How to Tab a Wick
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Pre-tabbed wicks are available for votive and tealight candles. If don’t want to use pre-tabbed wicks for tealights and votives, or if you are making container candles, or pillars which do not use a mold with a wick-whole, you will need to tab your wicks. For this you will need:
- Wick of the type suitable for the type of candle you are making (Please see our reference on Picking Your Wick for assistance choosing the proper wick to use for your candle.)
- Wick Clips
- Pliers
- Scissors
- Ruler
Step One: Measure & Cut Wick
This just takes a ruler and some scissors.
- For Votive Wicks, cut wick into 2 ˝“ lengths
- For Tealight Wicks, cut wick into 1 ˝” lengths
- For Container and Jar Candle Wicks, cut wick into the measure out enough wick for the height of your candle plus 2 inches extra for the wick centering process. For example, if you are making a 4” jar candle, measure out 4” + 2” = 6” length of wick. (In general, container candles 2” and under don’t extra wick cut for wick centering, as the wick’s generally stand by themselves at this height.)
- For Pillar Wicks, measure out enough wick for the height of your candle plus 2 inches extra for the wick centering process. For example, if you are making a 3” pillar candle, measure out 3” + 2” = 5” length of wick. (this is if your pillar mold does not have a wick hole in the bottom of it only)
Step Two: Put the Wick to the Clip
The top of the wick clip has a small hollow stem rising from the center. The wick goes through this stem. The bottom of the wick clip is smooth.
HINT: For Tealights, it’s easiest to choose the large (self centering) wick clips
- Take one of your cut wicks in one hand and a wick clip in the other.
- Thread the wick through the wick clip from back to front.
- When the wick is flush with the flat surface of the back of the wick clip, or even a fraction further into the stem (indented), stop threading
Step Three: Crimp the Stem
Now take the pliers and squeeze the stem of the wick clip into the wick, crimping the stem so it holds the wicwickk snugly.
That’s it! You have now tabbed your own wick!
NOTE: If you are using raw (non-waxed) wick, after you tab it you probably want to “prime” the tabbed wick (dip it in wax to make it a waxed wick) before using in a candle.