Candle Wax and Fragrance Calculator

Enter the container size, the wax and the fragrance load.

Last reviewed 29 Oct 2026

Your measurements

Enter the container, the wax and the fragrance load. Everything updates as you type.

The container

Container volume unit

Container volume (to the brim)

The size on a jar's label can differ from its brim volume. To measure it, fill the jar with water to the brim and weigh it: 1 g of water is about 1 mL.

How full to pour the wax

90% leaves some room at the top. Fragrance oil adds a little volume, so the melted pour ends up fuller than this.

Wax and fragrance

Wax

Typical solid density 0.9 g/mL. It is an estimate; weigh a full container to measure yours.

Fragrance load (percent of wax weight)

8% is a typical starting point. Many waxes hold about 6% to 10%. Follow your wax maker's limit.

The batch

Number of candles

Extra for the pouring pot (your choice)

Wax left in the pot and on the spoon. 10% is a common starting point.

Wax per candle191.6 g

Wax per candle

191.6g

= 6.76 oz

236.6 mL at 90% fill and a typical 0.9 g/mL for soy. Add 15.33 g (0.54 oz) of fragrance oil at 8%.

Fragrance per candle: 15.33g; 0.54 oz
Batch wax: 1264.8g; 44.61 oz, 2.79 lb, with 10% extra
Batch fragrance: 101.2g; 3.57 oz
Pour fill with oil: about 97.2%; Wax plus fragrance, roughly

How this was calculated

Volume, density, fill and fragrance, with your numbers.

Step 1: Container volume in millilitres
fluid ounces × 29.5735 (US fl oz in mL)
= 8 × 29.5735
= 236.6 mL
Wax is weighed, but a container is measured by volume, so the volume is the starting point. If you entered millilitres, this step is just your number.
Step 2: Wax in the container
volume × fill × wax density
= 236.6 × 0.9 × 0.9
= 191.6 g (6.76 oz) per candle
Density is the mass of one millilitre of solid wax. 0.9 g/mL for soy is a typical value and an estimate; weigh a full container of your own wax to measure it. The fill leaves room at the top.
Step 3: Fragrance oil
wax weight × fragrance load
= 191.6 × 0.08
= 15.33 g (0.54 oz) per candle
The load is a percent of the wax weight, not of the volume. Follow your wax maker's limit.
Step 4: Wax for the batch
wax per candle × candles × (1 + extra)
= 191.6 × 6 × 1.1
= 1264.8 g (44.61 oz, 2.79 lb)
The extra covers wax left in the pouring pot and on the stirring spoon. The percentage is your choice; 10% is a common starting point.
Step 5: Fragrance oil for the batch
wax for the batch × fragrance load
= 1264.8 × 0.08
= 101.2 g (3.57 oz)
Weigh the oil on a scale rather than measuring it in a spoon, because oils differ in density.

In short

Wax = container volume × fill × wax density. An 8 fl oz jar (236.6 mL) at 90% fill with typical soy wax (0.9 g/mL) needs 191.6 g (6.76 oz) of wax and 15.33 g of fragrance oil at 8%. 6 candles with 10% extra need 1264.8 g of wax.

The calculator weighs the wax from the volume and its typical density, then adds the fragrance oil as a percent of the wax weight.

Wax and fragrance for common jar sizes

Typical soy density of 0.9 g/mL (an estimate), 90% fill and 8% fragrance, for one candle. The jar sizes are examples; measure yours.

Jar size	Volume	Wax (g)	Wax (oz)	Fragrance (g)
4 fl oz	118.3 mL	95.8	3.38	7.67
8 fl oz	236.6 mL	191.6	6.76	15.33
12 fl oz	354.9 mL	287.5	10.14	23
16 fl oz	473.2 mL	383.3	13.52	30.66

Worked out with the formula on this page. Densities are typical estimates, not your wax's measured value.

Worked example: 6 candles in 8 fl oz jars

Typical soy wax, 90% fill, 8% fragrance and 10% extra.

Step 1: Container volume in millilitres
fluid ounces × 29.5735 (US fl oz in mL)
= 8 × 29.5735
= 236.6 mL
Wax is weighed, but a container is measured by volume, so the volume is the starting point. If you entered millilitres, this step is just your number.
Step 2: Wax in the container
volume × fill × wax density
= 236.6 × 0.9 × 0.9
= 191.6 g (6.76 oz) per candle
Density is the mass of one millilitre of solid wax. 0.9 g/mL for soy is a typical value and an estimate; weigh a full container of your own wax to measure it. The fill leaves room at the top.
Step 3: Fragrance oil
wax weight × fragrance load
= 191.6 × 0.08
= 15.33 g (0.54 oz) per candle
The load is a percent of the wax weight, not of the volume. Follow your wax maker's limit.
Step 4: Wax for the batch
wax per candle × candles × (1 + extra)
= 191.6 × 6 × 1.1
= 1264.8 g (44.61 oz, 2.79 lb)
The extra covers wax left in the pouring pot and on the stirring spoon. The percentage is your choice; 10% is a common starting point.
Step 5: Fragrance oil for the batch
wax for the batch × fragrance load
= 1264.8 × 0.08
= 101.2 g (3.57 oz)
Weigh the oil on a scale rather than measuring it in a spoon, because oils differ in density.

Before you melt

The densities here are typical estimates. Weigh a full container of your own wax to measure yours, and use My own density.
Fragrance limits belong to your wax maker. Many waxes hold about 6% to 10%, but follow the limit on your wax maker's data sheet.
The fill is the wax alone. Fragrance oil adds a little volume, so the melted pour is fuller than the fill you set. The calculator shows a rough figure for it.
Weigh wax and oil on a scale in grams. Measuring a fluid ounce of a solid does not give an ounce of weight.
Wax shrinks as it sets, so a second small pour may be needed. Keep a little of the batch back for it.

Candle wax: common questions

Volume, weight, fragrance and density.

How much wax do I need for a candle jar?

Multiply the jar's volume in millilitres by how full you pour it and by the wax density in grams per millilitre. An 8 fl oz jar is 236.6 mL. At 90% fill and a typical soy density of 0.90 g/mL that is about 191.6 g, or 6.76 oz of wax. Measure the brim volume of your own jar for the best result.

Is a fluid ounce of wax one ounce?

No. A fluid ounce is a measure of volume and an ounce is a measure of weight. Solid wax is less dense than water, so a full 8 fl oz container holds about 7.5 oz of soy wax at a typical density of 0.90 g/mL, and less when you leave room at the top. The calculator uses the density, not a shortcut multiplier.

How much fragrance oil should I add?

Fragrance is measured as a percent of the wax weight. 8% of 191.6 g of wax is 15.3 g of oil. Many waxes hold a load of about 6% to 10%, but the limit depends on the wax, so follow your wax maker's limit. Weigh the oil on a scale rather than measuring it by volume.

How accurate are the wax densities?

They are typical values, not measurements of your wax: 0.90 g/mL for soy, paraffin and coconut blends and 0.96 g/mL for beeswax. Blends and additives change them. To measure yours, weigh an empty container, fill it with melted wax to the level you want, let it set, weigh it again and divide the wax weight by the volume. Pick My own density and enter the result.