Candle Wicks: Everything You Need To Know

The choices available can be overwhelming, whether browsing the internet or walking through the aisles in a shop looking for your new candle. It’s important to know the different types of candle wicks available.

We want it to be easy and fun to pick your next favourite candle. Choosing a candle wick should give your candle a long-lasting, strong, safe burn experience.

We have listed the various types of wicks that you may come across in your candle search to help you decide which one is best for you.

What Are The Various Types Of Candle Wick Materials?

Here are the main types of wicks for candles you will find online and in your local store.

Cotton Wicks

Tiny cotton fibres are joined and twisted with wax to make the modern standard for a cotton wick. This wick is curled so that the candle can be lit and they do not uncurl.

A candle’s tip will also be lit by cotton wicks, which produce a sleeker flame and a higher flame. The distribution of the flame affects how strong your candle’s smell is — cotton wicks can help you achieve the strong, vibrant scent you want.

Cotton wicks are also easy to maintain. To ensure a safe and even burn, you only need to trim the wick before or after you light your candles. Happy candle owners will be happy with easy maintenance and upkeep.

Wooden Wicks

Wooden wicks are common in every candle aisle. They are distinctive in appearance and have a distinctive sound that makes them stand out from other wick types.

For a cozy, homey effect, these wicks can either be made entirely from wood or a blend of wood and cotton.

These wicks can be a bit more difficult to maintain because they cannot be easily trimmed but they last quite a while. This means that you can enjoy the warmth of a campfire without having to deal with your friend who needs his guitar.

Wood wicks can be both appealing and silly for some. It all depends upon what experience you are looking for in a candle.

What About Shapes For Candle Wicks?

It doesn’t matter what your wick is made from; the shape of your Wick can also affect how you burn.

Flat Wicks

These are the most popular wicks in the game. You can’t go wrong when you have a classic. Flat wicks can be braided or plaited. These wicks have a consistent burn time and curl up in the flame which creates a self-trimming effect.

These wicks make candles less labour-intensive and will keep your candle burning longer. Consistency is hard to argue with.

Square Wicks

These wicks are more robust and can be slightly rounder. They are usually braided or knit and curl into flames like a flat one. However, they provide greater stability and melt safety for candles. It is important to have a distinct flame shape so that there is no tunnelling.

A square wick is a good choice if you want to be sustainable and have a high-quality candle.

Cored Wicks

These wicks are either braided or knitted. They use some kind of core material to hold the wick straight while it burns. This result in a pleasingly even wax melt, they also have a round cross-section which helps them stand up.

These wicks have the most common core materials: cotton, paper and zinc. Zinc and tin may not be the most sustainable materials, but they are more stable than any other material. These core wicks ensure that your candle’s wick is strong and has a good burn.