In recent years, candle making has become an insanely popular hobby. If you are into the hobby, or are wanting to get into it, you are probably wondering how to get fancy designs onto the candles safely. You might also be wondering if you can change the color of the candle completely by adding something in.
One way you can paint fancy designs on your candles is with acrylic paint. You will need to modify the paint with a medium designed for painting on candles to ensure the paint will actually stick properly. It is also best to make your candles without any essential oils or scents as this can impact the adhesion of the paint.
Using acrylic paint with candles is incredibly easy as long as you take all of the proper precautions and prepare the paint correctly. As long as you follow the right procedure, you shouldn’t run into any problems with your painted candle in the future!
What Kind of Paint is Safe for Candles?
There are so many different kinds of paints out there, so how do you know which ones are safe for candles and which ones aren’t? You want to stick with paints that are water-based and not oil-based. You are going to have the best luck with acrylic paint on your candles.
You won’t be able to apply the acrylic paint directly to the candle because you will have a hard time getting it to stick. It is important that you mix the paint with a medium designed for painting candles or wax. This will enhance the adhesion of the paint to the candle and make your life easier.
It can be hard trying to find a candle-painting medium online, but you should also have luck at your local craft store. This product will be your best chance of painting your candle as safely as possible.
When you use the candle-painting medium, you will also be able to use other craft paints that are water-based. You might have a harder time getting the colors to look as vibrant as acrylic paints, but they are still safe to use and will give you great results.
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Is Acrylic Paint Flammable When Dry?
Acrylic paint is not flammable when it is wet because it is water-based, but what about when it is dry? Acrylic paint is considered to be flammable when it is dry because it becomes a solid instead of a liquid. During the drying process, the water evaporates from the paint leaving it with just the pigments and other paint ingredients.
If dried acrylic paint catches on fire, it will continue to burn. This is why you should only paint with acrylic paint on the sides of the candle and not on top by the wick. If the fire of the wick gets too close to the paint, the whole top of the candle can catch fire.
Is It Safe to Burn Acrylic Paint?
If you burn a candle that has acrylic paint on it, you need to be extremely cautious. It is not unsafe to burn an acrylic painted candle, but you will still need to take precautions. As the candle melts, the paint will also melt into the candle wax. Depending on the pigment, this could release toxic fumes into the air that are hazardous to you.
Can You Add Paint to Candle Wax?
Adding color to your candle is a great way to make them stand out, but how are you supposed to do it? You might be tempted to pour some acrylic paint in the wax and call it a day. Unfortunately, this isn’t what you should be doing. It is not recommended at all to add any type of paint to your candles.
There are a few different ways that you can color your candle wax that doesn’t involve using paint. Some of these ways might work and some might not. If you want to make sure your colored candle turns out perfectly, you are going to want to use a specific type of dye for the job.
For the best results, you are going to want to use candle dye to color your candles. It is designed and formulated for the exact purpose of being used with candles. The color will easily bond and won’t clog the wick like some other ways to add color.
There are a few candle dyes that will work for coloring your candle wax. You can choose from dye blocks, liquid dye, and dye chips. Each will give you a different result and will be much safer to use in a candle than paint.
Liquid candle dye will give you vibrant, bold, bright colors because it is a concentrated oil specifically designed for color saturation. Candle dye chips are made of wax like your candle and are highly pigmented to provide consistent results even in small candle batches. Candle dye blocks are best for large batches of candles because they are in larger pieces and harder to break down.
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Final Thoughts
If you enjoy the hobby of candle making, you are probably wondering what the safest way is to add designs to your candles. Not all paints can be used, but acrylic paint is one that is considered safe. You need to mix it with a candle-painting medium for the best results, but acrylic is the best option.
You will have the best luck painting candles that do not have any scents or essential oils added. This is because the paint will have an easier time sticking to scent-free candle wax. When scents are added, the candle becomes oily, and you won’t be able to get paint to stick at all.
If you want to change the color of your candle by adding something to the wax, it is not considered safe to use paint for this. You will need to use a specific candle dye to change the color. This dye is safe to burn in your candle and you don’t have to worry about any toxic pigment fumes.