How to Hang a Votive From the Ceiling

Hang votives from the ceiling to enhance their glow.

Votive candles create a relaxing atmosphere in a room with their gentle glow. You can enhance the beauty of your votive candle display by hanging them from the ceiling. Use tin cans or canning jars to create simple, yet elegant hanging votive holders that can change the ambiance of a room with their soft glow at night. Both of these materials can be recycled from your home which makes this project low on cost, environmentally friendly and stylish. These hanging votive holders make a nice conversation piece when you are sitting back and taking in the soft shadows and light they cast. Does this Spark an idea?

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Tin can, lid removed
Permanent marker
Drill
1/8-inch drill bit
Metal spray paint, oil rubbed bronze color
Sand
Roll, copper wire
Wire cutters
Stud finder
2 threaded eye hooks
Canning jar
Rice
Roll, jute twine
Shears

Instructions

How to Hang a Votive from the Ceiling: Tin Can Votive Hanger
- 1
  
  Place the tin can on a work surface. Mark it in a pattern or randomly with a permanent marker to indicate where you want holes for the light come out from the can. Leave the bottom 1/3 of the can unmarked. Mark two opposing holes along the open rim of the can. These are the holes for hanging the can.
- 2
  
  Drill through the can using an 1/8-inch drill bit and drill at each marking. Allow the bit to cut the metal by applying moderate pressure against the can as it drills through it to avoid tearing on the inside of the can.
- 3
  
  Spray the entire can with metal spray paint to apply an even coat. Allow the paint to dry at least four hours and apply a second coat. Allow the second coat to dry 24 hours.
- 4
  
  Fill the bottom 1/3 of the can with sand. Press the votive candle down into the sand just enough to hold it in place.
- 5
  
  Unroll a length of copper wire that is roughly twice the length that you would like the votive to hang from the ceiling. Cut it from the roll with wire cutters. Insert one end into the hanger holes you cut near the can's open rim and feed it back up and then twist it to secure it to the can.
- 6
  
  Locate a ceiling joist using a stud finder. Mark the desired location for the hanging votive with a pencil along the joist. Thread a threaded eye hook into the ceiling. Hang the wire from the tin can over the eye hook to hang it from the ceiling.
How to Hang a Votive from the Ceiling: Canning Jar Votive Hanger
- 7
  
  Place the canning jar on a work surface. Fill the jar approximately 1/3 to 1/2 full with dry rice.
- 8
  
  Unroll a length of jute twine about six to eight inches longer than the length you would like the votive hanger to hang down from the ceiling. Cut the twine off with shears.
- 9
  
  Wrap one end of the twine around the underside of the jar lip and tie it in a double knot. Tie a small 1-inch loop in the opposite end of the twine.
- 10
  
  Install an eye hook following the same procedure as you did in step 6 for the tin can votive hanger. Hook the 1-inch loop on the twine over the eye hook to hang the votive hanger from the ceiling. The jar will hang at an angle. Even the rice out in the jar so that it is level horizontally even though the jar is at an angle.
- 11
  
  Insert a votive into the jar and press it down into the rice enough to hold it in place.

Tips & Warnings

Hang several votive hangers at various lengths from the ceiling to create a visually captivating lighting display.
Wear eye protection when operating power tools to avoid eye injury.