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Wax Formulas For Floating Candles

By Bob Sherman

Wax formulas or recipes as they are sometimes called can be quite confusing to beginners. In this article I will explain various ingredients and offer wax formulas I have had success with for making floating candles.

PLEASE NOTE!! - Candle making can be dangerous if proper safety procedures are not followed. Please read these Safety Rules before attempting any candle making projects.

This article assumes basic candle making skills. If you are new to candle making, my Introduction To Candle Making Online Course is free and will show you all the basics for working with wax safely.

Why Floating Candles?

There are several reasons for the popularity of floaters:

Appearance - The juxtaposition of fire and water is beautiful. Even plain water can provide reflections of the flickering flames, but the addition of interesting bowls, flower petals on the water, and other decorative elements can provide a stunning display. Very large floaters are sometimes used in ponds or pools for outdoor events as well - although some form of anchoring system should be devised if there is any overhang or foliage nearby.
Safety - Anything that has an open flame includes some element of danger including candles, fireplaces, campfires, torches, and so forth. However when used properly, no other candle type is as safe as a floating candle. Water is about as non flammable as you can get and the combination of a non flammable bowl with water provides a lot of isolation for the flame. Additionally floating candles will usually be put out by the water if the bowl is knocked over - but not always so do not rely on this in case of mishap and make sure the candles are out.
Due to this increased safety factor, some municipalities have passed laws banning other candle types at large banquets, but this will vary depending where you live.

NOTE! - Just because floating candles are safer, that does not mean they are 100% safe. As with any form of open flame all usual safety precautions should be observed.

All Candles Float!

The term floating candles is somewhat of a misnomer since all candles float. Being an oil based product, wax is lighter than water therefore it floats. Even though all candles float, that does not mean that all candles are what are commonly called floaters or floating candles.

What Is A Floating Candle?

In the broadest terms, any candle that floats upright may be considered to be a floating candle. This has nothing to do with style, color, scent, mold type, designs / patterns, and really the only factor is the overall shape.

Rule One - In order to float upright, the candle must be wider than it is tall.
Rule Two - The wider the diameter in relation to the height, the more stable the candle will be in the water. For example a: floater 6 inches in diameter and 1 inch high will be more stable than a floater 2 inches in diameter by 1 inch high.

What Makes A Good Floating Candle?

Generally a well made floating candle contains a fairly hard wax formula and has a wick suitable for that formula / candle diameter combination. This will provide a candle that has:

Stable in the water.
Long Burn time.
Water pressure will not cave in the sides prematurely.
The wick will not protrude from the bottom - this will often cause premature failure by wicking water into the candle.
Sag resistance - will not sag from the heat in normal room temperature ranges.
Maximum possible scent throw (if scented) - note that since floaters are made with a harder wax and have a smaller melt pool, they cannot throw scent as well as most other candle types.
Minimum carbon buildup on wick - floaters are normally made with cored wicks. A properly sized wick will have minimal carbon buildup (mushrooming) when burned.

Paraffin Wax

The main ingredient. Paraffin wax is a complex molecule that is created at oil refineries by fractional distillation. The general assumption is that wax is wax, however the reality is that no two waxes are identical and they even vary slightly from one batch to the next from the same manufacturer.

Although on the surface that last statement does not seem too significant, the implications have an enormous bearing on your candle making:

Any published wax formula (including mine) may need to be adjusted unless you are using the exact same wax and other ingredients.
As far as we are concerned, Melt Point is just a simplified way of comparing waxes - however two waxes with the same melt point may have radically different properties that affect the finished candle.

The most important factor with wax is to find one that works well for you and stick with it. Every time you change waxes, you will need to test your formulas and wick sizes.

Scent

If you are making scented candles, scent oil will affect your wax formula and usually the wick size needed as well. Scent oil will make the wax slightly softer and lower the viscosity (thickness) of the melted wax. The main implication of this is that you may need a different wick size for scented and unscented candles made with the same wax formula.

Some important things to know about scent oils:

As mentioned previously, any published wax formula (including mine) may need to be adjusted unless you are using the exact same scent oil and other ingredients.
There are virtually no standards - scent oils from different sources will have different properties.
Most wax formulas have a maximum carrying capacity of 1 ounce scent oil per pound of wax (with some formulas it is less). because of this always use a high quality oil for the best scent throw. You cannot just double up on a cheap low quality oil.
Avoid potpourri oils - these usually contain glycol which is not oil soluble and will make a slimy, oily mess of your molds and equipment. Some cheap "candle scents" contain glycol as well.
If you make both scented and unscented candles, the use of carrier oil in unscented candles will allow the use of the same wick size for both which helps simplify things.
Most scent oils have a tint - avoid using these if a white candle is desired.

Colorants

Floating candles should always be colored with candle dyes. Pigments or crayons are for external use only and should never be used to color the core wax as it will cause wick clogging leading to a poorly burning candle.

Wick

Floating candles are typically made with cored wick since it simplifies the process of making them with most molds. See my Wick Selection Guide for information about choosing the correct wick.

Floater Wax Formula #1
This Vybar based formula is my favorite floating candle formula and I highly recommend it. It works very well with both scented and unscented candles, and is very economical compared to stearic based formulas. This will also provide a bright white candle if you leave out the dye. Vybar based formulas will hold the maximum amount of scent and will inhibit oil mottling (snowflakes).

1 pound of 140 melt point paraffin wax
Vybar 103 - 1 1/2 to 2 level teaspoons
Scent Oil - 1 ounce per pound of wax
Color - dye block or flake to desired color

Note: Vybar based formulas are more opaque and require slightly more dye to attain the same depth of color.

Floater Wax Formula #2
This Stearic based formula is what I used before Vybar was widely available. It is rather old fashioned and dates back to when I started making candles in the 1970s. Stearic is more expensive to use, however it is slightly easier to obtain - especially outside the U.S. Stearic based formulas will not hold as much scent oil and will not retain their scent as well as Vybar based formulas. Stearic based formulas are less opaque, and do not inhibit oil mottling (snowflakes).

1 pound of 140 melt point paraffin wax
Stearic Acid - 6 level Tablespoons
Scent Oil - 1 ounce or less per pound of wax - the actual maximum amount that can be used will vary depending on your wax
Color - dye block or flake to desired color

Stearic based formulas are inferior in nearly every way to Vybar based formulas. The one exception is if you are intentionally making mottled candles because Vybar will inhibit the mottling reaction.

Display

I am far better at making candles than I am at displaying them but here are some tips:

Avoid any bowls that curve in on top to overhang the water - the flame can and will crack the glass.
Avoid any overhanging flammable materials.
Avoid free floating candles in pools or ponds that have any overhang or other flammable material. To use floater in that case requires devising an anchoring system.
For maximum stability a width to height ration of 3 to 1 or greater is recommended. Candles with smaller ratios will have a tendency to flood if the display is bumped.
Pedestal fruit bowls make a nice display and allow placement of floral materials below the bowl level.
Clear bowls may be enhanced with the addition of marbles, gravel, sand, etc.
Float fresh flower petals on the water surface between candles - do not use dried or silk flowers as these are more flammable.
Several smaller floaters per bowl is more striking than one large floater.

Candle Making Supplies

The following candle making supplies are what I use to make pillar candles. Clicking on the item name will bring you to that item's page with a full description and ordering information.

140 Melt Point Paraffin Wax

Additives (Vybar, Stearic)

Melting / Pouring Pot

Thermometer

Disclaimer: The information presented here is accurate to the best of my knowledge and common candle making practices as of the time of this writing - June 2007. The author and the publisher accept no liability for the use or misuse of any of the information presented in this article. This article is presented for informational purposes and is used at your own risk.

Author: Bob Sherman

Publisher: Bobby's Craft Boutique Inc.

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