How to Seal Wax with Wick

A wax seal decorates a gift package.

Wax seals have been used in various cultures for hundreds of years to signify a document's authenticity. Today, technology has replaced the necessity for sealing wax, but it is still useful as a traditional or ceremonial mark. Many types of seals and sealing wax are available to purchase and they add elegance, style and an air of formality to wedding invitations, letters, cards, gift boxes and more. Sealing wax is available in many colors for an even more customized look. Sticks of sealing wax sometimes contain a wick and burn like a candle. Otherwise, they are solid wax and must be melted by an outside heat source to be used.

Things You'll Need

• Vegetable oil
• Wax seal
• Sealing wax with wick
• Match or lighter

Instructions

1. Rub a tiny drop of vegetable oil onto the wax seal die so that it will release from the wax more easily after sealing.

2. Light the wick of the sealing wax stick with a match or lighter.

3. Hold the lit wax stick over your paper surface with the lit end pointing slightly downward at about a 20-degree angle.

4. Drop wax onto your paper surface until it forms a small puddle about 1 inch in diameter.

5. Blow out the flame on your wax stick and set it aside. The tip will still be melted, so set it on scrap paper where it won't get wax on anything else that you will have to clean up later.

6. Press your seal gently into the melted wax puddle. Hold it for two or three seconds before removing it. Pull the seal straight up off the wax. The vegetable oil should help it release smoothly, but if you have trouble, leave the seal in a bit longer until the wax is cooler before removing it.

7. Let the seal cool off before using it to make another seal.

Tips & Warnings

• One wax stick should make 8 to 10 wax seals.

References

• Living Victorian: Instructions for Using Your Wax Seal
• Wax Seals: History of the Wax Seal