How To: Candle Sizing
I’ve found it weirdly difficult to find a good guide to all standard candle sizes, so I decided to make my own. Here are the types, names, and sizes GWV has found to be common among suppliers:
Taper / Full-Size Taper / Standard Taper—These are your standard candlestick or candelabra style. They usually run between 4” and 12” tall—though you’ll find outliers. The base diameter is usually 7/8” but sometimes can be as large as 1”. We’ve recently added full-size taper candle holders as an option in our candle offerings.
Spell / Chime / Ritual / Mini-Taper—You’ll hear a lot of different names for this size of candle, but it’s the style most commonly used in spellwork. They usually come in 4” or 5” length with a 0.5" diameter at the base. We’ve seen variation from 0.375” to 0.625” base diameter depending on manufacturer. (See our candle fitting blog to learn how to deal with size this variation.)
Skinny Tapers—Originating in the 1970s when Dansk candle holders were in fashion, these candles are only a 0.25" diameter at the base. They’re usually quite long (6” to 20”) and the holders are made to hold 6 to 12 candles at once. While burning, they look quite dramatic. (For more on this type of candle and holder, see our block on Mid-Century Modern Candle Holders.)
Birthday—I’ve occasionally seen spell candles or skinny tapers referred to as birthday candles, but the type bought in bulk at the grocery is smaller than either. They’re usually less than 0.25" in diameter and 2” to 4” tall.
Tealights / Mini-Votive—Most tealights come in a container that is 1.5” to 1.625” diameter at the base and 0.5” to 1” tall.
Votive / Prayer Candle / Offering Candle—Though votives often come in container, they’re just as likely to be freestanding. Most run around 1.5” diameter and 2” to 2.25” tall.
Pillar / Tower / Centerpiece—These freestanding towers of wax really don’t have much size limit. Usually, the size is between 1.5” and 6” diameter and 3” to 10” tall. Many are scented, some molded into shapes, and others highly decorative.
Jar / Container / Filled—Like a cross between tealights and pillars, these candles are poured into the container they’ll be burned in. They are usually scented with designs limited only by the container they’re in.
Stick / Torch—These vary in size and are often used in citronella or other bug repellant candles. The wax can be dipped or wrapped on the stick.
I hope that helps anyone trying to figure out what size candle to buy. We have all sorts of candles to meet your witchcraft supply needs. Let us know if we missed anything!
