Sinkhole Solutions: Tips for Preventing and Fixing Candle Sinkholes

jaimemoralesj14
Dec 29, 2024
3 min read

Updated: Feb 8

Candle making can be a fun and rewarding craft, but one common issue that many crafters face is preventing and fixing candle sinkholes. Sinkholes occur when the surface of a candle pulls away from the wick, leaving an unsightly depression. This can happen due to various factors like improper pouring temperature or insufficient wax. In this guide, we’ll explore some practical tips and tricks for preventing and fixing candle sinkholes, ensuring your candles turn out perfectly every time. Whether you're a beginner or an experienced candle maker, these solutions will help you achieve smooth, beautiful candles without the dreaded sinkhole.

What is a sinkhole

First, let's explain what a sinkhole is. A candle sinkhole is when there is a literal hole in the candle. Having a sinkhole in your candle may not only be unpleasant, but it also doesn't allow the candle to burn evenly. In turn, the candle burns at a faster rate compared to a candle without a sinkhole. What causes a sinkhole is an air pocket in the wax that was not allowed to escape. As these candles cool, the air pocket does not have room to escape. Once the wax fully cools off, it will cave into the space and create a sinkhole. When making candles at home, there are some steps and tips that you could do to prevent sinkholes in the final product.

Note

Sometimes there is no control over if a sinkhole will happen; it could just happen. When they do occur, there are a few ways to fix it.

Preparation Work Heating Up The Jars

While the candle wax is heating up, place your candle jars in the oven and allow them to heat up. Place the jars in the oven for 15 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Heat wax and Remove the jars from the oven and let them sit for 5 minutes to cool down, and pour the hot wax in the jars when the wax reaches 150 degrees Fahrenheit. This will help prevent sinkholes.

Sink Hole After Candle Cools Off

When the candle cools off and there's a sinkhole, there are two things that you could do to fix it. So, before throwing it out, try these steps.

Tips

If you are making candles for friends or family, even to sell, we highly recommend getting a heat gun. This tool will not only save you time but will also save you a lot of energy when trying to fix your candles. If you get a sinkhole, you can fix it by melting the wax around it and filling it in the sinkhole.
What you could also do is fill in the hole with more wax. Make a little extra wax when making candles. So, when you have a sinkhole, you can fill it in. If you have an extra wax, label it and place it in an airtight container for future use.

At JPM Collections/ What Works For Us

At JPM Collections, the jars and wax are around the same temperature to prevent sinkholes. The next thing is to wait till the wax cools off and poke holes all over the wax. Doing this helps by allowing any air holes to be exposed and air trapped in the wax to escape. After that, we fill in the holes with wax. The last thing we do is use the heat gun to fix any air bubbles and make the candle perfect. All this extra work gives us the final product. These steps have helped us tremendously, and for anybody making candles at home, we hope that doing these steps will help out.

Again, if candle-making is not your thing and you love buying candles, feel free to shop our wide range of candle fragrances.

JPM Collections