How Long Should a Large Candle Last You?

Candles bring so much ambiance to our homes; it’s no surprise that most people want large ones that will last for a long time. We consider anything over 12 ounces a large candle, but the time it takes to burn through a candle that size or larger depends on exactly how many ounces the candle weighs and how frequently you burn it. Keep reading to learn how long a large candle should last you.

Ounces Available

As mentioned above, a large candle contains at least 12 ounces of wax. The typical math for these larger candles is that one ounce of candle wax should burn for five to eight hours. However, you shouldn’t allow the candle to burn this long continuously. You should never burn your candle for more than four hours at a time, as this can cause carbon buildup on the wick, damaging your candle and releasing extra smoke and emissions into the air. If you want to keep track of how long it’s taking to burn through a candle, then you can weigh the number of ounces before and after a burn.

Burn Frequency

The last way to control how long a large candle lasts is how frequently you burn it. As we mentioned above, there are only so many ounces available in the candle, and you’ll lose just under one ounce for every four-hour burn, even with just one wick lit. You should let your candle rest for at least two hours between burns unless you use separate wicks; then, you can allow the recently used wick on one side to cool and recover while you light another one. If you use one wick at a time in a three-wick candle with 12 ounces and burn each wick for four hours each, it will take you around 50 hours to burn through the candle. However, we recommend lighting all wicks each time to maintain an even burn.

So how long should a large candle last you? That will depend on how many ounces and wicks are in the candle and how frequently you burn the candle. If you want a candle with multiple wicks that will last a long time, try our wooden dough bowl candles. These candles have five wicks and weigh two pounds, so you’ll have plenty of time to enjoy them before it’s time for a replacement.