How To Make Dinner Candles Stand Straight

Taper dinner candles are a classic choice for a range of special events. From romantic dinners to wedding celebrations, tapered candles can create a dreamy atmosphere of sophistication in any event space.

However, one of the only downsides to using dinner candles is that they can sometimes appear lopsided. This not only looks bad but also is a potential fire hazard.

Thankfully, this problem can be fixed in just a few simple steps. Watch our step-by-step video below to learn two methods of how to make your dinner candles stand straight at your next special event.

What You Need:
•    Tapered Candles
•    Candle Holder or Candelabra
•    Long Neck Lighter – we recommend using this style of lighter because it reduces the risk of you burning your fingers.
•    Paper towel or a drop cloth

Step-By-Step Instructions:

Method 1:

• Step 1: Lay your paper towel or drop cloth on your workbench and place your chosen candle holder in front of you. Laying a paper towel or drop cloth underneath your candle holder protects your workspace from any dripping wax during the process.
• Step 2: Take your taper candle and long neck lighter and slightly melt the bottom of the candle that DOES NOT have the wick sticking out of it.
• Step 3: When the candle is slightly melted, place the bottom end of the candle into the candle holder and hold it in place for 1 minute whilst the wax dries. As it cools, the candle will form a bond with the candle holder and stick to the bottom.
• Step 4: Once the candle feels secure, slowly release your grip on the candle. The candle should now stand straight in the candle holder without added support.

Method 2:

• Step 1: Lay your paper towel or drop cloth on your workbench and place your chosen candle holder in front of you. Laying a paper towel or drop cloth underneath your candle holder protects your workspace from any dripping wax during the process.
• Step 2: Using your long neck lighter, light the top of the candle where the wick sticks out.
• Step 3: Tilt your candle and slowly drip the wax into the bottom of your candle holder.
• Step 4: Place the bottom end of the candle into the candle holder and hold it till the candle feels secure. Once the candle feels secure, slowly release your grip on the candle. The candle should now stand straight in the candle holder without added support.

Please Note: If your candle is still not standing straight in the holder this might be because of a few reasons. Firstly, you may not have melted the candle for long enough, or you did not leave the candle enough time to form a bond with the candle holder. If this is the case, try repeating the process over again and give more time to each step.

For more candle decorating ideas, read our other Koch Blogs How To Style Dinner Candles For Different Occasions and our Guide To Using Candle Sand Wax.