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Enter your candle wax weight in grams and your burn rate in grams per hour. The calculator divides the wax weight by the burn rate to estimate the total candle burn time in hours. For example, 200 grams at 7 grams per hour gives 28.6 hours. If you do not know the burn rate, run a simple candle burn test first: weigh the cooled candle, burn it for a few hours, weigh it again, and divide the wax lost by the hours burned. The result is an estimate, not a safe continuous burn time: follow the candle 3 hour rule and burn in supervised sessions.
The candle burn time formula is simple: burn hours equals wax weight divided by burn rate per hour. Wax weight is the weight of the wax itself, not the candle plus its jar. Burn rate is how many grams of wax the flame consumes in one hour. If a candle holds 200 grams of wax and burns 7 grams per hour, the result is 200 divided by 7, which is about 28.6 hours. The same formula works for any candle type, because it only needs those two numbers. Always treat the answer as an estimate, since the real burn rate can change as the candle burns lower and the melt pool changes shape.
Enter the wax weight in grams, then enter the burn rate in grams per hour. The calculator divides the first number by the second and shows the total burn time in hours to one decimal place. Use the default values, 200 grams and 7 grams per hour, to see a typical container candle result of 28.6 hours. If you do not know your burn rate yet, run the candle burn test in the next section first, then come back and enter the measured rate. This page is built for phones as well as desktops, so the inputs are large, full width and easy to tap.
A candle burn test gives you a real burn rate for your own candle, which is far better than guessing. Weigh the cooled candle before the test, in grams. Light it, burn it for a normal supervised session of about 3 to 4 hours, let it cool completely, then weigh it again. Subtract the after weight from the before weight to find the wax consumed, then divide that by the hours burned to get the burn rate in grams per hour. For a container candle, subtract the empty jar weight first, so glass is never counted as wax. Repeat the test at different stages of the candle, because the rate often rises as the candle burns lower.
A candle burn time chart helps you sense check any result. Tea light candles usually last 2 to 5 hours. Votive candles usually last 7 to 15 hours. Pillar candles can last up to about 60 hours. Taper candles burn about 1 inch per hour, so a standard taper lasts about 8 to 12 hours. Container or jar candles vary the most: a small jar may last 20 to 40 hours, while a large multi-wick jar can last 100 hours or more. Use the chart as a guide only. Wax type, wick size, fragrance load and room drafts all move a real candle away from the chart value, which is why a measured burn test matters.
Soy candle burn time is usually longer than paraffin at the same weight, because soy wax burns slower and cooler. A soy candle also needs a full first melt pool, or it can tunnel. Beeswax candle burn time is also long and steady, and beeswax resists tunneling, but a wick that is too long can smoke. Paraffin candle burn time is usually shorter, because paraffin burns faster and hotter, and it can soot if the wick is left long. Coconut and soy blends sit between these: they often give a strong scent throw with a fairly slow burn. Whatever wax you use, enter its real measured burn rate, not a generic wax type number, because blends and fragrance loads change the rate.
Candle wick size burn time effects are direct: a thicker wick melts more wax per hour, so the candle finishes sooner, while a wick that is too thin may not form a full melt pool and can drown in its own wax. Match the wick to the candle diameter, and test before selling or gifting a new design. Jar size matters too. A wide jar needs a larger wick, or two wicks, to melt wax to the edges. A tall narrow jar traps heat as the candle burns lower, which can raise the burn rate late in the candle. Always use the wax weight alone, never the jar weight, and remember that a wide candle with two wicks burns wax roughly twice as fast as the same wax with one wick.
Candle tunneling prevention starts with the first burn: let the wax melt all the way to the edges before you put the candle out, which usually takes about 1 hour per inch of candle diameter. Trim the wick to about 1/4 inch before every burn to reduce soot and keep the flame steady. Keep the candle away from drafts, fans and open windows, because moving air makes the flame flicker, burns wax unevenly and shortens the candle life. Store candles in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight, and never burn a candle for more than 3 to 4 hours at a time. Stop with a little wax left in the container, as makers advise, rather than burning right to the bottom.
Worked example one: 200 grams of wax at 7 grams per hour gives 28.6 hours. Worked example two: 350 grams of wax at 10 grams per hour gives 35.0 hours. Worked example three, from a burn test: a candle loses 24 grams in 4 hours, so its rate is 6 grams per hour, and 240 grams divided by 6 gives 40 hours. Now the rules makers quote. The candle 3 hour rule says do not burn a candle for more than 3 hours at a time, because a long burn can overheat the container. The 8:10 rule says a candle should reach a full melt pool within 8 to 10 burns, which is a wick performance check. The 84 rule is a rough guide that one pound of wax gives about 84 hours, but it varies by wax and wick, so a measured rate from this calculator is more useful than any of these rules alone.
Divide the wax weight by the burn rate per hour. For example, 200 grams divided by 7 grams per hour gives 28.6 hours. If you do not know the burn rate, run a candle burn test: weigh the cooled candle, burn it for a known time, weigh it again, and divide the wax lost by the hours burned.
Candle burn rate is the amount of wax the flame consumes in one hour, usually shown in grams per hour. Measure it by dividing the wax weight lost during a burn test by the hours burned. A higher burn rate means a shorter total burn time for the same wax weight.
Soy candle burn time depends on weight, wick size and burn rate, but soy wax usually burns slower than paraffin, so a soy candle of the same weight often lasts longer. As a guide, a small soy jar may last 20 to 40 hours, while a large soy container can last much longer. Use a measured burn rate for an accurate estimate.
Beeswax candles usually last a long time because beeswax burns slowly and steadily, while paraffin candles usually finish sooner because paraffin burns faster. In both cases, weight and burn rate decide the result: divide the wax weight by the burn rate in grams per hour to get the total hours.
No. Use the wax weight only. For a container candle, weigh the empty jar separately and subtract it from the total candle weight, so glass is never counted as fuel. For a pillar candle there is no jar, so the full candle weight is the wax weight.
Yes, as long as the units match. Use grams with grams per hour, or ounces with ounces per hour. If you switch units, convert both the wax weight and the burn rate, and the total hours will stay the same. This calculator uses grams and grams per hour.
It is accurate when you use a real measured burn rate from your own candle. Estimated rates give a close result but can vary, because the rate can change as the candle burns lower, and drafts, fragrance load, wick size and room temperature all affect it. For a product claim, confirm with a supervised full-life burn test.
The candle 3 hour rule means you should not burn a candle for more than 3 hours at a time. A longer single burn can overheat the container, make the melt pool too deep and increase fire risk. The total burn time from this calculator is the sum of many safe sessions, not one continuous burn.
The 8:10 rule is a candle maker check: a candle should reach a full melt pool, with wax melted to the edges, within 8 to 10 burns. If it still tunnels after that many burns, the wick is probably too small for the candle diameter. The 84 rule is a rougher guide that one pound of wax gives about 84 hours, but it varies by wax type and wick size.
Candle tunneling prevention starts with a long first burn: let the wax melt to the edges before you put the candle out. Trim the wick to about 1/4 inch before each burn, avoid short burns that only melt the centre, and keep the candle away from drafts. If tunneling has already started, a longer burn with a full melt pool can sometimes recover it.
Yes. Candle wick size has a direct effect on burn time: a thicker wick burns more wax per hour and shortens the total hours, while a thin wick may not melt wax to the edges. Choose the wick for the candle diameter and wax type, then confirm it with a burn test that checks flame, melt pool and soot.
Yes, fragrance load can change the burn rate, because fragrance oil changes how the wax flows to the wick and how the melt pool behaves. Retest the burn rate whenever you change the fragrance, wax blend, dye, wick or jar, rather than reusing an old rate for a new candle design.
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