There are many different kinds of molds used for candle making; the most popular being ready made molds. Ready made molds are either rigid or flexible. Rigid molds are easy to work with and come in a variety of materials. However, rigid ready made molds are limited in shape, being pillars, rectangles, or triangles.
Plastic ready made molds are inexpensive and have the advantage of being transparent. However, do not use a plastic mold with wax hotter than 180 degrees. You could melt it.
Metal ready made molds are more expensive but more durable.
Don’t over look found objects in your home to use as a rigid mold. The big rules of thumb here:
- Can the mold take hot wax without melting?
- Is the shape larger at the top than it is at the bottom? If not, you may have trouble getting the candle out.
- Is the shape somewhat cylindrical? If not, you could have problems with it burning properly.
Flexible molds made of latex or rubber have the advantage of being …flexible. A flexible mold will give you more design options, however, you will have more trouble removing the candle from the mold due to the detail.
No matter what kind of mold you decide to use, you may have issues removing the candle from the mold.
The beginner should avoid using beeswax in a mold, as it is so sticky you will have problems with release.
The two major ways to combat mold release problems is to use an additive in your wax mixture to help with release, and to spray the mold with a mold release before pouring the wax.
Do not use stearin in a flexible mold, it will rot it. Choose vybar instead.
Your ready made molds will last much longer if you clean them properly. Avoid scraping your molds to clean them. Instead, use a wax cleaner, or bake the wax off.
To bake your wax off of a mold, place it on a cookie sheet (lined with wax paper or aluminum foil) and bake it in a 175 degree over for 5-10 minutes. Then use a paper towel to wipe away any residue.
