Second Pour Wax Calculator
Soy sinks around the wick as it sets and leaves a hole in the surface. A 180 g first pour at 10% shrinkage takes 18 g to fill, so melt 198 g from the start. Shrinkage depends on the wax, the vessel and how fast it cools — the same wax behaves differently in glass and in a tin.
Your numbers
Top-up pour
18g
Wax needed
198g
Formula
Top-up pour = First pour × Shrinkage ÷ 100
Do the top-up once the first layer has set, and pour it 5–10 °C cooler than the first. Wax poured hot remelts the layer below and sinks again. Reheating the leftover in the pot drives the fragrance off, so it is better to set the top-up portion aside separately.
What to enter
| Input | Default | Accepted range |
|---|---|---|
| First pour (g)The wax poured first, before anything is added to fill the sink. | 180 | 1 and up |
| Shrinkage (%)How much it shrank; pre-washing spends this before you cut. | 10 | 0 ~ 30 |
Step by step
Quick reference table
Results when only First pour (g) changes and everything else stays put.
| First pour (g) | Top-up pour (g) | Wax needed (g) |
|---|---|---|
| 90 | 9 | 99 |
| 135 | 13.5 | 149 |
| 180 | 18 | 198 |
| 270 | 27 | 297 |
| 360 | 36 | 396 |
What each result means
| Result | At default values |
|---|---|
| Top-up pour (g)Extra wax poured over the set surface to fill where it sank. | 18 |
| Wax needed (g)The wax to melt, by weight. | 198 |
Common mistakes
Do the top-up once the first layer has set, and pour it 5–10 °C cooler than the first. Wax poured hot remelts the layer below and sinks again. Reheating the leftover in the pot drives the fragrance off, so it is better to set the top-up portion aside separately.
Glossary
- First pour
- The wax poured first, before anything is added to fill the sink.
- Shrinkage
- How much it shrank; pre-washing spends this before you cut.
- Top-up pour
- Extra wax poured over the set surface to fill where it sank.
- Wax needed
- The wax to melt, by weight.
Frequently asked questions
Q. How is Second Pour Wax Calculator calculated?
Top-up pour = First pour × Shrinkage ÷ 100 — Soy sinks around the wick as it sets and leaves a hole in the surface. A 180 g first pour at 10% shrinkage takes 18 g to fill, so melt 198 g from the start. Shrinkage depends on the wax, the vessel and how fast it cools — the same wax behaves differently in glass and in a tin.
Q. Can you walk through an example?
With First pour 180g, Shrinkage 10%, the answer is Top-up pour 18g.
Q. What do I need to enter?
Enter First pour, Shrinkage. The result recalculates as you type, and an empty box counts as zero.
Q. How much does the answer move if I change a number?
Changing only First pour (g) moves the answer to First pour (g) 90 → Top-up pour (g) 9 and First pour (g) 360 → Top-up pour (g) 36. The table below lays out five steps.
Q. How are the numbers rounded?
Money is shown to the nearest whole unit, percentages to one decimal place and everything else to two. What you see is rounded; the calculation itself carries the unrounded value forward.
Q. Anything to watch out for?
Do the top-up once the first layer has set, and pour it 5–10 °C cooler than the first. Wax poured hot remelts the layer below and sinks again. Reheating the leftover in the pot drives the fragrance off, so it is better to set the top-up portion aside separately.
Related calculators
Materials differ in density and absorption. If your label states a figure, use it — the defaults here are only common values.