Pillar Candles: What They Are and How to Burn Them Evenly

Pillar candles are the simplest form a candle can take: a solid column of wax with a wick through the centre, standing on its own without a jar or a tin. That simplicity is exactly what makes them worth understanding. Because there is nothing around the wax, the way you light, trim and place a pillar candle decides how it burns. This guide explains what a pillar candle is, which sizes are common, what kind of wax it needs, and how to burn pillar candles evenly from the first evening to the last.

What is a pillar candle?

A pillar candle is a freestanding candle: a thick, solid column of wax with a wick running through the middle, made to stand on a plate or holder rather than in a container.

The name comes from its shape. Most pillars are round, but square, tiered and fluted pillars are pillar candles too, as long as the wax carries its own form. That sets them apart from container candles, which are poured into a glass or tin, and from taper candles, which are long and slender and need a candlestick to stand upright. A pillar is wide enough to stand on its own.

Because the wax is the whole object, a pillar candle is as much about its form as its light. It reads as a sculpture on a table or a shelf, lit or unlit.

What size is a pillar candle?

There is no single standard size. Common pillar candles are roughly 5 to 10 cm across and anywhere from about 7.5 to 25 cm tall.

Shops usually describe pillars by diameter and height, for example 7.5 x 15 cm. The diameter matters most for how the candle burns: a wider pillar needs longer to build an even pool of melted wax, and it holds more fuel, so it lasts longer. Height mostly affects the total burn time and how the candle sits in a room.

A few reference points from our own collection:

• The Signature Candle: 20 cm tall, 8 cm across, 800 g, with a measured burn time of 180 to 200 hours.
• Pillar Candle I: a three-tier form, 385 g, burn time 70 to 90 hours.
• Pillar Candle II: fluted and drawn to a point, 372 g, burn time 60 to 70 hours.

What is pillar candle wax?

Pillar candle wax is wax that is firm enough to hold its own shape at room temperature and while the candle burns.

A container candle can use a soft wax, because the jar holds it. A pillar has no jar, so the outer wall of wax has to stay solid while the centre melts. Beeswax suits this well: it is dense and firm, with a melting point of around 62 to 64 °C. Pillar blends are made for the same reason, to give the candle a stable wall and a calm melt pool. You can read more about the material in What Is Beeswax?

How to burn pillar candles

Trim the wick to 0.5 to 1 cm, place the candle on a heat-resistant plate away from draughts, and let it burn long enough for the melted wax to spread evenly, up to 4 hours at a time.

Those three habits cover most of what makes a pillar candle burn well. In order:

1. Trim the wick. Before every burn, the free part of the wick should be 0.5 to 1 cm. A longer wick makes a taller, restless flame that melts the wax faster than it can be used. See How to Trim a Candle Wick.
2. Choose the spot. Stand the pillar on a flat, heat-resistant plate or holder that is wider than the candle, out of draughts from open windows, doors, fans or heating. A steady flame melts the wax evenly on all sides.
3. Light the wick at its base. Hold the flame close to where the wick meets the wax, so the wax around it starts to melt straight away.
4. Give it time. Let the pool of melted wax spread close to the edge before you put the candle out, especially the first few times.
5. Put it out calmly. A snuffer lowers the flame without blowing wax around; our guide How to Put Out a Candle explains the options.

How to burn a pillar candle for the first time

The first time, let the pillar burn until the melted wax reaches close to the edge, usually about one hour for every 2.5 cm of diameter, with a maximum of 4 hours.

The first burn sets the pattern for every burn after it. For an 8 cm pillar such as the Signature Candle, that means roughly three hours. We explain the reasoning in How Long to Burn a Candle the First Time.

How to burn pillar candles evenly

An even burn comes from a centred, trimmed wick, a draught-free spot and sessions long enough for the melt pool to widen.

If one side melts faster than the other, the cause is almost always air moving across the flame. Move the candle, or turn it a quarter after each burn so every side gets the same time facing the room. Keep the melt pool clear of match ends and trimmed wick, which can pull the flame to one side.

How to burn pillar candles without spillage

Keep the wick short, keep the candle out of draughts and always use a plate that is wider than the candle.

Wax runs over the side when the flame is too large or leans to one side and softens the wall. If the wall becomes soft and thin while the candle is burning, put the candle out, let it cool slightly, and gently press the warm edge inward with your fingers so it folds back over the pool. A plate underneath catches any wax that does run, and lifts off easily once it has cooled.

How long should you burn a pillar candle?

Burn a pillar candle for about one hour per 2.5 cm of diameter each time, and never for more than 4 hours in one go.

Shorter sessions than that leave a narrow pool in the middle; much longer sessions make the flame large and the wall soft. After 4 hours, put the candle out, let it cool completely and trim the wick before you light it again. Over its whole life, a pillar burns for many hours: the total depends on its weight, its width and the wax. More on that in How Long Does a Candle Burn?

What is a pillar candle holder?

A pillar candle holder is a flat, heat-resistant plate or low dish that the candle stands on. It should be stable and a little wider than the base of the candle.

Stone, ceramic, metal and thick glass all work. The holder keeps the surface beneath clean and catches wax if it runs. Avoid anything flammable or uneven, and keep a little space around the candle; about 10 cm between two lit candles lets each flame burn without heating the other.

Our pillar candles

Every candle we make is a pillar or a taper: free of a jar, so the wax itself is the form.

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. Our pillars are hand-poured and designed in the Netherlands. The Signature Candle is our permanent piece; the Pillar Candle Set brings Pillar I and Pillar II together, two forms meant to stand side by side. A brass Snuffer completes the evening.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between a pillar candle and a taper candle?

A pillar candle is thick enough to stand on its own on a plate. A taper is long and slender and needs a candlestick to stand upright.

Do pillar candles need a holder?

Yes. Always stand a pillar candle on a flat, heat-resistant plate or holder that is a little wider than the candle.

How long should you burn a pillar candle the first time?

Until the melted wax reaches close to the edge, roughly one hour per 2.5 cm of diameter, with a maximum of 4 hours.

How short should the wick of a pillar candle be?

0.5 to 1 cm. Trim it before every burn, once the candle has cooled.

Why is my pillar candle melting more on one side?

Usually because of a draught. Move the candle to a still spot and turn it a quarter after each burn.