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Handcraft

Candle Wax Calculator

Work out the wax and fragrance oil for a batch of container candles from the container volume, the fill level, the wax type and the fragrance load.

Candle Making
Wax is the one candle material you cannot buy halfway through a pour, and running short with a scented batch already made up is an expensive mistake. This calculator turns a container volume, a fill level, a wax type and a fragrance load into the weights to prepare: wax in ounces and grams, fragrance oil in ounces, grams and millilitres, and the total batch weight. It handles a jar whose volume you already know and a plain cylinder you only have a ruler for.

At a glance

What you enter
Container volume, Container diameter, cylindrical, Fill height, cylindrical, How many containers?, Fill percentage, Wax type, Fragrance load
What you get
Total wax, Total wax, Fragrance oil, Fragrance oil, Fragrance oil, Total batch weight, Recommended extra wax, Wax to prepare with the allowance
Formula shown
Yes, every step, right below your results.
Cost and privacy
Free, no account needed, and nothing you type is stored.

See worked examples ↓ Read the FAQ ↓ Share this calculator ↓

The volume of one container. Leave this and fill in the diameter and fill height below if you would rather measure.

Inside diameter. Fill this in with the fill height to have the volume calculated from measurements instead.

Height from the base to the fill line, not the full height of the jar.

The share of the container filled with wax. 90 percent leaves useful headroom.

Wax type

Sets the density factor. See the reference table below the calculator.

A percentage of the wax weight. Soy is usually 6 to 10 percent, paraffin 3 to 10, and 6 is a common starting point.

Reset

Results are estimates for general information only, always verify with a professional or official source before acting on them.

How to use the Candle Wax Calculator

  1. 1 Enter Container volume (fl oz), The volume of one container. Leave this and fill in the diameter and fill height below if you would rather measure.
  2. 2 Enter Container diameter, cylindrical (in), Inside diameter. Fill this in with the fill height to have the volume calculated from measurements instead.
  3. 3 Enter Fill height, cylindrical (in), Height from the base to the fill line, not the full height of the jar.
  4. 4 Enter How many containers?
  5. 5 Enter Fill percentage (%), The share of the container filled with wax. 90 percent leaves useful headroom.
  6. 6 Enter Wax type, Sets the density factor. See the reference table below the calculator.
  7. 7 Enter Fragrance load (%), A percentage of the wax weight. Soy is usually 6 to 10 percent, paraffin 3 to 10, and 6 is a common starting point.
  8. 8 Press Calculate. You get Total wax, Total wax, Fragrance oil, Fragrance oil, Fragrance oil, Total batch weight, Recommended extra wax, Wax to prepare with the allowance, and every intermediate step stays visible under "How is this calculated?"
  9. 9 Change one number at a time to see what moves the result, that is usually the most useful thing a calculator can tell you.

Worked examples

Real numbers run through this calculator. Open any example to load it into the form above and change it.

One 8 fl oz soy jar

A single 8 fluid ounce jar filled to 90 percent with soy wax at a 6 percent fragrance load.

You enter

Container volume
8 fl oz
Container diameter, cylindrical
0 in
Fill height, cylindrical
0 in
How many containers?
1
Fill percentage
90%
Wax type
2
Fragrance load
6%

You get

Total wax
6.26 oz
Total wax
177.58 g
Fragrance oil
0.38 oz
Fragrance oil
10.65 g
Fragrance oil
11.22 mL
Total batch weight
6.64 oz
Recommended extra wax
0.31 oz
Wax to prepare with the allowance
6.58 oz

About 6.3 ounces of wax and 0.38 ounces of fragrance oil for one candle.

Open this example in the calculator →

Twelve 4 fl oz tins in coconut wax

A batch of twelve small tins, filled to 88 percent, at an 8 percent load.

You enter

Container volume
4 fl oz
Container diameter, cylindrical
0 in
Fill height, cylindrical
0 in
How many containers?
12
Fill percentage
88%
Wax type
3
Fragrance load
8%

You get

Total wax
38.86 oz
Total wax
1,101.69 g
Fragrance oil
3.11 oz
Fragrance oil
88.13 g
Fragrance oil
92.77 mL
Total batch weight
41.97 oz
Recommended extra wax
1.94 oz
Wax to prepare with the allowance
40.80 oz

Working in grams is easier at this size, because the fragrance weight is small.

Open this example in the calculator →

Six jars measured by hand

A 2.9 inch inside diameter filled to 3.1 inches, six jars, paraffin at 6 percent.

You enter

Container volume
8 fl oz
Container diameter, cylindrical
2.90 in
Fill height, cylindrical
3.10 in
How many containers?
6
Fill percentage
90%
Wax type
1
Fragrance load
6%

You get

Total wax
55.14 oz
Total wax
1,563.25 g
Fragrance oil
3.31 oz
Fragrance oil
93.79 g
Fragrance oil
98.73 mL
Total batch weight
58.45 oz
Recommended extra wax
2.76 oz
Wax to prepare with the allowance
57.90 oz

The measured diameter and fill height override the container volume.

Open this example in the calculator →

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Frequently asked questions

How much wax do I need for an 8 oz candle?
An 8 fluid ounce jar filled to 90 percent takes about 6.3 ounces of soy wax by weight, plus roughly 0.38 ounces of fragrance oil at a 6 percent load. The jar volume and the wax weight are not the same number, because a jar is named for the volume it holds and wax is lighter than water. Enter your own jar volume, or its diameter and fill height, for the figure that applies to your container.
Is fragrance load a percentage of the wax or of the finished candle?
Of the wax weight. A 6 percent load means 6 grams of fragrance oil for every 100 grams of wax, so the finished candle weighs 106 grams and the fragrance is about 5.7 percent of that total. Suppliers quote load limits on the wax weight too, so that is the figure to compare against your fragrance data sheet.
How much extra wax should I melt?
Between 5 and 10 percent more than the batch needs is normal, because wax clings to the pouring pot, the pitcher and the thermometer, and most makers keep a little back for topping up a sinking candle. This calculator suggests 5 percent, which suits a small batch; use 10 percent for a large batch or a wide pot. If you do melt the extra, remember that scenting it uses more fragrance oil as well.
Why does the candle weigh less than the size on the jar?
Because the size on the jar is a volume, usually measured to the brim, and the wax inside settles into a smaller space than the container appears to hold. An 8 fluid ounce jar normally finishes at roughly 6 to 7 ounces of wax by weight depending on the wax and the fill line. This is also why two jars sold as the same size can take noticeably different amounts of wax.

More money questions answered →

Terms used here

Short, plain-language definitions of the words this calculator uses.

Cure time The resting period after a candle is poured, before it is burned or sold, during which the fragrance binds with the wax and the scent throw develops. Fragrance load The weight of fragrance oil in a candle expressed as a percentage of the WAX weight, not of the finished candle. Melt pool The pool of liquid wax that forms around the wick as a candle burns. Wick size The thickness and construction of the wick, chosen to suit the diameter of the container and the wax being used.

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