to use a long wooden skewer and rest that on top of the mold. Then tie the wick to the skewer, making sure it’s taut. Once the candle is set, you’ll trim the wick off this end to create flat bottom.

skewer on mold — Tie the wick around a wooden skewer and pull it tight.

Optional: You can spray the inside of your mold with a mold release spray or a cooking spray like Pam. However, I’ve found with this wax, it’s not really necessary. I’ve had no trouble getting candles out of the mold even without this step.

Step 2: Prepare your pillar candle wax

Now that your mold is ready, it’s time to prepare your wax.

This wax comes in slabs, which was new to me, as I’m used to working with pastilles or pellets. Here’s the trick I’ve found to most easily break the wax up. Put the slab on a counter or table and lay it so about 6 inches of the slab is hanging over the edge of the counter. Position a clean trash bag or something else on the floor to catch the wax. Then use a hammer or a sledge hammer and just whack it. You have to hit it pretty hard, and don’t worry if you smush the wax a bit. This will break it up into chunks that you can then weigh and add to your wax pitcher.

Wax with edge over a countertop and a hammer striking the wax. — This type of wax comes in a slab. Position it over a countertop and use a hammer to smash pieces off of it until you have the right amount.

I like to work in 1 pound batches, which usually gets me 2 candles worth. When you buy your mold, the instructions should tell you how much wax is needed to fill it. Then you can measure accordingly. If not, just experiment. So, using a digital scale, measure out 1 pound of wax (16 ounces) in your pitcher. Then, add about 2 inches of water to a saucepan and put it on the burner to heat up. Then place your pitcher into the water.

Wax pitcher in double boiler on stove top — Always melt wax in a double boiler, so hot water is heating the wax.

Step 3: Calculate your fragrance oil

Candlescience White Birch fragrance oil label — This is the best “balsam” scent I have found. It smells just like Christmas trees!

Add your fragrance oil and color block. If you don’t want fragrance, don’t add the fragrance oil. If you’d like a white candle, don’t add the color block. Note on the fragrance oil: If you’re used to using a 100% soy wax, you may be tempted to go heavier on the fragrance oil than I suggest. Don’t do it! Since this wax has paraffin in it, it holds the fragrance much better. I get a strong cold throw and hot throw with a 6% fragrance load (1 ounce of fragrance oil per 1 pound of wax). So that should be the maximum you use (you could, however, use less than that amount if you’d like a more subtle fragrance).

Here’s the math: 16 ounces (1 pound) * 6% (0.06) = 0.96, which can be rounded up to 1

So for 1 pound of wax, use 1 ounce of fragrance oil (or less), which is convenient since fragrance oil is sold in 1 ounce containers.

Step 4: Prepare your wax color blocks

Wax dye chips — For this particular wax, use 1/2 of half a block of wax dye chips.

These dye blocks come in blocks that have 2 squares. For 1 pound of this particular wax, you want to cut them in half at the “perforation,” then cut them in half again (I cut them diagonally). So 1/4 block per 1 pound of wax. Once you’ve done that, set it aside.)

There are other types of dyes, such as liquid dyes. Whatever dye you use, follow the instructions for paraffin wax.

Step 5: Add the fragrance oil and color blocks

When the wax is completely melted, put a digital thermometer into the wax to check the temperature. If you don’t have a thermometer, it’s not a huge deal with this wax. Ideally, you’ll want the temperature to be 185 degrees Fahrenheit (85 degrees Celsius). Once it reaches that temperature, take it off the heat and add your measured fragrance oil and color block. Stir until the color block is compeletely dissolved and incorporated into the wax, about two minutes.

Step 6: Pour the wax into the molds

Once everything is stirred in, you’re ready to pour the wax into the molds. The ideal temperature to pour is 180 degrees Fahrenheit (82 degrees Celsius). If it’s way below below that, put it back into the hot water to bring the temp up.

Carefully pour the wax into the prepared molds, leaving a small space (about 1/4 inch) at the top of the molds, and saving enough wax in your pitcher to top them off later. You’ll need to let them set for several hours and then fill in any sinkholes.

Wax in mold, leaving a space at the top. — Save a little bit of wax and leave a 1/4 ” space at the top of the mold so you can fill in sinkholes in the next step.

Step 7: Fill in sinkholes in the wax

After about 6 hours, it’s time to fill in sinkholes. These are holes created by air pockets, but they’re no big deal. First, take a wooden skewer and poke a few holes into the wax in the molds. Don’t go all the way to the bottom, but about 2/3 of the way down. Four holes is plenty.

Hardened candle in mold, with a wooden skewer making a hole. — Poke 4 holes in the candle, not going all the way to the bottom.

Then, reheat your wax in the water bath until it’s melted. Then, carefully top off all of your molds so the wax is smooth and level at the top of the mold.

Top of candle in mold filled with fresh wax — Reheat the leftover wax and fill the mold up to the top (or however tall you’re filling it).

Step 8: Remove the pillar candle mold and trim the wick

The final step is to remove the mold. First, remove the duck tape from the bottom of the mold. Then, gently push on one end to remove the candle from the mold. If it’s a two-sided mold and it gets stuck halfway, try the other direction. If it’s really stuck, put it in the freezer for an hour and then try again.

Removing the candle from the mold. — Remove the Duck Tape and gently push the candle out of the mold.

Once out of the mold, trim the wick flush with the bottom of the candle. Trim the wick at the top to a 1/2 inch.

Trimming the wick — Trim the wick fully off the bottom of the candle, and leave a 1/4 inch wick on the top.

If the bottom of your candle is not completely smooth and flat, you can either hit it with a butane torch to remelt the wax a little. Another technique is to lay the candle bottom on a sheet of parchment paper and then lay the parchment on a hotplate. Gently move the candle around on the hot surface until it’s smooth and flat. Note: Some wax may seep through the parchment paper, so use several sheets of it.

Using your pillar candles

Most pillars burn pretty cleanly and don’t leave a gloppy mess, but depending on the shape, you should be prepared for some wax runoff. Put your pillar candle onto a heat proof surface like a candle holder or ceramic coaster. Never leave the candle unattended, and blow it out at night.

Pillar candles look great en masse. I love to arrange several pillar candles of various sizes, colors, and scents to create a cozy atmosphere.

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