How Does a Candle's Wick Work?
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The All-Important Wick
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Candles have been a valued light source since before electricity and their warm familiar glow is still treasured today. Candles come in all sizes, colors, shapes and are made with a variety of waxes. What they all have in common are wicks. Whether a wick is flat, square or cored, this is generally how a wick works.
What is a Wick?
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A candle wick is usually a braided length of cotton with a stiff core sometimes made of zinc that sticks out a ¼-inch to ½-inch above the candle wax. According to the National Candle Association there are currently more than 100 unique wicks on the market. The candle wax is the fuel for the flame and the wick is what transports the fuel to the flame. Some candles have only one wick while other larger candles might have three or more. Small tealights and some floating candles have wicks that are fastened to the bottom of their metal cups so that the short wick doesn't float to the top when the wax becomes liquid.
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Fuel to Flame
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When a candle is lit with a match or a lighter, the wick catches fire and melts the wax around it. The wick creates a mechanism called capillary action in which the wick draws the molten wax to the flame, transporting the liquid wax as fuel. When this fuel reaches the flame it then vaporizes and burns. A chemical reaction happens among the vaporized hydrocarbons and the oxygen in the air. The wick burns down with it and if not monitored many be put out by a pool of wax if a well has been created around the wick.
A Little More About Wicks
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Many wicks are coated with a thin layer of wax to initiate a burn the first time it is lit. Wicks are treated with oil or tannic acid in preparation for being treated with a metallic mordant which prevents the wick from burning away in the flame. The larger the wick the larger the flame and pool of wax which is why some people keep the wicks trimmed to a certain length. Some wicks are braided and then flattened so they curl back as the candle burns.
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- Photo Credit Naomi Judd
