Candle Making Molds
Why Are There So Many DifferentTypes Of Candle Molds?
Candle making is amazing…
There are so many different types of ready made or off the shelf candle molds that are available.
That means you can easily make candles at home, and it’s limited only by your imagination.
The candle making crafts means almost every shape, size and variety of candles can be made.
What is the meaning of a candle?
The answer is simply, how much joy comes from the almost endless amount of different candles you can make.
Why is the energy of making homemade candles better then store bought?
Have you ever spent a long afternoon with a friend…that’s candle making at it’s best and why this craft is so popular as a hobby.
Imagine all the people buying candles for their homes, you’d think there would be a lot of different types of candle making molds available, right?
Well, a candle mold is simply a container that the wax is poured into while it cools. The wax holds the shape of the mold when it has cooled completely.
These days, candle molds are made out of a variety of materials, sizes, shapes and styles, offering a variety of different uses:
- Aluminum molds are a very popular type of mold candle makers use.
Aluminum molds are durable and heat resistant, and the result is a smooth finish without leaving any seams in the finished candle.
This gives the candles the appearance of being professionally made.
These types of metal molds are widely used in making votive and pillar candles, inexpensive when compared to rubber molds.
A big advantage in using aluminum molds is that they’re easy to clean and maintain. All you do is to put them on a baking sheet in your oven.
Simply by placing the mold upside down and heating to about 150 degrees the leftover wax will melt and run out of the mold onto the cookie sheet.
Tip: Remember to line your cookie sheet…
The down side to aluminum molds, they’re not flexible.
That means there are fewer choices when it comes to varying the shapes or textures of the candles.
You also need to use a releasing agent to get the candle out of the mold.
On the other hand, if you use rubber molds like polyurethane, silicone or latex molds, these types of molds give you so much more flexiblity.
- Polyurethane molds are flexible yet they do not stretch well.
Polyurethane molds are usually a little bit cheaper then silicone molds.
Unfortunately, they have a strong odor that may be able to be passed along in your candle and they will need a releasing agent to get the candle out of it.
Often the pillar and taper candles are made from these types of molds.
- Silicone molds are another type of rubber mold.
Silicone molds are the most expensive molds because of their outstanding qualities.
The mold leaves no parting lines, they’re flexible yet also stretchable to a point so getting the candles out of the molds is easier.
No releasing agent required…
- Although latex molds were used very often, now with the advances in other types of rubber molds they’re loosing their luster.
It is very easy to make your own molds at home by using liquid latex and painting it onto a structure at home.
This process requires adding layers of latex, and the options of making different types of unique molds are endless.
- Plastic candle molds are the cheapest yet not always the best.
Plastic molds have a shorter lifespan then the rest because they’re more brittle. On the plus side, plastic molds are easy to clean.
All you need to use is some warm water and a little soap.
Just make sure that the mold is completely dry before you use it again or you will get water bubbles in your candles.
Plastic molds are good for beginners, if you were to take your candle making hobby into the next level and turn it into a business you’re probably going to have to invest in different types of candle molds.
