How to Make Incense Burners
Incense comes in three forms: sticks, powder and cones. It releases its fragrance through smoke. In order to avoid a fire and contain messes, incense must be burned in special containers that both collect the ash and elevate or enclose the smoldering heat. It's easy to make incense burners yourself. This particular incense burner comes together quickly and can be used for all three kinds of incense.
Things You'll Need
- Baby food jar
- Sand
- Stickers, paint or glass etching supplies (optional)
Instructions
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1
Wash and dry a baby food jar or other small glass food jar. Avoid using plastic containers because these can melt when exposed to the heat of burning incense. Reserve the lid to use later.
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2
Decorate the jar. Use stickers, glass etching, or paints to decorate the outside of the glass baby food jar. This step is optional, but adds a nice touch and helps the incense burner match your decor. Allow all glue or paint to dry before moving on.
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3
Fill the baby food jar with sand. Gently shake the jar back and forth to settle and level the sand. Add more if needed. Place the lid on the jar when not in use. See the Resource section below for information on purchasing colored sand.
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Use the burner with stick incense by sticking the bottom of the stick into the sand. Make sure the stick points straight into the air at a 90-degree angle to the floor. As the incense burns, the ash will collect in the jar, on top of the sand. Simply mix it into the sand using the used incense stick.
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5
Use the burner with cone incense by placing the cone on top of the sand and lighting it. Treat the ash in the same manner.
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Use the burner with powdered incense by placing the powder in top of the sand, in the middle. This method calls ash to build up faster, so use a spoon to scoop out the ash and sand, and replace some of the sand.
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Tips & Warnings
Be sure any colored or otherwise treated sand you use is nonflammable.
