Wooden Wick Size Calculator
Find the right wooden wick dimensions for your container diameter and wax type.
Returns single or booster wick size in mm for soy, coconut, and paraffin wax.
How wooden wicks differ from cotton wicks:
Wooden wicks produce the distinctive crackling sound that many candle lovers prefer. They burn differently from cotton: the flame is wider and shorter, a horizontal teardrop rather than a point, and that changes how the melt pool develops. A wooden wick works across the surface rather than up from a spot, which is why a wick that looks far too wide next to a cotton one is usually the right call.
Wooden wick sizing rule: A wooden wick is sized by its width, not by a series number the way cotton wicks are. As a rough guide the wick runs about 20 to 25% of the container diameter: a 76 mm jar takes a 15.9 mm wick, a 102 mm jar takes 25.4 mm. The table below is more reliable than the ratio, because manufacturers pitch their sizes to standard jar diameters rather than to a formula.
Wick width ≈ Container diameter × 0.20 to 0.25
Wick dimensions (standard sizes):
The brackets are set in inches, because that is how jars are sold, and the millimetre column is the exact conversion. They match the brackets on our cotton wick page, so the two calculators change their recommendation at the same jar size.
| Wick Width | Container Diameter | Typical Container |
|---|---|---|
| 9.5 mm (3/8 in) | under 2 in (under 50.8 mm) | Votives, small tins |
| 12.7 mm (1/2 in) | 2 to 2.5 in (50.8–63.5 mm) | Small jars, travel tins |
| 15.9 mm (5/8 in) | 2.5 to 3 in (63.5–76.2 mm) | Medium jars |
| 19 mm (3/4 in) | 3 to 3.5 in (76.2–88.9 mm) | Standard jars |
| 25.4 mm (1 in) | 3.5 to 4 in (88.9–101.6 mm) | Large jars |
| Two 19 mm wicks | 4 in and over (101.6 mm+) | Extra-large containers |
Each bracket runs up to but not including its top figure, so a jar measuring exactly 3 inches takes the 19 mm wick rather than the 15.9 mm one.
Wick thickness matters too: Wooden wicks come in single-ply (0.02 in / 0.5 mm) and booster (double-ply, 0.04 in / 1 mm). The thickness affects:
- Single-ply: Smaller, calmer flame. Good for soy wax and smaller containers.
- Booster: Larger, hotter flame. Needed for paraffin, coconut wax, or wide containers. Stronger crackle.
Wax compatibility:
| Wax Type | Recommended | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Soy wax | Single-ply | Low melt point, burns easily |
| Coconut wax | Single-ply or booster | Test both, it varies by blend |
| Paraffin | Booster | Higher melt point needs more heat |
| Beeswax | Booster | Dense wax, booster required |
| Soy-coconut blend | Single-ply | Most common for wooden wicks |
Worked example: A 2.75-inch (70 mm) diameter jar with soy-coconut wax:
- 70 mm falls in the 63.5 to 76.2 mm bracket, so the wick width is 15.9 mm (5/8 in)
- Check it against the ratio: 15.9 / 70 = 23%, right in the middle of the 20 to 25% guide
- Thickness: single-ply for soy-coconut
- Tab size: the standard clip that matches a 15.9 mm wick
Trimming wooden wicks: Trim to 3–5 mm (1/8–3/16 in) above the wax surface before each burn. This is shorter than cotton wicks. A too-tall wooden wick produces a large, flickering flame. Too short and it drowns in the melt pool.
Common issues:
- Wick drowning: Size up to booster or wider wick
- Tunneling: Wick too narrow, size up
- Excessive soot: Wick too wide or not trimmed. Size down or trim shorter
- Won’t stay lit: Wick not primed (soak in melted wax before first use) or tab is too small
How we build and check this calculator
This calculator runs entirely in your browser, so the numbers you enter stay on your device. The math behind it is written by hand and tested against worked examples and standard references before the page goes live.
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