🕯️ Crafts
Candle Making Wax Calculator
Work out how much wax and fragrance a batch of candles needs. Choose a candle shape, enter the dimensions, then set your density, fragrance load and prices.
About the Candle Making Wax Calculator
Candle math starts with volume. A cylindrical candle holds π × radius² × height millilitres; a rectangular one holds length × width × height. If you already know the fill volume from the jar manufacturer, enter it directly. The calculator then converts volume to mass using the wax density.
Wax density is not a single number. Paraffin is typically around 0.90 g/mL, soy blends around 0.90–0.92, and some coconut or palm blends are slightly denser. A 200 mL jar therefore holds roughly 180 g of wax, but the exact figure depends on the blend, the pour temperature and how much the wax shrinks as it sets.
Fragrance load is usually quoted as a percentage of wax weight, not of total fill. If you want an 8% load, fragrance = wax × 0.08, and the total fill mass is wax × 1.08. This calculator solves the same relationship from the total fill mass, so the wax and fragrance figures always add up to the volume you measured.
Cost per candle combines wax, fragrance and the jar. It excludes labour, packaging, labels, electricity and failed batches, so treat it as a material cost rather than a retail price. Burn time is estimated from total fill mass and a burn rate, and should be checked with a real burn test before you publish a number on a label.
How the calculation works
- Cylinder volume = π × (diameter ÷ 2)² × height.
- Rectangular volume = length × width × height.
- Total fill mass = volume (mL) × wax density (g/mL).
- Fragrance mass = total fill mass × load ÷ (100 + load); wax mass = total − fragrance.
- Cost per candle = wax kg × wax price + fragrance kg × fragrance price + jar cost.
- Burn time ≈ total fill mass ÷ burn rate (g/h).
Reference values
| Wax type | Density (g/mL) | Typical fragrance load |
|---|---|---|
| Paraffin | 0.90 | 6–10% |
| Soy blend | 0.90–0.92 | 6–10% |
| Coconut blend | 0.92–0.95 | 6–9% |
| Palm wax | 0.90–0.93 | 6–9% |
| Beeswax | 0.95–0.97 | 3–6% |
| Gel wax | 0.85–0.90 | 3–6% |
| Typical burn rate | 7–9 g/h | Depends on wick and diameter |