Candles

A candle is a light source that usually has an internal wick rising through the center of a column of solid fuel. more...

Home
Bedding
Furniture
Home Decor
Afghans, Throws
Baskets
Bookends
Bottles
Boxes, Jars & Tins
Candles, Candle Holders
Candle Accessories
Candle Rings
Other Accessories
Snuffers
Toppers
Candle Holders
Candelabras
Candlesticks
Chandeliers
Hurricanes
Lamps
Lanterns
Other Holders
Sconces
Tart Warmers & Burners
Tea Light Holders
Votives
Candles
Gel
Other Candles
Soy
Wax: Scented
Wax: Unscented
Other
Children's Decor
Clocks
Decorative Fruit &...
Decorative Plates, Bowls
Door Accessories
Fireplace Accessories
Floral Décor
Fountains
Globes
Holiday, Seasonal Decor
Home Fragrances
Mirrors
Other Home Décor
Photo Frame & Display
Pillows
Plaques & Signs
Racks, Stands, Hooks
Screens, Room Dividers
Sculptures, Figures
Slipcovers
Suncatchers
Vases
Wall Décor
Wallpaper
Miscellaneous
Patio & Grilling

Prior to the mid 19th century, the candle was made from tallow (a byproduct of beef-fat rendering). The fuel now is nearly always some form of wax, with paraffin wax being the most common. Candles made from gel, soy, beeswax, and vegetable products are also available.

A candle manufacturer is usually known as a chandler. Various devices have been invented to secure candles into place, from simple tabletop candle holders, to elaborate chandeliers.

Prior to the candle being ignited, the wick is saturated with the fuel in its solid form. The heat of the match or other flame being used to light the candle first melts and then vaporizes a small amount of the fuel. Once vaporized, the fuel combines with oxygen in the atmosphere to form a flame. This flame then provides sufficient heat to keep the candle burning via a self-sustaining chain of events: the heat of the flame melts the top of the mass of solid fuel, the liquified fuel then moves upward through the wick via capillary action, and the liquified fuel is then vaporized to burn within the candle's flame.

The burning of the fuel takes place in several distinct regions (as evidenced by the various colors that can be seen within the candle's flame). Within the bluer, hotter regions, hydrogen is being separated from the fuel and burned to form water vapor. The brighter, yellower part of the flame is the remaining carbon being oxidized to form carbon dioxide.

As the mass of the solid fuel is melted and consumed, the candle grows shorter. Portions of the wick that are not evaporating the liquid fuel are, ideally, consumed in the flame, limiting the exposed length of the wick and keeping the temperature and rate of fuel consumption even. Some wicks require manual trimming with scissors or a wick trimmer for even burning.

History

The candle was developed independently in many countries. The Egyptians and Cretans made the candle from beeswax, as early as 3000 BC. The early candle was made from various forms of natural fat, tallow, and wax. In the 18th century, spermaceti, an oil produced by the sperm whale, was used to produce a superior candle. Late in the 18th century, colza oil and rapeseed oil came into use as much cheaper substitutes. Paraffin was first distilled in 1830, and revolutionized candle-making, as it was an inexpensive material which produced a high-quality, odorless candle that burned reasonably cleanly. The industry was devastated soon after, however, by the distillation of kerosene (confusingly also called paraffin oil or just paraffin). This excellent fuel for lamps gave the candle its current status as a primarily decorative item. Recently resin based candles that are freestanding and transparent have been developed, with the claim that they burn longer than traditional paraffin candles.

Read more at Wikipedia.org