Candle tunneling is that annoying thing where the flame burns a narrow hole straight down the middle and leaves a thick wall of wax all around it. Most tunnels can be fixed in one evening with some foil, a hair dryer or one long burn. Better still, it’s easy to prevent, because almost everything depends on the very first time you light the candle.
Here’s what causes it, how to fix candle tunneling once it’s happened, and why our sculptural candles need a slightly gentler approach.
Why candles tunnel
Wax has a kind of memory. On the first burn, the melt pool only spreads as wide as you let it. Blow the candle out before the liquid wax gets near the edges and the next burn will tend to stop at that same ring. Then the one after that. The flame sinks a little lower every time and the wall around it never melts.
The usual suspects:
- A first burn that was too short. That’s the cause most of the time.
- A wick that’s too small for the width of the candle, so the flame can’t heat the whole surface.
- Drafts. Moving air pushes the flame sideways and the pool melts unevenly.
- Lots of short burns. Twenty minutes here and there teaches the wax to melt in a small circle.
How to fix candle tunneling: 4 methods
1. Wrap it in foil
This is the one we’d try first for a shallow or medium tunnel.
- Trim the wick to about 5mm.
- Wrap aluminium foil around the top of the candle so it covers the outer wall, leaving an opening of 3 to 5cm in the middle above the flame.
- Light it. The foil bounces heat back onto the wax that hasn’t melted.
- Check after an hour or two. Once the surface is liquid almost to the edges, take the foil off (carefully, it’s hot) and let the candle burn a little longer.
2. Use a hair dryer or heat gun
Put a hair dryer on low, or hold a heat gun well back, and melt the top layer until it’s level. Let it set, then light the candle and leave it long enough to form a full melt pool. Don’t let loose wax flood the wick.
3. One long, even burn
A shallow tunnel sometimes just needs 2 to 3 hours somewhere without a draft. The pool often catches up with the edges by itself. Stay in the room while it burns.
4. Scrape and level
For a deep tunnel, scrape the extra wax off the walls with a spoon until the top is roughly level with the wick, then go back to method 1 or 2. Keep the shavings. They’re great in a wax warmer.
How to stop candle tunneling before it starts
- Give the first burn enough time. A common rule for pillar candles is about an hour for every 2.5cm (one inch) of width. For our 30cm Genesis pieces, plan on at least 90 minutes the first time, and 2 to 3 hours for the bigger pieces.
- Trim the wick to about 5mm every time you light it. The flame stays steadier and cleaner.
- Keep it away from open windows, heating vents and fans.
- Don’t go past 3 or 4 hours in one sitting. Any longer and the wick can overheat and the candle can start losing its shape.
Why sculptural candles tunnel differently
With a candle in a jar, a tunnel just means wasted wax stuck to the glass. With a sculptural candle, the outside is the whole point. The face or the carved figure lives in that outer wall, and that’s exactly the part you want to keep.
So with our pieces you’re not chasing a melt pool that runs all the way to the edge. Let it get close on the first burn, as we explain in the sculptural candle care guide, and keep the later burns moderate. A slight hollow in the middle with the outside left intact actually looks great: the flame starts to glow through the wax like a lantern.
I design the walls of every piece thicker than a normal pillar needs. The flame is meant to work inside the sculpture, not through it. Trim the wick, keep burns to three or four hours, and the face stays while the light starts to come through the wax.
Arian Karami, sculptor and founder of Titan Candles
And when the centre does burn down, there’s no need to throw the shell away. Our refill service restores the candle so the sculpture can stay where it is.
Quick answers
Can you fix a candle that has tunneled badly?
Usually, yes. Scrape the walls down, then use the foil trick. If the wick is drowning, pour off a little of the liquid wax and light it again.
Is candle tunneling dangerous?
Not on its own. A deep tunnel can drown the wick or make the flame flicker against the walls, though, so keep an eye on it and never leave a lit candle alone.
Does tunneling happen with soy and beeswax?
It does. Any wax can tunnel. Beeswax melts at a higher temperature than soy, so a beeswax candle may need a slightly longer first burn. We compare the two in soy vs beeswax candles.
Looking for a candle that’s worth the effort? Browse the collection.