The right wick isn't guesswork — it starts with your container's diameter, checked against a size chart, then confirmed with a real burn test. This guide walks through how Faluma's wick sizing works, gives you the full reference chart across the four wick families it supports, and tells you exactly what that chart can't decide for you.
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How Wick Sizing Works in Faluma's Calculator
Faluma's Wax Calculator takes the diameter you enter for your container and looks up a recommended code across four wick families — CD, ECO, HTP and wood wicks — from a reference table, the same one below. The lookup runs on diameter alone: wax type, fragrance load and dye don't change which code is shown. They still affect how the candle actually burns, which is why every recommendation — here and in the calculator — comes with the same instruction: treat it as a starting point, and confirm it with a test burn.
Candle Wick Size Chart by Container Diameter
These are the reference ranges used in Faluma's calculator for the four wick families it supports:
CD wicks
- Up to 5.1 cm — CD-6
- Up to 6.4 cm — CD-8
- Up to 7.6 cm — CD-10
- Up to 8.9 cm — CD-12
- Up to 10.2 cm — CD-14
- Up to 11.4 cm — CD-16
- Up to 12.7 cm — CD-18
ECO wicks
- Up to 6.4 cm — ECO-1
- Up to 7.6 cm — ECO-2
- Up to 8.9 cm — ECO-4
- Up to 10.2 cm — ECO-6
- Up to 11.4 cm — ECO-8
- Up to 12.7 cm — ECO-10
- Up to 14.0 cm — ECO-12
- Up to 15.2 cm — ECO-14
HTP wicks
- Up to 5.1 cm — HTP 1212
- Up to 6.4 cm — HTP 1312
- Up to 7.6 cm — HTP 1412
- Up to 8.9 cm — HTP 1512
- Up to 10.2 cm — HTP 1612
Wood wicks
- Up to 6.0 cm — S
- Up to 9.0 cm — M
- Up to 12.0 cm — L
When the diameter exceeds the largest single-wick range in Faluma's reference table, the calculator can recommend a double-wick setup rather than a single oversized wick.
What the Chart Doesn't Decide — and Why the Burn Test Still Matters
The chart gives you a starting point. The burn test validates it.
Wax type, fragrance load, dye and pour temperature don't move you to a different row on the table above — Faluma's lookup doesn't factor them in. But they can still change how that same code performs once it's actually burning: a different wax burns at a different rate, a higher fragrance load can change how cleanly it burns, and pour temperature affects how well the wax sets around the wick. That gap between "the chart says this code" and "this code performs well in your specific candle" is exactly what a burn test is for.
To run one: pick the charted wick, burn the candle for a few hours, and watch for the same signs Faluma's own safety guidance points to — excessive smoke, a flame that's burning too high, or the container overheating. Any of those is a signal to size up or down one step on the chart, not to abandon it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Faluma calculate my wick size automatically?
Yes — the Wax Calculator takes your container's diameter and returns a recommended code across CD, ECO, HTP and wood wick families in the same result as your wax, fragrance and cost figures, so you don't have to look it up separately.
What's the difference between CD, ECO, HTP and wood wicks?
They're separate manufacturing families rather than different sizes of the same thing — each is built differently (braid type, core material, or a flat wood strip) and burns a little differently even at a similar rated diameter. Manufacturer charts are family-specific for that reason, which is why this guide lists all four side by side instead of picking one.
When do I need a double wick?
When the diameter exceeds the largest size listed for a wick family, Faluma's calculator switches its recommendation from a single wick to two wicks.
My candle already shows a problem — tunneling, soot, a mushrooming wick. What do I do?
That's a different question from choosing a wick before you pour. Use Candle Doctor on this page for a guided, symptom-by-symptom diagnosis with what to check and what to try next.
Related Tools
Estimates are indicative. Always test-burn before selling and check the wick is safe for your wax and container.