These concrete candles are made using part used pillar candles and homemade moulds. They are a great way of trying out candle making without spending a load of money on equipment.
What can you use as a homemade candle mould?
There are three things to consider when choosing a homemade mould for candle making. Firstly, is the frame strong enough to support the weight of the wax without collapsing? Secondly, can it cope with the heat of the melted wax? And finally, will you be able to remove your finished candle from its mould without damaging it.
I use cardboard tubes and plastic bottles for my homemade moulds. All these items are robust enough to hold the hot wax safely but easy enough to tear open to remove my finished candles without damaging them.
Reusing old candles
It is worth saving up part used and broken candles as they can all be melted down and reused to make new candles. Different types of candles do use different wax mixes so keep the wax from pillar candles and jar candles separate. You can also reuse coloured and scented candles.
Group complementary scents and colours and mix in with plain candles to make you own bespoke wax mix. Add coloured wax crayons to melted wax as a frugal way of colouring candles.
Melting down store-bought pillar candles will provide you with the perfect wax mix to use in homemade moulds. Once melted, you can remove the wick and reuse it for a new project.
What you need to make concrete candles.
- Candle Moulds
- Old Pillar Candles
- Quick set cement
- Candle Wicks
How to make concrete candles.
Select your moulds and cut them down to size to make it easier to add the cement and wax. They need to be at least 1inch taller than where you plan to fill to make it easier to remove the mould once the candles have set.
Mix up the quick-set cement and spoon a layer into the bottom of each of the moulds. I angled two of mine and left the rest flat.
Leave the cement bases to set overnight.
Position the wicks in each of the moulds using a drop of glue or wax to hold them in position.
Melt the old pillar candles in a double boiler or a bowl over a pan of simmering water. Wax ignites very quickly, so should not be left unattended while melting and is not safe to melt in a microwave.
Once melted, fish out the old wicks to reuse, add scent if using and pour into the prepared candle moulds on top of the cement.
I use a piece of card to hold my wicks straight while I wait for the wax to harden.
Topping off candles.
As candles harden in their moulds, it is common for the centre to sink, leaving a crater around the wick. One way to minimise this flaw is to use a second pour to ‘top off the candle’.
Once the concrete candles have cooled and set for a couple of hours, use a wooden skewer to make 4 or 5 holes around the wick as shown in the photo. Pour the second layer of wax to fill up the gaps and the crater and then leave the candle to harden overnight.
Removing the concrete candles from their homemade moulds.
To remove the concrete candles from their homemade moulds make cuts down from the top towards the candles. Carefully tear the sides away, exposing the candle.
And here are my finished concrete candles – don’t they look fab?
I love their industrial look and the contrast between the wax and the cement base.
I think these concrete candles would make a fab homemade gift and I’ll be making more for Christmas.
Check out our upcycled soap tutorial and our batik art using a glue stick for some more craft ideas to try without having to buy lots of materials.
28 comments
Instead of cement with your candles can you use plaster of Paris?
I have seen plaster of paris candle holders Carol, so I don’t see why not. Let me know how you get on if you try it out :)
When they burn down are they messy?
Mine didn’t, they just pooled inside :)
Fabulosas me encantaron ,lo que no entendí bien es, si la parafina se derrite directo en la olla al fuego o doble olla osea a baño Maria?
It is a bain marie.
Did you find that you had any white fluff come on the concrete a few days after?? If so how did you stop this from happening?
That hasn’t happened to me Georgia. I wonder whether its salts coming out of the concrete – I’ve seen that happen with concrete walls before – sorry I can’t be more help!
I’m curious as to how you soda bottle candles came out. You don’t show pictures of them, only the flat bottom. Reason being, soda bottles, or asw I call them, bubble bottom bottles, I got, flat bottom, not nary a one. Same with the sq1uare juice cartons. So if you could elucidate as to the end result before I start mine, that would be awesome. Also, you only mention old candles, what about fresh wax? I have paraffin and palm wax. Love this idea, can’t wait to make them for my Daughter for Christmas!
Sorry for the late reply Pam. I haven’t used palm wax so cant advise on that by the parafin wax should work well. The bubble bottom worked jst as well as the others and were nice and stable, I just didn’t take many photos of them :)
My wax and concrete on my angled candles keep slipping off.. what am I doing wrong?
Try and rough up the surface of the concrete (or even make a few holes in it) to help the wax grip Jen.
When these are lit does the candle wax run over the sides?? If so what do you place then on so the candle wax does not make a mess??
It depends on the wax you use Desiree, but I would always suggest you sit candles on a saucer or tray before you light them just in case :)
That’s so cool! I wouldn’t have thought of using an orange juice carton.
The square candle is actually my favourite Pam – thank you for your kind comment :)
These candles are beautiful and I love the fact you are reusing old candles, however, what will you do with the cement when these have burned down? Even though they are gorgeous, I don’t think I could leave that kind of footprint for future generations.
You can reuse the concrete to make candles again and again but I do appreciate your point of view Christine. I’ll have a think and see if I can come up with an alternative :)
I was just wondering the same thing, I love the idea of reusing them, but I’m also thinking I could just incorporate the concrete base into an ongoing rock wall we’re making (one of those never ending types, ha) and extra fun if it has a bit of colorant added…. ooooh, so many ideas! Thank you for sharing your “how to” I’ve really enjoyed and am inspired!
Love to hear that I’ve inspired someone Del, thanks for taking the time to comment :)
I used parafin pillar wax. It did not bond. Can you tell me why?
I guess the cement was too smooth for the wax to grip Valerie. If you make them again try roughing the cement up before it sets to give the wax something to stick to.
Just came over from Hometalk and your great plant stands with lampshade frames! Love this candle idea! If I get time, these will definitely be some Christmas gifts!! Dona
Thanks for visiting Dona, the candles make fab gifts :)
In love this on how to make your own candles. I’ve been saving used up ….or should I say “wick used up” candles for years. I need to use all that wax! I just have two questions:
1. Yes concrete candles look fab but what if you just want wax? Can you pour it directly into mold?
2. Not sure how you stabilize wicks. Can’t you just use the cardboard like you did at top to hold them in place and let them hang loose and pour in wax?
Hi Cindy. Yes you can pour the wax directly into the mold without using the concrete base. I’d use a small drop of wax or glue to secure the wick to the bottom of the mold to stop it floating up when you pour in the wax – as it’ll be underneath the finished candle it wont show even if you have to make a little cut to detach it from the mold. Good luck with your candle making :)
Cindy & Sarah,
I just wanted to mention something about stabilizing or securing the wick at the bottom of the candle. If ‘all’ you have is a wick without the metal tab, you can use in its place a small metal washer. Not too small as you would want a bit of weight, about the same size as a wick clip (metal tab). Actually, you can use nothing also and just put a dab of hot glue on a small wad of wick and secure it at the bottom. But be careful as hot wax CAN burn. I melted down 5 candles and 2 of them were ‘wick only’.
Great tip, thanks Pam :)