Candle Wax Calculator
Tell the calculator how much your container holds and how many you are pouring. It returns the wax to melt, the fragrance oil to add and the fill weight for each candle.
Wax to melt
83.7 oz · 2,374 g · includes 5% extra
- Fragrance oil (total)
- 6.7 oz / 190 g
- Fill weight per container
- 7.18 oz / 203 g
- Wax per container
- 6.65 oz / 188 g
- Fragrance per container
- 0.53 oz / 15.1 g
How wax volume becomes wax weight
Containers are measured by volume, but wax and fragrance are sold and measured by weight. The calculator converts between them with three steps:
- Convert the container's capacity to millilitres and apply your fill level.
- Multiply by the wax density (about 0.86 g/ml for soy) to get the fill weight.
- Split that fill weight into wax and fragrance oil using your fragrance load.
Finally it multiplies by the number of containers and adds your spill allowance, so the headline number is the amount to put in the melting pot.
Worked example
Twelve jars that each hold 8 US fl oz of water up to the pour line, filled with soy wax at an 8% fragrance load:
- 8 fl oz × 29.57 = 236.6 ml per jar
- 236.6 ml × 0.86 = 203.5 g (about 7.2 oz) of wax and oil per jar
- Wax per jar = 203.5 ÷ 1.08 = 188.4 g (6.65 oz); fragrance per jar = 15.1 g (0.53 oz)
- For twelve jars plus 5%: about 2,374 g (5.23 lb) of wax and 190 g (6.7 oz) of fragrance
Measure your own containers
Manufacturer capacities are usually brim-full. Fill one container with water up to where you want your wax to finish, normally around half an inch to an inch below the rim, then pour that water into a measuring jug or weigh it (1 ml of water weighs 1 g). Use that number as the container capacity. The full water-test method is here.
Frequently asked questions
How much wax do I need for an 8 oz candle jar?
An 8 fl oz jar measured to the pour line holds roughly 7 oz of soy wax and fragrance by weight, because wax is lighter than water. Jars sold as 8 oz are often measured brim-full, so the amount you actually pour is usually lower. Do a quick water test on your own jar for the real number.
Why doesn't 8 fl oz of wax weigh 8 oz?
Fluid ounces measure volume and ounces measure weight. Solid candle wax is less dense than water, typically around 0.86 to 0.9 grams per millilitre, so a given volume of wax weighs less than the same volume of water.
How much extra wax should I melt?
Adding 5 to 10% gives you enough for drips, wax left in the pitcher and a second pour to fill sinkholes. It is easier to save a little leftover wax than to melt a second small batch halfway through.
Is the 0.86 conversion factor exact?
No. It is a widely used approximation for soy container wax. Densities vary by wax, temperature and how much air is trapped. Weigh your first finished candle and adjust the calculator's density if needed.