Wicks and Wick Sizing
Wick Size Chart for Beeswax
There is no published beeswax chart. What exists is a soy chart and an instruction, and this page shows both halves of the sum.
We have not burned these candles and we do not claim to have. Here is what we did instead. Links to Amazon earn us a commission at no extra cost to you — disclosure.
| # | Product | Best for | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  VEGISHINE White Beeswax Pellets for Candle MakingTop pickBeeswax burns longer and brighter than soy and smells faintly of honey on its own. Pellets are the form to buy, because a solid beeswax block is genuinely difficult to break down. | Beeswax without cutting up a block | Check price#ad |
| 2 |  Beeswax Pellets for Candle Making, 0.44 lb to 5 lbSold from 0.44 lb upward, which is the smallest beeswax quantity in this category. Beeswax costs several times what soy does, so a small bag is the honest way to find out whether the burn is worth the price. | Trying beeswax without buying two pounds of it | Check price#ad |
| 3 |  ECO 10 Pre-Waxed Wicks for Soy Candles, 100 pcsECO is the series whose charts are published for soy directly rather than adjusted from paraffin, which makes it the easiest series for a beginner to size correctly on the first try. | 3 to 3.25 inch soy containers, on the US charts | Check price#ad |
| 4 |  ECO 4 Pre-Waxed Wicks for Soy Candles, 100 pcsThe size for the 4-ounce tins that come in nearly every starter kit. Kits routinely ship one unnamed wick size for every container they include, and this is what those small tins actually wanted. | Small tins and 2 to 2.5 inch jars | Check price#ad |
| 5 |  CD 12 Pre-Tabbed Candle Wicks for Soy Candles, 100 pcsCD 12 is the size the published soy charts point to for a standard 3-inch jar, which is the jar most beginner kits ship. Buying the series by size rather than by assortment is how you actually control a burn. | Jars around 2.5 to 3 inches across | Check price#ad |
We went looking for a published beeswax wick chart across every supplier whose charts we have transcribed. There is not one. Every chart in this category is published against soy or against base paraffin, and beeswax is handled with a sentence rather than a table.
That sentence is worth quoting precisely, because the whole of this page is built on it. Tools for Makers publishes its ECO chart for soy with the note: increase one to two sizes for beeswax.
Why beeswax needs a bigger wick
Melt point. Container soy publishes 113 to 121F across the common products. Beeswax runs far above that, generally cited in the 140s to 150s Fahrenheit, though almost no retail beeswax listing publishes a figure at all, including both of the ones in our picks.
A wick has to deliver enough liquid wax per hour to sustain a melt pool across the container. A wax that melts thirty degrees higher demands more heat from the flame to keep the same pool liquid, so the flame has to be bigger, so the wick has to be bigger. That is the whole mechanism.
The derived table
| Diameter | Published soy ECO row | Beeswax, plus one size | Beeswax, plus two sizes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.0 in | ECO 4 | ECO 6 | ECO 8 |
| 2.25 in | ECO 4 | ECO 6 | ECO 8 |
| 2.5 in | ECO 4 to ECO 6 | ECO 6 to ECO 8 | ECO 8 to ECO 10 |
| 2.75 in | ECO 6 | ECO 8 | ECO 10 |
| 3.0 in | ECO 8 to ECO 10 | ECO 10 to ECO 12 | ECO 12 to ECO 14 |
| 3.25 in | ECO 10 | ECO 12 | ECO 14 |
| 3.5 in | ECO 12 | ECO 14 | ECO 16 |
| 3.75 in | ECO 14 | ECO 16 | beyond the published range |
The soy column is transcribed from Lone Star Candle Supply's ECO chart, which is published for soy directly. The two beeswax columns apply the Tools for Makers instruction to it. Where the arithmetic runs past the end of the published ECO range, the table says so rather than inventing a size.
One size or two?
The published instruction gives a range, which is unhelpful when you have to buy something. Three things push you toward the larger end.
- Pure beeswax rather than a blend. A beeswax-soy blend sits between the two melt points and needs less adjustment.
- A wider container. The heat has further to travel, and beeswax makes that harder.
- Any fragrance load. Oil thins the wax and loads the braid, and beeswax candles that carry fragrance need more wick than unscented ones.
Pushing you toward the smaller end: an unscented beeswax candle in a narrow container, which is the traditional format and the most forgiving.
The honest answer is to buy both sizes and burn them. That is true of every wick recommendation on this site and it is more true here, because there is no published chart to fall back on.
The full published context
For completeness, here is every chart we have transcribed, with the basis wax on each column. None of them is a beeswax chart; the ECO columns are the ones the derivation above is built from.
| Diameter | Lone Star Candle Supplybasis: soy | CandleSciencebasis: soy | Tools for Makersbasis: soy | Wedo, metric chartbasis: soy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.5" | ECO 1 | ECO 1 | ECO 1-2 | ECO 0.5up to 50 mm |
| 2" | ECO 2 | ECO 2 | ECO 1-2 | ECO 0.75up to 53 mm |
| 2.25" | ECO 4 | ECO 4 | ECO 4 | ECO 2up to 60 mm |
| 2.5" | ECO 4 | ECO 4 | ECO 4 | ECO 4-6up to 65 mm |
| 2.75" | ECO 6 | ECO 6 | ECO 6 | ECO 8-10up to 70 mm |
| 3" | ECO 8 | ECO 8 | ECO 8 | ECO 14up to 80 mm |
| 3.25" | ECO 10 | ECO 10 | ECO 10 | ECO 1680 mm and above |
| 3.5" | ECO 12 | ECO 12 | ECO 12 | ECO 1680 mm and above |
| 3.75" | ECO 14 | ECO 14 | ECO 14 | ECO 1680 mm and above |
| 4" | no row | no row | ECO 16 | ECO 1680 mm and above |
Lone Star Candle Supply: Published as already accounting for soy, so no size-up instruction is attached.
CandleScience: Published as upper bounds only, as containers up to a diameter.
Tools for Makers: Carries a published instruction to increase one to two sizes for beeswax.
Wedo, metric chart: The wick maker's own metric chart. It is listed for soy and paraffin alike, which is why it reads more conservatively than the US soy-specific charts.
| Diameter | Tools for Makersbasis: soy | Lone Star Candle Supplybasis: base paraffin |
|---|---|---|
| 1.5" | CD 4-6 | CD-4 |
| 2" | CD 4-6 | CD-5 |
| 2.25" | CD 8 | CD-6 |
| 2.5" | CD 8 | CD-7 |
| 2.75" | CD 10 | CD-8 |
| 3" | CD 12 | CD-8 |
| 3.25" | CD 14 | CD-10 |
| 3.5" | CD 16 | CD-12 |
| 3.75" | CD 18 | CD-14 |
| 4" | CD 20-22 | CD-16 |
Tools for Makers: Published for soy, with an instruction to reduce one to two sizes for paraffin.
Lone Star Candle Supply: Base-paraffin figures. The publisher's instruction is to size up one to three for soy and for single-pour paraffin.
| Diameter | Lone Star Candle Supplybasis: base paraffin |
|---|---|
| 1.5" | no row |
| 2" | HTP-41 |
| 2.25" | HTP-41 |
| 2.5" | HTP-52 |
| 2.75" | HTP-62 |
| 3" | HTP-73 |
| 3.25" | HTP-83 |
| 3.5" | HTP-83 |
| 3.75" | HTP-104 |
| 4" | HTP-104 |
Lone Star Candle Supply: Base-paraffin figures with a published instruction to size up one to three for soy.
| Diameter | Lone Star Candle Supplybasis: base paraffin | Wedo, metric chartbasis: paraffin |
|---|---|---|
| 1.5" | LX-8 | LX 08up to 40 mm |
| 2" | LX-10 | LX 14up to 55 mm |
| 2.25" | LX-12 | LX 16up to 65 mm |
| 2.5" | LX-14 | LX 16up to 65 mm |
| 2.75" | LX-16 | LX 18up to 75 mm |
| 3" | LX-16 | LX 20up to 80 mm |
| 3.25" | LX-18 | LX 22-2680 mm and above |
| 3.5" | LX-20 | LX 22-2680 mm and above |
| 3.75" | LX-21 | LX 22-2680 mm and above |
| 4" | LX-22 | LX 22-2680 mm and above |
Lone Star Candle Supply: Base-paraffin figures with a published instruction to size up one to three for soy.
| Diameter | Lone Star Candle Supplybasis: base paraffin |
|---|---|
| 1.5" | no row |
| 2" | 44-24-18 |
| 2.25" | 44-24-18 |
| 2.5" | no row |
| 2.75" | no row |
| 3" | 51-32-18 |
| 3.25" | 51-32-18 |
| 3.5" | 51-32-18 |
| 3.75" | 60-44-18 |
| 4" | 60-44-18 |
Lone Star Candle Supply: Published as not recommended for soy. Single-pour paraffin usually needs one or two sizes up. The chart has no row between 2.25 and 3 inches, and that gap is reproduced here rather than filled in.
Top pick · Beeswax without cutting up a block
VEGISHINE White Beeswax Pellets for Candle Making
VEGISHINE
Beeswax burns longer and brighter than soy and smells faintly of honey on its own. Pellets are the form to buy, because a solid beeswax block is genuinely difficult to break down.
Published specifications
- Form
- PelletsSource: Amazon product listing, read 2026-09-02
- Sizes offered
- 2 lb, 5 lb, 10 lb, 20 lbSource: Amazon product listing, read 2026-09-02
- Composition claim
- Pure and natural white beeswaxSource: Amazon product listing, read 2026-09-02
- Melt point
- Not published on the listing
What that means
Beeswax runs a much higher melt point than soy, typically in the 140s to 150s Fahrenheit rather than the 110s. That changes every temperature in your process and it changes the wick.
Published sizing charts say to increase one to two wick sizes for beeswax over soy. That is not a rounding adjustment, it is the difference between a candle that burns and one that tunnels on the first light.
White beeswax is filtered and bleached; yellow is not. White smells less of honey, which is what you want if you are adding fragrance.
Good
- Pellets rather than a block
- Long, bright burn
- Naturally scented, so it works unfragranced
Less good
- Costs several times what soy does
- Needs a larger wick than the same jar in soy
- No published melt point on the listing
Skip this one if
You are working from a soy wick chart and do not want to re-test. Beeswax invalidates the wick you had settled on.
Pick 2 · Trying beeswax without buying two pounds of it
Beeswax Pellets for Candle Making, 0.44 lb to 5 lb
Generic (Amazon listing)
Sold from 0.44 lb upward, which is the smallest beeswax quantity in this category. Beeswax costs several times what soy does, so a small bag is the honest way to find out whether the burn is worth the price.
Published specifications
- Sizes offered
- 0.44 lb, 2 lb, 5 lbSource: Amazon product listing, read 2026-09-02
- Form
- PelletsSource: Amazon product listing, read 2026-09-02
- Melting methods listed
- Microwave, double boiler, candle melting potSource: Amazon product listing, read 2026-09-02
- Melt point
- Not published on the listing
What that means
Under half a pound is roughly one 8 oz candle. That is a single honest experiment rather than a commitment.
Pellets rather than a block matters more with beeswax than with any other wax. A solid beeswax block is genuinely hard to break up and people hurt themselves trying.
No published melt point, which for beeswax is the figure that changes your whole process. Beeswax generally runs far above soy, and the wick has to go up one to two sizes accordingly.
Good
- Smallest beeswax quantity available
- Pellets, not a block
- Multiple melting methods listed
Less good
- No published melt point
- Costs the most per pound at the small size
Skip this one if
You already know you want beeswax candles. Buy the 5 lb size and stop paying the sample premium.
Pick 3 · 3 to 3.25 inch soy containers, on the US charts
ECO 10 Pre-Waxed Wicks for Soy Candles, 100 pcs
ECO series
ECO is the series whose charts are published for soy directly rather than adjusted from paraffin, which makes it the easiest series for a beginner to size correctly on the first try.
Published specifications
- Series
- ECO, flat coreless cotton with paper filamentsSource: Amazon product listing, read 2026-09-02
- Quantity
- 100 piecesSource: Amazon product listing, read 2026-09-02
- Length
- 6 inches, pre-waxed with tabSource: Amazon product listing, read 2026-09-02
- Published range (soy)
- 3.0 to 3.25 inch containersSource: Lone Star Candle Supply ECO soy chart
- Alternative published range
- up to 2.76 inchesSource: Wedo metric ECO chart
What that means
The two published ranges above disagree by nearly half an inch for the same wick, and both are printed by people who sell it. That is not an error on anyone's part; the US charts are soy-adjusted and the Wedo chart covers soy and paraffin together.
Practically: if you are in a 3-inch soy jar and you use the US charts, ECO 10 is the starting wick. If you use Wedo's, you want ECO 14 in the same jar. Test both.
The paper filaments in an ECO wick make it curl and self-trim, in the same way CD does. Both are coreless, so there is no metal or zinc in the flame.
Good
- Charts published for soy directly, not adjusted from paraffin
- Coreless and self-trimming
- The series most commonly stocked with soy kits
Less good
- Published guidance varies by up to two sizes between suppliers
- Needs a size up again in beeswax
Skip this one if
You are burning paraffin. The LX and zinc charts are the ones written for it, and an ECO sized for soy will be too large.
Pick 4 · Small tins and 2 to 2.5 inch jars
ECO 4 Pre-Waxed Wicks for Soy Candles, 100 pcs
ECO series
The size for the 4-ounce tins that come in nearly every starter kit. Kits routinely ship one unnamed wick size for every container they include, and this is what those small tins actually wanted.
Published specifications
- Series
- ECO, flat coreless cotton with paper filamentsSource: Amazon product listing, read 2026-09-02
- Quantity
- 100 piecesSource: Amazon product listing, read 2026-09-02
- Published range (soy)
- 2.0 to 2.5 inch containersSource: Lone Star Candle Supply ECO soy chart
What that means
A standard 4-ounce candle tin measures a little under 2.5 inches across the inside. That puts it squarely in the ECO 4 row on both US charts.
Small containers are where an oversized wick shows up fastest: the flame is large relative to the vessel, the glass gets hot, and the candle burns down in an evening.
Good
- Correct size for the ubiquitous 4-ounce tin
- Coreless
- 100 in a pack, enough for real testing
Less good
- Far too small for a standard 3-inch jar
- One size only
Skip this one if
Your containers are 3 inches or wider. Start at ECO 10 instead.
Pick 5 · Jars around 2.5 to 3 inches across
CD 12 Pre-Tabbed Candle Wicks for Soy Candles, 100 pcs
CD series
CD 12 is the size the published soy charts point to for a standard 3-inch jar, which is the jar most beginner kits ship. Buying the series by size rather than by assortment is how you actually control a burn.
Published specifications
- Series
- CD, cotton and paper flat braidSource: Amazon product listing, read 2026-09-02
- Quantity
- 100 piecesSource: Amazon product listing, read 2026-09-02
- Length
- 6 inches, pre-tabbedSource: Amazon product listing, read 2026-09-02
- Published range (soy)
- 2.5 to 3 inch containersSource: Tools for Makers CD soy chart
What that means
CD wicks curl as they burn, which trims the tip and reduces the mushroom of carbon that builds on a straight wick. That self-trimming behavior is the whole reason the series exists.
The published charts disagree on CD for soy by up to two sizes, because Lone Star prints CD against base paraffin and tells you to size up one to three for soy. Our chart shows both readings side by side.
Good
- One size, 100 of them, so you can run a proper burn test
- Self-trimming curl reduces mushrooming
- Pre-tabbed, so no assembly
Less good
- Wrong size for a 4-inch jar and wrong size for a votive
- CD in beeswax needs a different size again
Skip this one if
You do not yet know your container diameter. Measure the inside of the jar first, then buy the size the chart gives you.
White or yellow beeswax
Not a wick question directly, but it interacts with one. Yellow beeswax is unfiltered and keeps a strong honey scent; white is filtered and much fainter.
If you are adding fragrance oil, use white, and remember that the fragrance load pushes you toward the larger end of the wick adjustment. If you are making an unscented candle, yellow beeswax is the point of the exercise and you can size at the smaller end. See how to make beeswax candles for the working temperatures.
What to do with this page
- Measure the inside diameter of your container in inches.
- Find the row and take both beeswax columns as your two candidate sizes.
- Buy both. They are inexpensive and burn testing requires a comparison.
- Pour two identical candles, cure two to three days (beeswax cures far faster than soy), and burn-test both for four hours.
- Keep the one whose melt pool reaches the glass at roughly a quarter inch deep.
If the smaller size tunnels and the larger soots, you are between sizes, and the answer is to change the container diameter or accept the smaller wick with a shorter burn session. That is the point at which no chart, ours included, has anything left to offer.
How these picks were made. Published specifications compiled from the sources listed below, the arithmetic shown on the page, and live Amazon prices. No product here has been burned by us. Read the method.
Common questions
What wick size for beeswax candles?
One to two sizes larger than the same container in soy, per the published Tools for Makers instruction. For a 3-inch container that works out at ECO 10 to ECO 14, derived from the published soy row of ECO 8 to ECO 10.
Is there a published beeswax wick chart?
Not that we have found. Every chart we have transcribed is published against soy or base paraffin, and beeswax is handled with a size-up instruction rather than its own table. The table on this page is that instruction applied to the published soy rows, and it is labeled as a derivation.
Why does beeswax need a larger wick than soy?
Melt point. Container soy publishes 113 to 121F; beeswax runs far higher, generally cited in the 140s to 150s. A higher-melting wax needs more heat to sustain the same melt pool, so the flame and therefore the wick must be larger.
What is the melt point of beeswax?
Neither beeswax listing in our picks publishes one, which is typical of the category. It is generally cited in the 140s to 150s Fahrenheit, but treat that as an order of magnitude rather than a specification and confirm with your supplier if it matters.
Can I use a soy wick chart for beeswax?
Only with the published adjustment applied. A soy-sized wick used unchanged in beeswax will usually tunnel on the first burn, because it cannot deliver enough heat to melt a wax that melts thirty degrees higher.
Do beeswax candles need cotton or wooden wicks?
Cotton, in almost every case. Wooden wicks are already marginal in soy per the published charts, and beeswax's higher melt point makes the problem worse rather than better.
Sources
- Tools for Makers - Candle Wick Size Chart for Soy, Paraffin and Beeswax
- Lone Star Candle Supply - Guide to Wicking (ECO, CD, HTP, LX, zinc and wooden wick charts)
- CandleScience - How to Properly Wick Container Candles
- Cal Candle Supply - Golden Wax 464 published instructions (heat, fragrance and pour temperatures)
Read next
Wicks and Wick Sizing
Four published sizing charts cross-referenced into one table, plus the wick picks that match the containers most kits ship.
Candle Wick Size Chart
ECO, CD, HTP, LX, zinc and wooden wick sizes from four published charts, cross-referenced by container diameter with every publisher named.
Wick Size Chart for Paraffin Wax
Published LX, HTP, CD and zinc wick sizes for paraffin containers, with the manufacturer test data two LX listings publish.
How to Make Beeswax Candles
Beeswax candle making: the higher working temperatures, the published one-to-two-size wick increase, and why white beeswax suits fragrance.
Soy vs Beeswax vs Paraffin vs Coconut
The four wax families compared on melt point, scent throw, cost, difficulty and required wick adjustment, with picks for each.
Wick Burn Testing
The full burn test procedure: setup, what to record hour by hour, what a correct melt pool looks like, and how to read each failure.