Molds for Candle Making
There are an almost limitless selection of candle making molds available for sale for candle making at home. Such a wide variety of candle molds are most likely due to the popularity of the hobby of candle making as well as wide spread purchase of a variety of candle types for the home.
Candle molds are containers in which heated wax is poured and left to cool. The wax then takes the form of the mold after it has cooled and hardened. There are a variety of sizes, styles, and shapes of candle molds as well as different materials used to make molds. Candle makers often use aluminum molds which are heat resistant as well as durable. Aluminum molds also provide a smooth, seamless finished candle that gives a professional appearance. These aluminum molds are often used to make votive and pillar candles. The aluminum type of molds are less expensive in comparison to molds made from rubber. An attractive feature of metal molds is that they are easily cleaned when placed on a baking sheet in the oven. This is done by positioning them upside down in an oven that is preheated to approximately 150 degrees. This method will melt the remaining wax from previous candle making from the mold onto the cookie sheet leaving it clean. It is a good idea to line the cookie sheet with some type of baking paper such as foil or parchment paper. Aluminum molds can be less attractive to use due to their lack flexibility and therefore limit the choice of shape and texture of the candles made. As well the need to use some type of agent to release the candle from the mold is also a drawback.
Some candle makers prefer to use more flexible molds made from materials such as latex, silicone, or polyurethane. While polyurethane molds are flexible, they do not have the ability to stretch much, though they are most often less expensive than silicone molds. These molds do have an odor that may pass into the candle and also need a releasing agent to remove the candle from the mold. Pillar and taper candles are frequently made from molds of this type. Another rubber type mold is the silicone mold which has superior qualities and therefore is the most expensive. Silicone molds are flexible as well as stretchable and leave no lines and allow easy removal of the candle and further require no releasing agent . Despite the wide use of latex molds in the past, new improved types of rubber molds have become more popular. The availability of liquid latex has allowed candle makers to make their own, often unique molds at home. This is done by applying numerous coats of latex onto an endless variety of objects resulting in endless molds for an exciting and enormous variety of candles.
Though plastic candle molds are the least expensive they are not always the most desirable. They are more brittle than other molds and have shorter usage span. The positive feature of plastic molds is that they are easily cleaned with soap and warm water. The mold must be thoroughly dry before it is used again as water bubbles will appear on the molded candles if the mold is allowed to remain wet. Plastic molds are excellent molds for beginner candle makers; however, those who wish to take their candle making hobby further and create a business out of their skills would likely want to invest in more sophisticated molds.
