Multi-wick dough bowl candle

A wide, shallow dough bowl filled with scented soy and several wicks spaced evenly so the whole surface melts together.

Difficulty: ●●●
Time: active 1.5 h · cure 1–2 weeks

Steps Calculator

Safety first

Never leave melting wax unattended, not even for a minute. Keep children and pets out of the work area.
Melt wax in a pouring pitcher set in a pan of simmering water (a double boiler). Never put a pitcher or pan of wax on direct heat.
Use a candle or candy thermometer the whole time and stay inside the wax supplier's temperature range. Overheated wax smokes, discolors and can reach its flash point.
If wax catches fire: turn off the heat and smother it with a metal lid or a thick layer of baking soda. NEVER use water, which flashes to steam and throws burning wax. Keep a lid and a class B or ABC extinguisher within reach.
Wear closed shoes and keep a bowl of cool water nearby for splashes on skin. Hot wax sticks and keeps burning, so cool a burn under running water for 20 minutes.
Handle fragrance oils with gloves and ventilate the room while they're hot.
Put warning labels on any candle you give away: burn within sight, keep away from children, pets, drafts and anything flammable, trim the wick to 1/4 in (6 mm) before each burn, burn no more than 4 hours at a time, and stop when 1/2 in (13 mm) of wax is left.
The bowl must be heat-safe and sealed. Wood needs a sealed, heat-resistant interior finish, or the oil will soak in and leak. Ceramic, concrete and metal bowls must be free of cracks.
Keep every wick at least 1 in (2.5 cm) from the bowl's wall and rim so flames can't scorch the bowl.
Burn it on a heat-proof surface, keep it away from anything flammable, and never move it while lit. Several wicks together make a lot of heat.

Steps

Weigh your wax and fragrance using the calculator results. Cover your work surface with paper or a silicone mat.
Clean and dry the bowl and check the seal: rub a drop of oil on the inside and make sure it doesn't soak in. Warm the bowl gently with a heat gun so the wax grips it evenly.
Plan the wicks. Space them evenly along the bowl's center line, about 2.5–3 in (6–8 cm) apart and at least 1–1.5 in (2.5–4 cm) from the wall. Mark the spots, glue down the wick tabs, and hold every wick upright with wick bars or tape across the bowl.
Melt the wax in the double boiler, then heat to 185°F (85°C).
Off the heat, add the fragrance and stir gently for a full 2 minutes.
Cool to 125–140°F (52–60°C) and pour slowly, leaving at least 1/2 in (13 mm) below the rim. Save some wax for touch-ups.
Check that every wick is upright and on its mark. Let the candle set for 24 hours at room temperature. A wide pour often sinks around the wicks, so fill any hollows with reheated reserved wax and smooth the top with a heat gun.
Trim all the wicks to the same height, 1/4 in (6 mm), or 1/8 in (3 mm) for wooden wicks.
Cure for 1–2 weeks, covered with a cloth or wrap to keep dust off.
Test-burn one candle before making more or giving any away. Burn it 1 hour per inch of diameter (up to 4 hours) and check that the melt pool reaches the edge without soot or a flame taller than about 1 in (2.5 cm). Adjust the wick size and repeat.
Light every wick each time so the melt pools join. Stop when the wax is about 1/2 in (13 mm) deep, because shallow wax heats the bowl.

Candle calculator

Wax Container holds (fl oz of water)Fill it with water to your fill line and measure How many Fragrance load (%)% of wax weight Jar width (in)Inside diameter at the widest point Wick series Units Scent

Wax19.1 oz

542 g · 19.1 oz

Fragrance oil1.5 oz

43 g · 1.5 oz

Total pour20.6 oz

20.6 oz each

Starting wickECO 6–8

Test burn 3 h, then check the melt pool.

Melt to: 113–119°F (45–48°C) or a little above
Add fragrance at: 185°F (85°C), then stir gently for 2 minutes
Pour at: 125–140°F (52–60°C)
Cure: 7–14 days before judging the scent throw

Melt about 10% more wax than the total. Some always stays in the pitcher.

If something goes wrong

Melt pools don't join: The wicks are too small or too far apart. Burn longer (up to 4 hours) first. Next time, space wicks closer or go up a size.
Bowl feels hot or a flame is near the rim: Put it out. A wick is too close to the wall or oversized. Keep wicks at least 1 in (2.5 cm) from the wall and drop a size.
Oil stains on the outside of a wooden bowl: The bowl isn't sealed. Stop using it for candles. Pick a sealed bowl or seal the interior with a heat-resistant finish before pouring.
Sinkholes or rough, cratered tops: The wax shrank as it cooled. Poke relief holes near the wick and top up with a little reserved wax, or run a heat gun over the surface until the top 1/8 in (3 mm) melts smooth.
Mushrooming wick, soot or a tall flickering flame: The wick is too big or too long, or the fragrance load is too high. Trim to 1/4 in (6 mm) before every burn, keep drafts away, and go down one wick size or lower the fragrance next batch.