Which candle for a candle holder? Taper candles, sizes and safety

To choose a candle, first measure the socket of your candle holder. The candle must have the same diameter: it goes in without force and stays straight. Here is how to measure, how to wedge a candle that does not fit, and how to light it without risk.

Taper candle, table candle: what are we talking about

A taper is a long, thin candle that you place in a candle holder. It is also called a table candle or a dinner candle, depending on the brand.

There is no single diameter. Candle makers and candle holder makers do not agree, and the only reliable rule is to measure. So measure the socket of your candle holder before you buy candles. Thin candles, of the conical type, are narrower. Tealights, which sit in a small cup, are wider.

Measure the socket

For most of our candle holders, the manufacturer does not give the socket diameter. Here is what to do when it arrives:

1. Take a rigid ruler or, better, a caliper.
2. Measure the width of the opening, from edge to edge, through the center.
3. Also measure the depth, with a thin stick. A candle must go down at least two or three centimeters.
4. Write the numbers down and keep them for your candle purchases.

Measure the candle the same way, at its base: that is the part that goes into the socket. A candle can be conical: the top is thinner than the bottom.

Some models are listed by the manufacturer for a standard-size candle, like the blue and pink bird candle holder and the strawberry candle holder. This “standard size” is not given as a number. Measure anyway.

The candle is too thin

A candle that is too thin leans. The flame shifts, the wax runs down one side only and the candle holder gets dirty.

Solutions:

• Soft wax: roll a little wax into a thin rope, and slide it around the base.
• A ring of aluminum foil around the foot of the candle. It holds the candle straight without sticking.
• Another candle, with the right diameter, if the gap is too large. This is the cleanest solution.

Check that the candle is straight, seen from the front and from the side, before you light it.

The candle is too big

Never force it. A candle holder in resin or molded stone can crack.

• Scrape the base with a knife, turning the candle on itself. Remove only a little at a time.
• Or warm the foot of the candle with your hand, and press gently. The wax gives a little. If it still does not fit, change the candle.

Keep the trimmed base even, with no corners, so the candle stays straight.

Dripping wax

A badly wedged candle drips. So does a candle in a draft. To limit the wax:

• Place the candle holder away from a window or a door. A draft makes the flame flicker.
• Check that the candle is straight, otherwise the flame heats one side only and the wax overflows on that side.
• Put a small dish under the candle holder on a precious piece of furniture. Health Canada advises holders that do not tip over easily.
• Trim the wick before each lighting: an insurer advises 5 to 7 mm. A wick that is too long gives a big flame and smoke.

Polyresin candle holders

Our bird-shaped candle holders are made of polyresin or polystone, painted. The manufacturer does not give their heat resistance. So here are some simple precautions:

• Do not light a candle that has burned down close to the candle holder. Put it out first. The flame heats the socket when it is low.
• Choose a candle that fits well, neither jammed nor too loose.
• Do not place the candle holder near a heat source, such as a radiator or a lit fireplace.
• Keep the candle holder stable, on a flat surface.

If you have doubts about a material, use an LED candle.

Light it without risk

Health Canada is clear: never leave lit candles unattended, and put them out before going to bed or leaving the room. An insurer adds to keep them 50 cm to 1 meter from flammable materials, such as curtains, tablecloths or the tree.

• Light it away from drafts.
• Keep the candle straight.
• Keep children and pets away.
• Put it out with a snuffer or by blowing, never with water.

For festive tables, our guide to the Christmas table centerpiece gives rules for greenery.

The LED candle

An LED candle does not heat the candle holder. It is useful when a candle holder stays lit for a long time, when children or pets walk by, or near foliage. It also has a diameter: measure the socket as you would for a real candle.

Which candle holder for which candle

A small, low candle holder takes a single candle. A large model, like the three-candle eagle, needs three, each the same size. To choose a model, see our guide to bird-shaped candle holders.

In short

1. Measure the socket, then choose a candle of the same diameter.
2. Too thin: wedge it with soft wax or aluminum foil.
3. Too big: trim the base, without forcing.
4. Put the candle out before the flame gets close to the candle holder.
5. Never a flame unattended, and 50 cm to 1 meter from anything that burns.

Sources

• Fire safety at home, Health Canada (in French)
• Candle use guidelines at home, Matmut (in French)
• Manufacturer data sheets (dimensions of the candle set, intended use of the candle holders)