Wick testing has to be the most frustrating part of candle-making for me. While I’ve been learning about the different types of wicks and which wick goes best with which wax, I noticed that wicks have a letter and number system, just like waxes do.
If you haven’t read my article about how to decipher the code of candle waxes, check it out here.
I wanted to write a similar article about the basics of candle wicks, how to understand the different types of wicks, and what the letters and numbers of wicks really mean.
What do all those wick names and numbers mean, anyway? Each wick series is different, but generally the wick numbers correspond to the wick size. Smaller number = smaller size, thinner wick. Larger number = thicker wick, larger size. There is one exception to this rule: HTP wicks.
How do you know which wick to pick? It just seems like a big guessing game to me. I know there are wick guides out there, but they are not all the same and these are just suggestions for where to start. You could start with what they suggest, but actually end up in far left field by the time you’re done.
How do you know which wick size to use? Various factors, including the diameter of the candle and wax type, are used to determine the appropriate wick size.
I’ve done quite a bit of research to try to summarize all I could about wicks and included it here in this article.
Candle Wick Manufacturers and Suppliers
Unlike waxes, each wick series does not appear to have a sole manufacturer. I found many wick manufacturers that provide several wick series. The list of wick manufacturers is at the end of this article.
I will be highlighting 4 candle suppliers: LoneStar, Candlewic, The Flaming Candle, and The Wooden Wick Co. I will be including links to these suppliers, so you can purchase the wicks I am talking about if you wish to do so.
I also looked to other companies for info., including NorthStar Country Candle Co., Atkins & Pearce, and Wicks Unlimited.
Wick Characteristics
I will be discussing 4 different characteristics of wicks: main material/component, core, filament, and braid type.
Main Material Component
Wicks can contain 3 different types of material: cotton, zinc, and/or paper. Another type of wick, which is in a category all by itself, is a wooden wick. I’m going to be mostly focusing on cotton wicks and their variations. I will briefly discuss wooden wicks at the end.
Core
Some cotton wicks have a core, which could be made of cotton, zinc, or paper; others do not.
Filament
Some wicks have a filament, usually paper, wrapped around it to help it curl and provide stability and rigidity.
Type of Braid
Another distinction is how they are braided: flat, square, round.
Types of Wicks
I will be discussing 8 different wick series: CD, ECO, LX, HTP, RRD, zinc-core, paper-core, and wooden wicks.
- CD (cotton, coreless, paper filament, flat braid, curls when burned) for container, pillar candles
- ECO (cotton, coreless, paper filament, flat braid, curls when burned)
- LX (cotton, coreless, stabilizing threads unknown material, flat braid, curls when burned)
- HTP (cotton, coreless, paper threads, flat braid, curls when burned) for votives, pillar candles
- RRD Cotton-core (similar to LX, with a cotton core, round, “tension threads” unknown material to allow curl)
- Zinc-core (cotton, wire core)
- Paper-core
- Wooden wicks
| Wick Name | Material | Core? | Filament | Braid? | Curl? | Priming Temp. (°F) | Candle Type | Wax Type |
| CD | cotton | No, coreless | paper | flat | yes | 212 | Container, pillar | Vegetable (soy), hard (paraffin) |
| ECO | cotton | No, coreless | paper | flat | yes | Vegetable wax | Natural (soy, palm, coconut, beeswax) | |
| LX | cotton | no | Stabilizing threads | flat | yes | High mp wax 212 | ||
| HTP | cotton | No | paper | flat | yes | Hmp 212 | Pillars, votives, container | Gel |
| Zinc-core | cotton | Yes, zinc wire | no | Lower mp wax 180 | Tealights, pillars, votives, container | Gel | ||
| Paper-core | Cotton | Paper | paper | 180 | Large-diameter pillar, container | Hard (paraffin, palm, beeswax) | ||
| RRD | Yes, cotton | tension threads | round | yes | ||||
| Wooden | wood | N/A | N/A | N/A | no |
What I learned from all this (or it appears to me anyway), that CD, ECO, LX, and HTP are all virtually identical. However, they do have some differences, including their numbering system, stabilizing thread or filament, and the priming wax (and temperature), which I will discuss more in depth later on.
As a result, another distinction/difference is that each wick series burns differently. Some are made for specific types of waxes and/or types of candles. Some wicks will burn hotter than others, which means they are more appropriate for use in harder waxes and pillar candles.
Which wick burns the hottest? Cotton wicks burn the hottest. Zinc wicks burn the coolest. Paper is in the middle, but more toward the hot end. Paper-cored wicks are considered to be more of a hotter burning flame, because they create larger melt pools, but do not burn as hot as cotton.
Also, it is best to note that although some wick series may have similar numbers, they are not equivalent. For example, a CD 14 ≠ ECO 14 ≠ LX 14.
Not all wick series numbers are equivalent.
CD 14 ≠ ECO 14 ≠ LX 14
The Flaming Candle has a webpage with some good info. I will be referencing the wick guides from a few different candle suppliers.
I’m going to be going through each wick category, or series, and explaining the characteristics of these wicks. I’m also going to include a link to a candle supplier where you can buy these wicks.
The candle suppliers I am going to be highlighting in this article will be Lone Star, The Flaming Candle, CandleWic, and The Wooden Wick Co. Lone Star and Wooden Wick offer wick sample kits. All, except CandleWic, sell wooden wicks. CandleWic appears to have more bulk/wholesale bundles, in bags of 100.
Wick sample kits include one of each wick in a specific wick series, so you don’t have to buy so many of each one to get started. Lonestar offers a “Master Wick Sampler Kit,” which includes every wick they sell, except for the wooden wicks. LoneStar sells a Wooden Wick Sample Kit separately. This can be cost-efficient, so you don’t have to buy each individual wick series. However, it seems The Master Wick Sampler Kit has been out of stock for a while.
I have generally found you can’t purchase less than 10 wicks in a pack/bundle from a candle supplier, except for two candle suppliers: Candle Cocoon and California Candle Supply. Candle Cocoon offer a single wick for sale, as well as packs of 10, 100, and 2500. California Candle Supply offer wicks in a pack of 5 or 100. Therefore, a wick sample pack is a good way to get started to test your candles.
There are many factors that contribute to how a wick will burn in a candle: wax type, candle type, candle size, dye, fragrance, any additives, etc.
There are other types of wicks being sold by these candle-suppliers, that I will not be discussing. If you would like more information about other wicks series, you can check out the websites of these candle suppliers or the candle manufacturers listed at the end of this article.
Priming
Wicks are primed when they are manufactured.
What is wick priming? Wick priming, or priming a wick, is when a wick has been coated with wax after it is made. This is done to help the wick burn. Wicks that have been primed, or coated, with higher melt point waxes will burn slower, because it takes more heat to melt that wax surrounding the wick.
Wicks are primed with waxes of different melting points. The wicks that have been primed with higher melting point temperatures will help the wick to burn slower, because it requires a hotter flame to melt the wax around the wick, even if the candle wax doesn’t have that high of a melting point requirement.
There are other wicks out there that are less commonly mentioned. I’m only going to review the ones that you will hear most often and are most commonly used.
COTTON WICKS
Cotton wicks can be coreless or have a core. There are 4 cotton wick series (CD, ECO, LX, and HTP), which are all coreless. I will also be discussing zinc-core wicks, paper-core wicks, and cotton-core RRD wicks.
CD
CD wicks are flat-braided, coreless, cotton wicks with a paper filament wrapped within it. This creates the distinctive “curl” of this wick series. Having a wick that curls is helpful, because it is “self-trimming.”
CD wicks can be used for tealights, votives, pillars, and container candles. They work well in more viscous waxes, such as single pour paraffin and soy (vegetable) waxes. (Flaming Candle)
Traditional paraffin wax is not single pour. It will sink when it cools and usually requires a “top off.” Regular paraffin wax is considered a low viscosity wax, which means it moves freely as a liquid, such as water, and is not thick and slow-moving like honey or molasses. Viscous = thick. Vegetable waxes (e.g., soy wax) has a slightly higher viscosity than regular paraffin wax, which means soy wax doesn’t move as freely as paraffin wax in liquid form.
CD wicks are made for viscous vegetable waxes, such as soy wax, and hard waxes, such as paraffin.
CD wicks work best with vegetable waxes, such as soy, and hard waxes, such as paraffin.
These wicks are actually primed with a higher melting temperature wax of 212 °F, rather than the regular 180 °F of the zinc-core and paper-core wicks.
CD wicks range from 2 to 26, usually skipping every other number. The wicks are numbered with even numbers, but there are odd numbers included on the smaller end of the spectrum.
The entire CD wicks series includes 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, and 26. Most suppliers only sell CD 4 and up with even numbers only. The smaller numbers represent the smallest sizes of wicks (thinnest) and the larger number represent the larger-diameter (thicker) wicks.
Smaller wick numbers pertain to thinner wicks.
Except for HTP wicks
Larger wick numbers indicate thicker wicks.
I used to think that because soy wax was softer than paraffin wax, it burned faster than paraffin. However, soy wax is actually more viscous than paraffin wax, meaning it is “thicker” and doesn’t move as freely as paraffin wax does. Because soy wax is more viscous it requires a slightly bigger wick than paraffin wax.
In general, paraffin wax will require a CD 4 or 5 for a 2 inch or less diameter candle. CD 6 to 8 is for a 2-3 inch diameter candle. CD 10-16 is for 3-4 inch diameters. CD 18-26 is for larger pillar candles (>4 inches), but you may actually have to use two smaller wick sizes for this large of a candle. The general rule of thumb is to double-wick a candle larger than 4 inches in diameter.
The general rule of thumb is to double-wick a candle diameter larger than 4 inches.
For soy, you will need a bigger sized wick for the same diameter. So, if you could use a CD 6 for a 2-inch paraffin candle, you might actually need a CD-10 for a soy candle. I have included a table to summarize this.
CandleWic website shows CD 2 and CD 3 wicks for votives.
| Wick Number | Candle Type | Candle Diameter (Paraffin) | Candle Diameter (Soy) |
| CD 2 | Votive | Less than 2 inches | |
| CD 3 | Votive | Less than 2 inches | |
| CD 4 | Votive, Container | Less than 2 inches | |
| CD 5 | Votive, Container | Less than 2 inches | |
| CD 6 | Votive, Container, Pillar | Between 2-3 inches | <2-inch container |
| CD 7 | Container, Pillar | Between 2-3 inches | 2 inches or less |
| CD 8 | Container, Pillar | Between 2-3 inches | 1.75-2.25 in. |
| CD 10 | Container, Pillar | Between 3-4 inches | 2-3 in. |
| CD 12 | Container, Pillar | Between 3-4 inches | 2-3 in. |
| CD 14 | Container, Pillar | Between 3-4 inches | 2-3 in. |
| CD 16 | Container, Pillar | Between 3-4 inches | 2-3 in. |
| CD 18 | Container, Pillar | >4 inches or double-wick | 3-4 in. |
| CD 20 | Container, Pillar | >4 inches or double-wick | 3-4 in. |
| CD 22 | Container, Pillar | >4 inches or double-wick | 3-4 in. |
| CD 24 | Container, Pillar | >4 inches or double-wick | >4 in. or multiple-wick |
| CD 26 | Container, Pillar | >4 inches or double-wick | >4 in. or multiple-wick |
There are already so many wick guides out there. I recommend that you check out Lone Star’s or Flaming Candle’s websites for more info.
If you would like more specific information and measurements, please check out the Lone Star wick guide or the Flaming Candle wick guide.
Where to Buy CD wicks:
LoneStar: https://www.lonestarcandlesupply.com/candle-wicks/wick-clip-assemblies/cd-wicks.html
The Flaming Candle: https://www.theflamingcandle.com/cd-wicks
CandleWic offers CD wicks in spools or pre-assembled with the base/bottom attached: https://candlewic.com/?s=CD+Wicks
ECO
ECO wicks are flat cotton wicks with no core. They are braided with thin paper filaments interwoven for increased stability and rigidity, which also provide a curl for self-trimming.
Curling wicks are considered “self-trimming,” because they help to reduce soot and mushrooming. The curl causes the tip of the wick to move toward the edge of the flame, which is the hottest part of the flame. Therefore, there is less carbon build-up, because there is a greater chance of a complete chemical reaction, or combustion.
This curling also helps to reduce smoke and “afterglow.”
ECO wicks are made specifically for natural waxes, which is soy, palm, coconut, and beeswax. They have been primed (coated) with vegetable wax, not paraffin wax, which means it is an all-natural wick. And you can promote your candles as “all-natural” if you use a natural wax.
ECO wicks work best with natural waxes, such as soy, palm, coconut, and beeswax.
ECO wicks can be used for tealights, votives, pillars, and container candles. They work best in soy waxes, but may be used in paraffin waxes with a lower melt point, according to The Flaming Candle.
ECO wicks range from 1-14. Similar to CD wicks, they skip every other number and are mostly even numbers, except at the beginning with the smallest sizes.
The entire ECO series includes 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, and 14. Same as the CD wicks, the smaller numbers mean the wicks have a smaller diameter.
Summary: ECO 1 and 2 are for candles 2 inches or less in diameter. ECO 4-8 are for candles between 2-3 inches in diameter. And ECO 10-14 are for candles 3 inches or larger in diameter.
All the natural waxes burn differently due to their different melting points. Coconut has the lowest melting point, whereas beeswax and palm have the highest. Therefore, a 3-inch diameter coconut candle may require a different wick than a 3-inch diameter beeswax candle.
All natural waxes have different melting points, will burn differently, and may not have the same wick size for the same candle diameter.
I have included a table summary of this info., specifically for soy wax.
CandleWic website offers a 0.5 ECO wick for tealights and votives.
| Wick Size | Candle Type | Candle Diameter (Soy Wax) |
| ECO 1 | Votive, Container | Less than 2 inches |
| ECO 2 | Votive, Container | 2 inches or less |
| ECO 4 | Votive, Container, Pillar | Between 2-3 inches |
| ECO 6 | Container, Pillar | Between 2-3 inches |
| ECO 8 | Container, Pillar | Between 2-3 inches |
| ECO 10 | Container, Pillar | >3 inches |
| ECO 12 | Container, Pillar | >3 inches |
| ECO 14 | Container, Pillar | >3 inches |
If you would like more information or specific measurements, you can check out the Lone Star website and The Flaming Candle website for their wick guides.
Where to buy ECO wicks:
LoneStar: https://www.lonestarcandlesupply.com/candle-wicks/wick-clip-assemblies/eco-wicks.html
The Flaming Candle: https://www.theflamingcandle.com/eco-wicks
CandleWic offers ECO wicks pre-assembled with the metal base or in spools: https://candlewic.com/?s=ECO+Wicks
LX
Like CD wicks, the LX wicks are flat-braided, coreless, cotton wicks manufactured with “stabilizing threads,” but I could not find any info on if this is a paper or cotton filament or some other material.
They also curl for self-trimming to reduce smoking, sooting, and mushrooming. Considered a universal wick series and can be used in just about any application.
LX wicks can be used with any type of wax or candle.
Primed with a high melt point wax (212 °F).
The LX numbering system is similar to CD and ECO, in that it goes with even numbers, with one exception.
LX wicks numbers range from 8-30. The full range of LX wick series numbers are 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 21, 22, 24, 26, 28, and 30.
LX Wick Summary: LX 8 and 10 are for candles less than 2 inches in diameter. LX 12-16 are for 2-3 inches. LX 18-22 are for 3-4 inches. LX 24-30 are for >4 inches.
However, the general rule is to double-wick a candle if it is more than 4 inches in diameter, by using 2 smaller-sized wicks to create a full melt pool. And you are going to want to look at multiple-wicking (3 or more wicks) when you get to more than 4.5 or 5 inches.
Consider triple-wicking with a candle diameter more than 4.5 or 5 inches.
I have included a table summary below.
| Wick Number | Candle Type | Candle Diameter (paraffin) |
| LX 8 | Votive, Container | Less than 2 inches |
| LX 10 | Votive, Container | Less than 2 inches |
| LX 12 | Votive, Container, Pillar | Between 2-3 inches |
| LX 14 | Container, Pillar | Between 2-3 inches |
| LX 16 | Container, Pillar | Between 2-3 inches |
| LX 18 | Container, Pillar | Between 3-4 inches |
| LX 20 | Container, Pillar | Between 3-4 inches |
| LX 21 | Container, Pillar | Between 3-4 inches |
| LX 22 | Container, Pillar | Between 3-4 inches |
| LX 24 | Container, Pillar | >4 inches or double-wick |
| LX 26 | Container, Pillar | >4 inches or double-wick |
| LX 28 | Container, Pillar | >4 inches or multiple-wick |
| LX 30 | Container, Pillar | >4 inches or multiple-wick |
Where to Buy:
- LoneStar: https://www.lonestarcandlesupply.com/candle-wicks/wick-clip-assemblies/lx-wicks.html
- The Flaming Candle only offers LX-18 and LX-24 as “un-tabbed” wicks, meaning they do not come with the metal bottom. It is just the wick, essentially a spool of wax. You will have to buy the tab separately and assemble the wick yourself. They offer it in 10 yards (360 inches) or 25 yard sizes. The 10-yard spool would get you about 60 (sixty) 6-inch wicks. Here is the link for the LX-18: https://www.theflamingcandle.com/candle-wicks/untabbed-wick/lx-18-un-tabbed-wick. Here is the link for the LX-24: https://www.theflamingcandle.com/candle-wicks/untabbed-wick/lx-24-un-tabbed-wick.
- CandleWic: https://candlewic.com/?s=LX+Wicks
HTP Wicks
Like CD, HTP wicks are flat, cotton-braided and coreless. They also have a paper filament within the braid. They are also designed to curl for self-trimming. They can be used for tealights, votives, pillars, container candles, and gel candles.
HTP wicks can be used in both paraffin and soy waxes. They are designed to work well in more viscous waxes, according to The Flaming Candle.
HTP wicks are designed for use in more viscous waxes, such as soy waxes and single-pour paraffin waxes.
The HTP numbering system is a little different than the others. It does not go by even numbers. It goes by increments of 10 or 11, with a few exceptions.
HTP wicks range from 13 to 1312.
However, unlike CD, ECO, and LX wicks, HTP wicks do not go by 2’s, or alternate every other number. HTP wicks go by about 9’s or 10’s, or even skip up to 100 numbers. And all the numbers are not in chronological order by size.
The numbers in the HTP series are 31, 13, 41, 52, 62, 72, 73, 83, 93, 94, 104, 105, 1212, 1312, 126.
As you can see the numbering system of the HTP wicks do not go in order like all the other wicks do. There is a 13 size, which is between a 31 and 41 in size. Atkins & Pearce list the 126 as the largest size, above a 1212 and 1312.
HTP wicks are an exception to the rule when it comes to the numbering system for wicks.
Atkins and Pearce do offer a Wick Sample Kit that you can purchase directly from their website: https://www.atkinsandpearce.com/product/wick-sample-kit
I am not going to go through and list the recommended sizing of these wicks, because there has been a change with the manufacturing of these wicks.
*IMPORTANT NOTE: Due to the pandemic and supply shortages, the previous HTP wicks were discontinued for a while, until the manufacturer could find a different yarn (raw material) supplier.
Therefore, the manufacturer had to change the way they made the wicks. The yarn that was being used to make the wicks is no longer available, so the manufacturer had to start using a different yarn to make HTP wicks last year.
The numbering system will stay the same.
However, please note that because the raw material of the wicks changed the new HTP wicks will most likely have different burn characteristics.
Therefore, all of the current wick guides that are out there for the “old” HTP wicks may become obsolete and most likely will need to be changed in the future based on the different burn characteristics of the “new” wicks. The new wicks may burn hotter or cooler than what is currently listed in the wick guides. Thorough testing will be crucial!
There has been a change in the raw material (yarn) of the HTP wicks being manufactured.
I first learned of this change in HTP wicks from Jeff Standley at Standley Handcrafted. You can check out his YouTube video where he talks about it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g2EeTjWRBL8
He referenced The Flaming Candle website where he found the statement explaining what is happening. You can find the statement by clicking on any listing for an HTP wick. They have the statement written in bold below the product picture. The Flaming Candle’s website is https://www.theflamingcandle.com.
There is nothing on the Atkins & Pearce website about this change in HTP wicks. Although, they do have a wick guide listed on their website: https://www.atkinsandpearce.com/product/htp-wick
Zinc-Core Wicks
Zinc-core wicks are made from a cotton fiber and contain a wire core that can be used for pillars, votives, tea lights, container, and gel candles. The wire core helps the wick to stand straight when being made and while being burned.
Flaming Candle claims they work best in paraffin waxes, but can be also be used in soy waxes (CandleWic seems to disagree). They can potentially mushroom more than other wicks.
Zinc burns the coolest of all the cored wicks and offers the most rigidity. These wicks are constructed by using 100% natural fibers in the cover with the zinc core. Zinc cored wicks are most effective in paraffin-based waxes and VersaGel.
CandleWic does not recommend zinc-core wicks be used in natural/renewable waxes and if using a one-pour wax you may need to wick up.
Zinc-core wicks work best in paraffin and gel wax. They can potentially mushroom more than other wicks.
They are primed with high melt point wax 212.
Zinc-core wicks have a unique numbering system. It is a set of numbers separated by hyphens. Usually 3 2-digit numbers. For example, 51-32-18. What do these numbers mean?
The first 2-digit number represents the number of yarn spools, which corresponds to the size of the wick (Higher number = bigger wick).
The second 2-digit number represents the speed and tightness at which the wick was braided. Tighter braids = less wax consumption (slower burn)
The last 2-digit number represents a wax temperature code as the wick is put through the braiding machine.
I don’t believe this is the actual temperature of the wax, because 18 °F does not make any sense and if it were in Centigrade, 18 °C = 64.4 °F, which can’t be right either. I think it actually corresponds to 180 °F.
Each wick is coated with a layer of wax. This is called “priming,” which helps the wick to stay lit and burn right away, when none of the wax of the candle is melted yet. The wax coating provides the initial fuel the wick needs to start the combustion process.
Therefore, it’s not always easy to tell the exact wick sizes just based on appearance. Smaller wicks will sometimes have a thicker wax coating than the larger wick sizes and can appear to be the same thickness.
But once that wax coating is burned off and you just have the actual wick left, you will see that it will not burn the same as the thicker wicks.
Judging a primed wick by its appearance can be misleading due to the layer of wax coating.
Zinc-core wicks
36-24-24 Votives, Containers 1-2 in., pillars/containers 2-3 in.
44-20-18 Votives, containers 2-3 in.
44-24-18 Votives, Pillars & Containers 2-3 in.
44-28-18 Container 2-3 in.
44-32-18 2-3 in. pillars/containers, 3-4 in. pillars/containers
51-32-18 Pillars & Medium Containers 3-3.5 in.
60-44-18 Pillars & Large Containers 3.5-4 in.
62-52-18 4-inch containers
Atkins & Pearce offer a wick guide for the zinc-core wicks here: https://www.atkinsandpearce.com/product/zinc-core-wick
Paper-Core Wicks
A cotton outer braid surrounds an inner core of paper. Paper core wicks can be used in tea lights, votives, pillars, and container candles.
Paper core wicks do not burn as hot as cotton (produces a cooler flame) but they do offer more rigidity. These wicks are constructed of 100% natural fibers with paper core.
These wicks are effective in paraffin-based waxes.
Paper-core wicks work best in paraffin-based waxes.
Paper-core wicks are hot burning wicks. Therefore, they create a large melt pool and are made more for larger diameter candles and harder waxes, such as beeswax, palm, and paraffin, that would be used for pillar candles. Paper-core wicks can also be used in larger diameter container candles.
36-24-24 Votives, 1-2 in. containers
44-20-18 Votives, 2-3 in. containers
44-24-18 2-3 in. containers
44-28-18 2-3 in. containers
44-32-18 medium to large 3.5-4 in. containers
51-32-18 medium to large 3.5 – 4 in. containers
60-44-18 Large Containers 4-4.5 in.
62-52-18 large 4-inch containers
CON: Paper-cored wicks tend to produce more smoke and “afterglow.”
Paper-core wicks tend to produce more smoke and “afterglow.”
Since the zinc-core wicks and the paper-core wicks have the same type of numbering system, it can be easy to confuse them. Just make sure you know whether the wick has a paper or zinc core. The listing description on the candle supplier’s website should say.
Sometimes the numbers will be followed by a “Z” for zinc-core and “P” for paper-core to distinguish them from each other.
Zinc-core wicks are numbered with a Z.
Paper-core wicks are labeled with a P.
Atkins & Pierce offer a wick guide for the paper-core wicks here: https://www.atkinsandpearce.com/product/paper-core-wick
Atkins & Pierce also offer a wick sampler kit that you can purchase directly from their website here: https://www.atkinsandpearce.com/product/wick-sample-kit
RRD
I don’t know much about RRD wicks and I have never worked with them.
RRD wicks are similar to the LX wicks, except with a cotton core, are round, directional, and have tension threads. These wicks also curl, which means they are self-trimming to reduce smoke, soot, and mushrooming. These wicks can be used in all types of waxes, including gel waxes, and all candle types.
RRD wicks are a universal series and can be used with all types of candles and waxes, including gel.
The RRD wick series is designed to improve the burning of scented, solid-colored votive and container candles. These wicks do especially well in vegetable-based waxes. They are available in 4 oz. rolls and 2.2 lb. bulk rolls from CandleWic.
The number series are 2-digits, that are anywhere from 3-10 numbers apart.
The numbers in the RRD series are 29, 34, 37, 40, 47, 50, 55, and 65.
Wooden Wicks
Wooden wicks are also a variety of wicks that I have not yet tried. Wooden wicks are unique.
The Wooden Wick Co. is THE PREMIER authority on wooden wicks. They are the ones that invented wooden wicks. They are a well-respected and reputable company. Other candle suppliers do offer wooden wicks, as well.
Wooden wicks come in different shapes: flat, tube, spiral. They also come in different sizes: thickness, width, and length. They have crackling flat wicks, quiet flat wicks, and crackling shaped wicks.
The Wooden Wick Co. has named their wicks based on these characteristics: Single-ply crackling, Single-ply whisper, Crackling Booster, Whisper Booster, Tube Wick, Spiral wick.
- Crackling flat wicks would include single-ply crackling and crackling booster.
- Quiet flat wicks would include single-ply whisper and whisper booster.
- Crackling shaped wicks includes tube wicks and spiral wicks.
Since I have never used wooden wicks before, I needed to do some research for this article. So, of course, I went to The Wooden Wick website for more info., thinking that they would have the information I need for this article. Unfortunately, I didn’t find the wooden wick website very helpful. They have short blog posts that don’t provide detailed information. They don’t go through and explain all the different types and sizes they offer.
I did find a wick guide that offers suggestions for wicks based on the type of wax you are using. They have their own waxes listed on there, but they also included other types of waxes, such as beeswax, soy, paraffin, and parasoy.
You can find a wax and wick guide at https://woodenwick.com/pages/wax-guide. This appears to be pretty helpful.
They do have a “Wick Selection Guide,” which is just basically a set of questions you can answer which is supposed to guide you to the right wick, but no matter what answer I put in, it seemed to suggest the wick sampler kit anyway, along with one or two other suggestions.
If you want to get into wooden wicks, I would say the best thing to do would be to just order their wick sampler kit to get started.
They offer free shipping on the wick kit in the continental U.S. The sampler wick kit includes:
- Crackling Single-Ply .02″ x 5″ tall x 4 wicks of each width
- Crackling Single-Ply .03″ x 5″ tall x 4 wicks of each width
- Crackling Booster Wick .02″ x 5″ tall x 4 wicks of each width
- Crackling Booster Wick .03″ x 5″ tall x 4 wicks of each width
- Crackling Booster Wick .04″ x 5″ tall x 4 wicks of each width
- Whisper Single-Ply Wick .02″ x 5″ tall x 4 wicks of each width
- Whisper Single-Ply Wick .03″ x 5″ tall x 4 wicks of each width
- Whisper Booster Wick .02″ x 5″ tall x 4 wicks of each width
- Whisper Booster Wick .03″ x 5″ tall x 4 wicks of each width
- Tube Wick .01″ x 6″ tall x 4 wicks in .25″ width
- Spiral Wick .01″ x 5″ tall x 4 wicks in .375″ width
- 25 Flat Wick Clips + 4 Spiral Wick Clips
It appears they also offer crackling single-ply .04”, crackling dual wick .04”, and whisper dual wick .04” which are not offered in the sample kit.
The width of wooden wicks range from 0.375 to 1 inch. Height ranges from 2 up to 8 inches.
Wooden wicks do not appear to have a special numbering system like cotton wicks do. They are simply given in their measurements (in inches): thickness, width, and height.
Other Wick Manufacturers and Resources Used
There are many manufacturers of wicks out there. Last year I created a blog post of over 101 candle suppliers in the U.S. If you haven’t seen it, here is a link to it.
Along with the 4 candle suppliers I already mentioned in this article (LoneStar, The Flaming Candle, CandleWic, and The Wooden Wick Co.), I also used 3 other companies to research information for this article. They are also suppliers and/or manufacturers and you can order directly from two of their websites.
Atkins & Pearce
Atkins & Pearce are a wick manufacturer located in Kentucky. Their website is https://www.atkinsandpearce.com.
As stated previously, you can order a wick sampler kit directly from their website at https://www.atkinsandpearce.com/product/wick-sample-kit.
They also offer wicks guides for each of their wicks that they manufacture.
Wicks Unlimited
Wicks Unlimited carry Atkins & Pearce wicks. However, it doesn’t appear that you can order directly from their website. You have to contact them. Their website is https://wicksunlimited.com.
NorthStar Country Candle Co.
Located in Minnesota, NorthStar offers FREE SHIPPING on their wicks to all 50 States. They also provide a wick guide on their website: https://northstar3c.com/Candle-Wicking-Information
Many Others
There are other companies that I found that were not on my list of candle suppliers that I have added, including Wick It, LLC, in New Jersey. Please check out my Candle Suppliers page for an updated list.
Finding the Right Balance Between Wax and Wick
It’s important to find the right balance when it comes to wicking your candle.
You want a wick that’s big enough to create a full melt pool, but you don’t want one so big that it causes the candle to burn too quickly.
You want a wick that’s going to provide a slow burn, so the candle will last longer, but you don’t want it too small that you waste a bunch of unburned wax.
Too large of a wick could produce smoke, soot, and mushrooming. And too small of a wick could cause tunneling.
In the end, it all comes down to testing. Test, test, test!
As I said in the beginning, this is my least favorite part of candle-making, because it is so tedious. But it is the responsibility of every candle maker.
