Candle Wick Size Guide
Get a wick starting point in seconds — enter your container diameter and wax type for CD and ECO series recommendations from a curated reference table, then test-burn to confirm.
The wick makes or breaks the candle
No single component matters more to how a candle burns than the wick. Too small and it tunnels and wastes wax; too big and it soots, smokes, and burns hot and fast. Starting from the right size for the jar and wax saves a pile of wasted test candles.
Once the wick is close, estimate the burn with the Candle Burn Time Calculator, and set the scent strength with the Fragrance Load Calculator — a heavy fragrance load can clog a wick and change everything.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I choose the right candle wick size?
Container diameter is the main driver: a wider jar needs a bigger wick to melt the wax out to the wall. This guide maps your diameter to a starting size in two common families — CD (cotton-core) and ECO (coreless) — using published soy references, then nudges the pick for your wax type. It's a starting point for test-burning, not a final answer, because fragrance, dye, and wax brand all shift the result.
What are CD and ECO wicks?
They're two widely used flat-braid wick families. CD wicks have a thin paper core that helps them stand and burn a stable flame, and ECO wicks are coreless with a paper thread woven in for a gentle curl that self-trims. Both are popular in soy and blended container candles; the number after the name indicates size, with larger numbers for wider jars.
Why does the wax type change the recommendation?
Different waxes need different amounts of heat to melt cleanly. Paraffin burns hotter, so it usually takes a size down from the soy reference to avoid a tall, sooty flame. Dense coconut and beeswax hold more or burn cooler, so they often step up a size to reach the container wall. This guide applies that one-size shift automatically.
How do I know if my wick is the wrong size?
Burn a test candle and watch the melt pool. If it tunnels — leaving hard wax up the sides after a few hours — the wick is too small, so size up. If the flame is tall, flickery, or sooty and the wax gets very hot, it's too big, so size down. Aim for a full melt pool by the second hour, a flame under about 25 mm, and a clean burn.
A curated reference and starting point, not a guarantee. Wick performance depends on the exact wax, fragrance, dye, and vessel — always test-burn before making a candle at scale, and follow candle safety guidance.