<p>You did not do anything wrong, except leave a candle burning for hours unattended. Candles melt when burning, and five hours is not a short time in a regular candles life. </p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-05-11T23:07:41.180Z
But that's not the point of the question: the OP is asking for a reason the wax has not evaporated and burned away, but just melted and streamed away.
Joachim
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-05-12T19:44:58.980Z
Where? The question specifically said the candle "burned (or melted) way too quickly"  Nothing about evaporating. I guess it is hinted at in some of the comments, but never stated.
rebusB
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-05-12T21:01:33.813Z
The OP asks "what might be possible causes for this?" after showing the consequences of burning this candle in the image. The "way too quickly" refers to that very same effect of the wax just streaming away (which I think is reason enough to assume it didn't combust properly). Evaporation is part of that process but, indeed, not mentioned by the author.
Joachim
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-05-09T14:21:54.167Z
2020-05-09T14:21:54.167Z
rebusB
<p>Commercial candles normally have a higher melting temperature wax on the outer surface. This retains a pool of low temperature wax to be drawn up the wick by capillary action.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-05-12T02:12:23.360Z
2020-05-12T02:12:23.360Z
blacksmith37
<p>It seems <strong>the wick was to blame</strong>.</p>

<p>Apart from the consistency of the wax, the wick needs to be able to 'guide' enough of the wax towards the flame. If too much wax melts before it can reach the flame to properly combust, the wax will just run off. So my guess is the capillarity of the wick was too low.<br>
You mention a smaller candle, about half the size of the one depicted, was burning properly for 24 hours on a smaller wick, so try increasing the diameter slightly, and see if that works. What's important, I think, is not the size necessarily, but the diameter of the candle that's exposed to the flame.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-05-11T23:17:16.633Z
2020-05-11T23:17:16.633Z
Joachim
<p>So... I'm new to candle making; I got some paraffin (nobody here sells soy wax), molds, stearic acid and other ingredients. Today I was trying the second candle I made; it was not a small candle at all, it was about 6cm x 10cm; I used about 240 grams of wax for it, plus stearate, color and fragrance.</p>

<p>It looked pretty ok, I light it a while ago, left home and when I came back roughly 5 hours later, I found this:</p>

<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/SK37S.jpg" rel="noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/SK37S.jpg" alt="messy melted candle"></a></p>

<p>So, what might be possible causes for this? What did I do wrong? One thing I know for sure I did different from another candle I made a while ago is this time I used a somewhat thicker wick. Could that be the reason? Was that one of many contributing factors?</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-01-05T10:53:28.423Z
You left a candle burning for five hours while you were away?
Joachim
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-01-05T10:56:25.753Z
It does seem like the wick might cause to much wax to heat up a lot more than it needs to keep burning. Otherwise, it must be the consistency of the wax, having too low a melting point.
Joachim
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-01-05T12:26:59.197Z
I have little to no experience with candles but agree with @Joachim, you shouldn't left! However from the pattern and my past experience, I guess the wax was melting inside the candle without enough heat to melt the surrounding but at some point finally the wall can't withstand the heat and melts then there's a flow of wax. (This was what happened to mine).
user174174
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-01-05T14:39:07.613Z
@Joachim it was meant to be a Yahrzeit candle. Could it also have had to do with it not having a proper container?
Gregorio Litenstein
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-01-05T18:21:30.030Z
I doubt it, as a container should not keep a candle together. You write the candle looked 'pretty ok': can you expand on that? Was it already soft to begin with?
Joachim
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-01-05T22:09:19.360Z
Also please provide more details such as room temperature, original candle shape, advertised melting point of the wax, brand of the components (wax, sterate acid, colors and fragrances), wick thickness and material.  Almost any of these can affect burning time.  Is there an unusual amount of soot above or around the candle which might indicate a hotter than normal burn?  If the wax was already harder than your usual finished products, why did you add the acid and how much did you add?
Henry Taylor
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-01-05T22:51:29.373Z
Check out [this link](https://www.researchgate.net/publication/321005243_Influence_of_stearic_acid_on_paraffin_melting_point_and_it's_mechanical_properties) which suggests that stearic acid can adversely affect paraffin melting point in low percentage by weight doses.
Henry Taylor
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-01-05T23:48:28.697Z
@Joachim It was a cylinder; not particularly soft at all, although I did notice some irregularities like some color appeared to have precipitated to the bottom of the mould (not too much but the very top of the candle/bottom of the mould appeared to have some color nor completely mixed).
Gregorio Litenstein
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-01-05T23:48:40.253Z
@HenryTaylor room temp must have been around 27°C, brand no idea since these guys are 99% probably resellers. Wick was braided cotton 2mm. Soot looked like the normal amount one would expect. Material sellers recommend adding 10% stearate by weight, which is what I did.
Gregorio Litenstein
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-01-08T10:30:06.830Z
Leaving a candle unattended in a sensible location and container seems fine to me, but not one from a new batch made to an untested (by you) recipe and wick combination. BTW, how long before lighting it did you make it?  The wax may have still been a little soft if you rushed it
Chris H
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-01-09T11:18:13.353Z
It had a little bit over 24 hours after the last pour before I lit it. Another (smaller, about half the size) candle made with the same recipe (save for coloring and probably it had less scent also), but with a thinner wick burnt for roughly 24 hours with no problem ‍♂️
Gregorio Litenstein
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-02-05T15:07:53.907Z
What kind of colourant did you use? And what did you use to scent it? Apart from structural weakness due to its size, these are apparently the only variables and have likely influenced the consistency.
Joachim
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-03-05T10:33:55.783Z
@Joachim it was powdered color; not entirely sure what kind; mixed a seemingly (not sure if actually) fluorescent yellow with some blue. I'm pretty sure it was the thicker wick that was to blame.
Gregorio Litenstein
<wax><candle-making>
Paraffin candle burnt (or rather melted) WAY too quickly?
Gregorio Litenstein
# Paraffin candle burnt (or rather melted) WAY too quickly?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2019-01-05)

So... I'm new to candle making; I got some paraffin (nobody here sells soy wax), molds, stearic acid and other ingredients. Today I was trying the second candle I made; it was not a small candle at all, it was about 6cm x 10cm; I used about 240 grams of wax for it, plus stearate, color and fragrance.

It looked pretty ok, I light it a while ago, left home and when I came back roughly 5 hours later, I found this:

[![messy melted candle](https://i.sstatic.net/SK37S.jpg)](https://i.sstatic.net/SK37S.jpg)

So, what might be possible causes for this? What did I do wrong? One thing I know for sure I did different from another candle I made a while ago is this time I used a somewhat thicker wick. Could that be the reason? Was that one of many contributing factors?

**Tags:** wax, candle-making

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: You left a candle burning for five hours while you were away?  
> **username_1**: It does seem like the wick might cause to much wax to heat up a lot more than it needs to keep burning. Otherwise, it must be the consistency of the wax, having too low a melting point.  
> **username_2**: I have little to no experience with candles but agree with @username_1, you shouldn't left! However from the pattern and my past experience, I guess the wax was melting inside the candle without enough heat to melt the surrounding but at some point finally the wall can't withstand the heat and melts then there's a flow of wax. (This was what happened to mine).  
> **username_0**: @username_1 it was meant to be a Yahrzeit candle. Could it also have had to do with it not having a proper container?  
> **username_1**: I doubt it, as a container should not keep a candle together. You write the candle looked 'pretty ok': can you expand on that? Was it already soft to begin with?  
> **username_3**: Also please provide more details such as room temperature, original candle shape, advertised melting point of the wax, brand of the components (wax, sterate acid, colors and fragrances), wick thickness and material.  Almost any of these can affect burning time.  Is there an unusual amount of soot above or around the candle which might indicate a hotter than normal burn?  If the wax was already harder than your usual finished products, why did you add the acid and how much did you add?  
> **username_3**: Check out [this link](https://www.researchgate.net/publication/321005243_Influence_of_stearic_acid_on_paraffin_melting_point_and_it's_mechanical_properties) which suggests that stearic acid can adversely affect paraffin melting point in low percentage by weight doses.  
> **username_0**: @username_1 It was a cylinder; not particularly soft at all, although I did notice some irregularities like some color appeared to have precipitated to the bottom of the mould (not too much but the very top of the candle/bottom of the mould appeared to have some color nor completely mixed).  
> **username_0**: @HenryTaylor room temp must have been around 27°C, brand no idea since these guys are 99% probably resellers. Wick was braided cotton 2mm. Soot looked like the normal amount one would expect. Material sellers recommend adding 10% stearate by weight, which is what I did.  
> **username_4**: Leaving a candle unattended in a sensible location and container seems fine to me, but not one from a new batch made to an untested (by you) recipe and wick combination. BTW, how long before lighting it did you make it?  The wax may have still been a little soft if you rushed it  
> **username_0**: It had a little bit over 24 hours after the last pour before I lit it. Another (smaller, about half the size) candle made with the same recipe (save for coloring and probably it had less scent also), but with a thinner wick burnt for roughly 24 hours with no problem ‍♂️  
> **username_1**: What kind of colourant did you use? And what did you use to scent it? Apart from structural weakness due to its size, these are apparently the only variables and have likely influenced the consistency.  
> **username_0**: @username_1 it was powdered color; not entirely sure what kind; mixed a seemingly (not sure if actually) fluorescent yellow with some blue. I'm pretty sure it was the thicker wick that was to blame.  

---

## 3 answers

### Answer by username_5 on 2020-05-09. Score: 1

You did not do anything wrong, except leave a candle burning for hours unattended. Candles melt when burning, and five hours is not a short time in a regular candles life.

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: But that's not the point of the question: the OP is asking for a reason the wax has not evaporated and burned away, but just melted and streamed away.  
> **username_5**: Where? The question specifically said the candle "burned (or melted) way too quickly"  Nothing about evaporating. I guess it is hinted at in some of the comments, but never stated.  
> **username_1**: The OP asks "what might be possible causes for this?" after showing the consequences of burning this candle in the image. The "way too quickly" refers to that very same effect of the wax just streaming away (which I think is reason enough to assume it didn't combust properly). Evaporation is part of that process but, indeed, not mentioned by the author.  

---

### Answer by username_6 on 2020-05-12. Score: 1

Commercial candles normally have a higher melting temperature wax on the outer surface. This retains a pool of low temperature wax to be drawn up the wick by capillary action.


---

### Answer by username_1 on 2020-05-11. Score: 0

It seems **the wick was to blame**.

Apart from the consistency of the wax, the wick needs to be able to 'guide' enough of the wax towards the flame. If too much wax melts before it can reach the flame to properly combust, the wax will just run off. So my guess is the capillarity of the wick was too low.  
You mention a smaller candle, about half the size of the one depicted, was burning properly for 24 hours on a smaller wick, so try increasing the diameter slightly, and see if that works. What's important, I think, is not the size necessarily, but the diameter of the candle that's exposed to the flame.


---

