In candle making, a 'wet spot' refers to an air pocket that occurs as the wax is cooling causing the wax to pull away from the containers edge. Wax expands when it heats up and contracts as it cools. Part of the wax pulls away from the glassware...

In candle making, a &apos;wet spot&apos; refers to an air pocket that occurs as the wax is cooling causing the wax to pull away from the containers edge.&#xA0; Wax expands when it heats up and contracts as it cools.&#xA0; Part of the wax pulls away from the glassware and sticks to the container giving it the look pictured below.
<img alt="download" class="hs-image-align-none" src="https://f.hubspotusercontent10.net/hubfs/8800969/download.png" style="width: 160px;" width="160">&#xA0; &#xA0; &#xA0; &#xA0; &#xA0; &#xA0;<img alt="Capture" class="hs-image-align-none" src="https://f.hubspotusercontent10.net/hubfs/8800969/Capture.png" style="width: 244px;" width="244">&#xA0; &#xA0; &#xA0; &#xA0;<img alt="Capture566" class="hs-image-align-none" src="https://f.hubspotusercontent10.net/hubfs/8800969/Capture566.png" style="width: 143px;" width="143">
Candles usually experience small temperature changes throughout their life cycle. Whenever there is a the temperature change, it increases the likelihood of candle wax pulling away from the jar sides. While the most noticeable volume change happends right after pouring the candle, you may also notice the pulling during the curing, shipping, and even while storing your candle.&#xA0; While wet spots can be visually unappealing, they do not affect the burn performance of a candle. If you find that you have&#xA0; wet spot that needs covering you can always put your label in that spot to cover the wet spot.
&#xA0;Using concentrated heat; with a heat gun, on the wet spots will melt the wax enough to fill in the voided areas and pushes the air to the top of the candle but can end up causing more problems than it solves. It is more common with paraffin wax but can also occur with soy.&#xA0; To help minimize this problem, below are some causes and&#xA0; prevention tips that can help:&#xA0;
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<td style="width: 99.8547%; padding: 4px; height: 36px; border-width: 1px; border-style: solid;">Causes</td>
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<td style="width: 99.8547%; padding-top: 4px; padding-right: 4px; padding-bottom: 4px; height: 75px;">
<ul>
<li>Room temperature is too cold</li>
</ul>
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<td style="width: 99.8547%; padding: 4px; height: 102px; border-width: 1px; border-style: solid;">
<ul>
<li>Candle cools faster in some areas of the jar than others or sets too quickly (usually due to room temperature or temperature of the candle jar)</li>
</ul>
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<td style="width: 99.8547%; padding: 4px; height: 75px; border-width: 1px; border-style: solid;">
<ul>
<li>The candle jar is too dirty</li>
</ul>
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<td style="width: 99.8547%; padding: 4px; height: 75px;">
<ul>
<li>The wrong candle wax is used.&#xA0;</li>
</ul>
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</table>
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<td style="width: 99.8547%; padding: 4px;">Preventative Tips</td>
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<ul>
<li>Wash your glass with mild, soapy water and dry thoroughly before using.</li>
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<td style="width: 99.8547%; padding: 4px; height: 75px;">
<ul>
<li>Make sure the room where the wax is cooling is not too cold. 70-72 degrees F is best.</li>
</ul>
</td>
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<td style="width: 99.8547%; padding: 4px; height: 101px;">
<ul>
<li>Preheat your glassware in a warm oven prior to pouring (100-110 degrees F), this will allow the wax to cool more slowly and give air bubbles time to escape to the surface.</li>
</ul>
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<td style="width: 99.8547%; padding: 4px; height: 35px;">
<ul>
<li>Pour the wax slowly into the container to help prevent air pockets</li>
</ul>
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<td style="width: 99.8547%; padding: 4px; height: 35px;">
<ul>
<li>Tap the glassware gently right after you&apos;ve poured the wax to release any air bubbles.</li>
</ul>
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<ul>
<li>Glass with a uniform thickness will cool more evenly. Jars with thick and thin spots will cool at different rates and can cause the wax to pull away. Pouring the wax at a cooler temperature in pre-heated glass can help reduce that. Adhesion may be best during the cooler months.</li>
</ul>
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<ul>
<li>While cooling your candles place them about 4&quot; apart. Glass containers placed right next to each other will hold heat on the adjacent sides. This causes those sides to cool more slowly than the rest of the jar. Try to cool the entire candle at the same rate.</li>
</ul>
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<ul>
<li>Set the candles on a wire rack rather than on a counter or tabletop. Solid surfaces will pull the heat from the bottom of the jar and can cause the wax to cool too fast so that it shrinks and pulls away from the glass.</li>
</ul>
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<ul>
<li>Try using a softer wax like a paraffin wax blend or select a wax that is known to have great adhesion.</li>
</ul>
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<li>Ship finished candles with ice packs in an insulated chamber.</li>
</ul>
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<li>Use an opaque glass that you cannot see through.&#xA0;</li>
</ul>
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<li>If you have a wet spot you can always cover up that part of your jar with your label</li>
</ul>
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&#xA0;

GASP! Why does my candle have a wet spot?

We tried numerous times to recreate jump lines, however because of our flaming awesomeness, every candle was jump-line-less. So, we had to find a stock photo that best represents jump lines. What are Jump Lines in Candles Jump lines are the...

We tried numerous times to recreate jump lines, however because of our flaming awesomeness, every candle was jump-line-less. So, we had to find a stock photo that best represents jump lines.
What are Jump Lines in Candles
Jump lines are the visible horizontal rings that occur on the sides of your candles. These lines look like ridges and prevent your candle from having a smooth finish. Ideally, to have a perfect candle pour, your candle wax will still be in a complete liquid state once it has been poured into your container/pillar. This is the best shot you can give your candle to completely and uniformly cool naturally, therefore decreasing your chances of getting jump lines. All candle wax has to conform to the sides of the container/pillar mold at the same rate of time. This provides for the smooth finish of a candle.
In candle making when you are pouring the hot wax, it will begin to cool as soon as it hits the jar. As this happens, you will visibly be able to see wax layers materialize. If you do not pour quickly enough, the wax will naturally start to harden and stick to the wall of the container/ pillar mold. Since the temperature of the jar stays consistent, there is no heat source to re-melt the wall portion, therefore showing each line of cooled wax aka jump lines.
How do you prevent jump lines from occurring?
Jump lines can occur for several reasons, the first of which is intentionally. Jump lines can also be created on purpose to give candles a textured look. Since jump lines are an aesthetic thing, they do not have any kind of effect on the candles burn or scent throw.
One of the first things as a preventative measure that you can do is pour your wax at the correct temperature. You can do this by using a&#xA0;<a href="http://www.naturesgardencandles.com/candlemaking-soap-supplies/item/equip-1/-THERMOMETER.html">candy thermometer</a>. You may have to increase your pouring temperature to adjust for jump lines. This is where testing and note taking will come into play. As always, it is of the utmost importance for candle making that your jars and/or pillars are room temperature. The second measure you can take is to heat your jars at the lowest setting on a cookie sheet in the oven for twenty minutes prior to filling them.
Another important factor in combating jump lines is your pouring rate. Obviously, you do not want to pour fast, this will result in wax splashing everywhere. And, adversely, you do not want to pour so slowly that you can actually see the jump lines establishing themselves in the candle. Find your pouring medium. If you are seeking a fool proof way to prevent jump lines from the pouring stage, try counting seconds or singing a lyric of a song. These tricks will help you stay uniform with your pour.
How to correct jump lines?
Although all of the steps mentioned earlier are great ways to prevent jump lines, once they have occurred in your candles you really only have a one option. Using a heat gun or hair dryer to heat the outside of the candle will remelt the outside layer of the wax, this will mask the jump lines from visible view, but once again, jump lines have no direct effect on a candle.

What are Jump Lines in Candles?

There are a couple of different ways to determine a candle's burn time (or burn rate). While either method can be used, we recommend using the first method for more accuracy in approximating a candle's burn time. Please note: For both of the...

There are a couple of different ways to determine a candle&apos;s burn time (or burn rate). While either method can be used, we recommend using the first method for more accuracy in approximating a candle&apos;s burn time.
Please note:&#xA0;For both of the methods mentioned below on estimating a candle&apos;s burn time, we recommend slightly lowering the estimate to account for any remaining wax after the candle has extinguished itself.
Full Burn Test&#xA0;- You can burn the candle in 2 - 3 hour intervals and keep track of how many burns it takes for the candle to completey burn down until it extinguishes itself. For example, if you burned a candle in 2 hour intervals and it took 25 burns to fully burn down, the candle would have an approximate burn time of 50 hours (25 burns * 2 hours each). This method for determining the burn time can be a more lengthy process, but will provide a better estimate of a candle&apos;s burn time. If selling candles, we suggest performing this test on at least 2 candles simultaneously to ensure consistent results.
Partial Burn Test (weight method)&#xA0;- Another method for estimating a candle&apos;s burn time is by doing a partial burn test. To do this, you need to know how much wax was used in the finished candle to calculate the burn time estimate. Next, follow the steps below:
<ol>
<li>Weigh the candle before burning</li>
<li>Burn the candle for approximately 2 - 3 hours (depending on candle diameter)</li>
<li>Once the candle cools, weigh the candle again</li>
<li>Determine the amount of wax used subtracting the weight after burning&#xA0;from the beginning candle weight</li>
<li>Estimate the total number of burns by dividing the total&#xA0;wax weight&#xA0;used in the candle&#xA0;(not the weight of the candle with container) by&#xA0;the amount of wax used from burning the candle</li>
<li>Finally, multiply the estimated total burns by the burn time hours. This will provide an estimate of the candle&apos;s burn time. See the example below.</li>
</ol>
<div>Example (container candle) 
<ul>
<li>Total wax weight = 12 oz.</li>
<li>Beginning candle weight = 28 oz. (1 lb. and 12 oz.)&#xA0;- Step 1 above</li>
<li>Burn candle for 2.5 hours&#xA0;- Step 2 above</li>
<li>Candle weight after burning = 27 oz. (1 lb. and 11 oz.)&#xA0;- Step 3 above</li>
<li>Total wax used = 28 oz. - 27 oz. = 1 oz.&#xA0;- Step 4 above</li>
<li>Estimated burns = 12 oz./1 oz. = 12 burns&#xA0;- Step 5 above</li>
<li>Estimated candle burn time = 12 burns * 2.5 hours = 30 hours&#xA0;- Step 6 above</li>
</ul>
</div>
This example assumes a test burn time for a container candle. If calculating estimated burn times for free standing candles, the same steps will apply, only you will not need to account for the container weight.
While the partial burn test is a quick way to estimate a candle&apos;s burn time, the downfall to using this method is it&apos;s accuracy. Candles can have different burning characteristics as they burn down (i.e. the glass gets hotter) and odd shaped containers can skew the results due to varying widths of the candle.

How Do I Calculate My Candle Burn Rate?

Whenever something is being burned, there will be some amount of smoke. Naturally, when you limit the amount of oxygen, you will see more smoke than when ample oxygen is supplied. However, you can prevent your homemade candles from excessively...

Whenever something is being burned, there will be some amount of smoke. Naturally, when you limit the amount of oxygen, you will see more smoke than when ample oxygen is supplied. However, you can prevent your homemade candles from excessively smoking by making your candles the right way in the first place. There are a few reasons as to why a candle may smoke once lit.
The first check point to examine is whether or not the correct amount of fragrance oil was used in the process. Using more than the recommended amount of fragrance oil per pound of wax may sound like it is a good idea to have extreme scent, but in the end it is only wasteful (and costly), and can cause your candles to smoke. Wax has a fragrance load limit. Since it is a porous object, once each and every pore has been filled, there is no more area for the fragrance to go.
The second reason your candle may be smoking is the wick. Using the proper wick for the diameter size of the candle is the best way to ensure a clean and even burn in the candle. Go here to read a very interesting blog post on the science of candle wicks. A smoking wick will occur if the wick of the candle is too large for the container. To view a wick suggestion chart for your sized candle container. Avoid allowing the debris from wick clippings from entering into your melted wax, and keep your wicks trimmed to 1/4&quot;.
Finally, your colorant may cause your candle to smoke. It is important to know that pigments can clog your wick and can cause increased smoking when burning your candle. That is why only candle dyes should be used to color the interior wax of candles. Never use crayons to color your candles as they contain pigments instead of dyes. When using candle dyes, understand that using alot of candle dye may also cause your candles to smoke more.
How to Solve It!
When it comes to fragrance oil percentage, never use more than the suggested amount of fragrance oil per pound of wax. Remember, using more may result in a candle with a fragrance oil slick that is a fire hazard.
Do your research first. In order to know which wick to use in candle making, you must first know your candle&apos;s diameter. You can figure this out by measuring the bottom of your candle container with a ruler. You will want to measure horizontally across the center. Once you have this information, simply look at the wick suggestion chart and select which kind of wick you need. Keep wick trimmings out of your melted wax, and keep wicks trimmed to 1/4&quot;. Also, avoid burning your candles where there are fans or drafts. This can cause your wick to move around and burn too quickly; potentially smoking more.
In candle making temperature is very important. Many waxes offer a range in temperature for their key steps (melting temperature, scenting temperature, pouring temperature). It is a very good idea to monitor these temperatures with the help of a testing notebook and thermometer. Within a few times of making candles, you can have your temperatures down to a specific degree. With well taken notes, it is possible to have your candle making process replicated exactly time and time again.
Lastly, you always want to avoid using pigments in the interior of your candle. Only candle dyes should be used to color the interior of your candle wax.

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