Candles in terra cotta?

[trendymama]

We've been asked to pour 1100 candles in votive-sized terra cotta pots for a women's banquet. We are excited, but our product line is only apothecary jars and tins. Has anyone ever poured into terra cotta pots? Do we need to pour at a cooler temp? Does anyone have a good source to get these? Are there some out there without the hole in the bottom? Sorry so many questions, but didn't know where else to start researching this...

Thanks in advance for your expertise!

[Scented]

Ya need to seal the terra cotta for sure, because the wax will absorb into those pots and could become a hazard. Or fill glass and insert into those terra cotta pots and that would be safer.

[Candle Man]

You can use a decopodge medium on the inside, like mod podge just apply 2-3 coats.

BTW - You can check Wal-Mart, Lowes, Home Depot etc. in the garden section. If you can't find the size you need without the hole you can do this...

Place a piece of masking tape over hole on the outside bottom then mix-up some plaster of paris and pour just enough to cover the bottom. Wait until completely dry remove tape then coat intire inside with the Mod Podge.

[Accents]

Wow, that would be a lot of work to do it properly. If you go for it, make sure you'll get paid enough to make it worth it.

[Deana_P]

Yeah, Amy I was thinking the same thing as I was scrolling thru that and said aloud DAMN ...and read yours !!

Totally agree with Amy !!

Deana

[stacien]

Terra cotta has a high heat resistance. They usually make fire pits out of them. Anything that is fired usually has a high heat resistance. Candle wax under 200 degrees won't have any effect on it. But absorbancy would. Try Joanne fabrics too they sometimes carry them for craft purposes. I got some glazed ones their and used them for citronella candles outside.

[KristinesShower]

I have a woman that orders lavender EO soy candles in small terra cotta pots and although it took us some time to learn what they did, we finally got it.

She uses the modge podge on the outside, seals the inside with a small metal disk (I am not sure what this is as it comes to me this way) and when I get them I pour them and send them back.

Our first couple of pours soaked the pots all the way through and leaked out the bottom. I would suggest doing some samples before you pour a ton (like I did when we first started with this order lol)

[trendymama]

Thank you all for your help.

Now, I've just got to decide if it will be worth all the effort, it would be more to get my name out there than to make money because it is for our church, so I won't really be making any money if you consider labor. You've given me good food for thought, though. It's much more labor intensive than I thought.:embarasse

[chopsgirl]

the ex and I did those a few times but what he did was to get the wicks with a longer tab on the bottom. He then glued the tab to the outside of the pot with ceramic glue with the wick sticking thru the hole and it not only covered the hole it helped keep the wick in place without hot glue.

he also mod podged the inside with a couple of coats before he did the gluing. once he got everything set up he'd have a little preduction line going and could do a couple of hundred in no time.

my contribution was to stay out of the way and not give any "helpful" advice:grin2:

[LisaW]

I do these. I use two coats Mod Podge inside and out. I glue the wick tab to a penny with liquid nails and glue the penny (with liquid nails) to the bottom of the pot, covering the hole. I also put a couple of coats of Mod Podge around the penny to seal the opening between the pot and the penny. I spray paint mine and use stamps on the outside. They are a bit of work, but I do them mostly cause they're just so stinkin' cute!

HTH,

Lisa

[doglover]

I have poured in terracotta of all sizes, the big ones for citronella candles. I use Mod Podge on the inside only, and usually only use one thick coat. Two coats should definitely cover it. Just remember that the wax will sink in wherever the coating isn't. I like the look of the flat terracotta on the outside. Then I paint directly onto the pot.

You can get terracotta wholesale from Ceramo. Or if that is too far to drive, then check out your local stores. Perhaps they can order cases for you (which may even be cheaper than paying shipping.)

http://www.ceramousa.com/

HTH.

[Luci]

I've done a couple of these for secret pal gifts. I first painted the pots white and then a couple of coats of whatever color I wanted. I decorated mine with rub-ons (Valentines & St. Pats) and then coated with lacquer inside and out. I covered the hole with a penny using a hot glue gun and then glued the wick to the penny. The pots looked great, but I totally screwed up with the wicking, as usual!