How Long Does a Candle Burn? Burn Time Explained
A candle burns for as long as it has wax to give the flame, and how quickly the flame uses that wax depends on the size of the candle, the wick and the way it is burned. A small taper may last an evening; a large pillar can last weeks of evenings. This guide explains what burn time means, what changes it, and how to get every hour a candle was made to give.
How long does a candle burn?
Most candles burn for somewhere between a few hours and a few hundred hours. A slim dinner taper usually lasts one or two evenings, a medium pillar several dozen hours, and a large pillar well over a hundred.
The single biggest factor is simply how much wax there is. Our Signature Candle, for example, is 20 cm tall, 8 cm across and weighs 800 g, and burns for 180 to 200 hours. Our tapers, at 27 cm but far slimmer, burn for 6 to 8 hours each. Same principle, very different amounts of wax.
What does burn time mean on a candle?
Burn time is the total number of hours a candle gives from the first light to the end of its wax. It is not one continuous burn; it is the sum of all the evenings you light it.
A stated burn time assumes the candle is cared for in the usual way: the wick trimmed before each light, burns of a few hours at a time, and a place out of the draught. Our burn times are measured that way. Burn the same candle in a draughty window with a long wick and it will give noticeably fewer hours, which is why the next sections matter more than the number on the label.
How many hours should you burn a candle at a time?
Burn a candle for up to four hours at a time, never longer. The first time you light it, give it at least two hours so the wax can find its shape.
Those two numbers do different jobs:
- At least two hours the first time. The first burn sets the pattern the candle will follow. A short first burn leaves a narrow, shallow melt that the candle tends to repeat.
- No more than four hours at a time. After a long burn the wick grows, carbon collects on its tip and the flame becomes larger and less steady. A larger flame uses wax faster.
- Two hours to cool between burns. Letting the candle cool and set fully before lighting it again keeps each burn even.
How long should a candle burn before blowing it out?
Let a candle burn for at least two hours on its first light and one to four hours on every light after that, then put it out. Shorter burns of a few minutes waste little wax but do the candle no favours, because the wax never melts evenly.
How you put it out matters too. Lowering the flame with a snuffer keeps the wick straight and centred, so the next burn starts well. A wick that has been knocked sideways burns unevenly, and an uneven burn is lost burn time.
What makes a candle burn faster?
A candle burns faster when its flame is larger or less steady than it should be. Almost every cause comes back to the wick, the air around the candle, or the length of each burn.
- A long wick. A wick that is left untrimmed draws up more wax and carries a bigger flame. Trimming it to 0.5 to 1 cm before every light is the simplest way to protect burn time. We explain how in How to Trim a Candle Wick, and How Short It Should Be.
- Draughts. Moving air from an open window, a fan or a busy doorway pulls the flame to one side. It flickers, melts one side faster and often drips.
- Very long burns. Past four hours, the wick lengthens and the flame grows with it.
- A tilted or uneven surface. A candle that does not stand level melts unevenly.
None of this is a fault in the candle. It is the flame responding to its conditions, which means most of it is in your hands.
How do you make a candle last longer?
To make a candle last longer, keep the flame small and steady: trim the wick to 0.5 to 1 cm, burn it out of the draught for no more than four hours, and let it cool for two hours between burns.
- Trim the wick to 0.5 to 1 cm before every light and clear away any loose bits of wick.
- Give the first burn at least two hours.
- Stand the candle level on a heat-resistant surface, away from open windows and air currents.
- Burn for up to four hours at a time, within sight.
- Put it out with a snuffer and let it cool for two hours.
- Stop when there is about one centimetre of wax left.
Done this way, a candle gives you the hours it was made for, and each burn looks as calm as the first.
How long do LLIOR candles burn?
Our candles burn from 6 to 8 hours for a single taper up to 180 to 200 hours for the Signature Candle. The full Edition gives more than 330 hours of light.
LLIOR is a Dutch candle brand that makes unscented candles from a 50/50 blend of beeswax and soy wax, with a cotton wick and no paraffin, added fragrance or dye.
| Candle | Burn time |
|---|---|
| The Signature Candle (20 cm, Ø 8 cm, 800 g) | 180 to 200 hours |
| Pillar Candle I | 70 to 90 hours |
| Pillar Candle II | 60 to 70 hours |
| Four Tapers (27 cm, soy wax) | 6 to 8 hours each |
| Edition No. 01 | more than 330 hours in total |
At four hours an evening, the Signature Candle is something like forty-five to fifty evenings of light. That is the reason we made it the size it is: a candle you return to, rather than one you replace. You can see the full range in the collection.
Frequently asked questions
How long does a candle burn?
It depends mostly on how much wax it has. A taper lasts a few hours, a medium pillar several dozen, and a large pillar such as the LLIOR Signature Candle 180 to 200 hours.
What does burn time mean?
Burn time is the total number of hours a candle gives over all its burns, assuming a trimmed wick, burns of a few hours and no draught.
How long should you burn a candle the first time?
At least two hours, so the wax can find its shape. After that, up to four hours at a time.
Why is my candle burning so fast?
Usually the wick is too long, the candle stands in a draught, or it has been burning for more than four hours. Trim the wick to 0.5 to 1 cm and move the candle out of moving air.
When should you stop burning a pillar candle?
Stop when about one centimetre of wax is left.
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