How to get an even burn

Every week somebody sends us a photo of a candle with a deep, narrow hole down the middle and a thick wall of wax around the edge. It's called tunneling, and it's the most common candle complaint there is. The good news is that it's almost always preventable, and usually fixable.

Here's how we burn candles in the pour room, where we light dozens a week to test every batch.

1. Make the first burn count

Wax has a memory. The first time you light a candle, the melted pool sets a boundary, and every burn after that tends to stop at the same edge.

So the first burn should be long enough for the melt pool to reach the sides of the jar. Our rule of thumb is one hour for every inch of jar width. For a Classic (about 3 inches across), that's around three hours. For the Crock, closer to four.

If you only have twenty minutes, light something else, or wait until tonight. It's worth it.

2. Trim the wick, every time

A long wick makes a tall, flickering flame that smokes, soots the glass, and burns through wax faster than it should. Before every burn, trim it:

• Cotton wicks: to about 1/4 inch
• Wood wicks: to about 1/8 inch

Wick trimmers make it easy to reach into a jar, but nail clippers work for wood wicks. For cotton, you can also pinch off the black, mushroomed tip with a tissue once the candle has cooled.

A trimmed wick burns with a steady, teardrop flame, which is exactly the shape we drew into our logo.

3. Four hours, then rest

Burning for too long lets the wick build up carbon and the jar get hotter than it should. We stop at four hours and let the candle cool for at least two before relighting.

This also keeps the scent fresher. Fragrance in a natural wax releases best from a melt pool that's fully formed but not boiling.

4. Mind the drafts

A candle near an open window, a ceiling fan, or a heating vent will burn unevenly, with one side melting faster and the flame dancing and smoking. Find it a still spot on a heat-safe surface, away from curtains and anything that can catch fire.

If it's already tunneling

You can usually rescue it with a sheet of aluminum foil:

1. Wrap foil around the top of the jar so it covers the wax wall, leaving a hole about an inch across in the middle.
2. Light the candle and let it burn for an hour or two. The foil reflects heat back onto the edges and melts them down.
3. Remove the foil carefully (it will be hot), and let the candle finish its burn.

The melt pool should now reach the glass. From here, follow the first-burn rule every time and it'll stay even.

What about wood wicks?

Wood wicks are a little more particular. They like a shorter trim, and sometimes need a moment to catch: tilt the jar slightly and hold the flame to the wick for a few seconds. If the flame is weak, the wick is probably too long and is getting drowned by the melt pool. Trim it and try again.

The reward is a wider, softer flame and the crackle, which is the whole reason we offer them. It's especially good with Woodstove.

When to stop

Stop burning when about half an inch of wax is left in the bottom. Below that, the base of the jar can get too hot.

Then clean it out and keep the jar. Pour boiling water in, let the wax float to the top and harden, lift it out, and wash the jar with soap. Our Classic jars make good pencil cups, spice jars, and homes for a sprig of something from the yard.

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Never leave a burning candle unattended. Keep candles away from children, pets, and anything that can catch fire.