DIY candle holder ideas using recycled materials

Key steps

• Choose the material you wish to turn into a candle holder.

• Decorate your DIY candle stand with paint, glued-on beads, fabric and shells.

• If your DIY candle holder ideas involve tin cans, watch out for any sharp edges.

• When applying spray paint or varnish to your DIY candle holder, make sure that you're in a well-ventilated area and that surfaces are protected. You may want to line them with old newspapers.

• When using glue guns, drills, hammers, knives and scissors, always be cautious and remember to wear protective clothing if needed. 

Candles have the power to light up your home so it's great to have plenty of candle holders. But if you want something a little different, we've come up with some ways to use recycled materials for creative DIY candle holder ideas (to go with your own DIY scented candle). Whether you're a DIY projects expert, or new to creative hobbies, get inspired with some of the best candle stand ideas – soon enough you'll be coming up with your own DIY candle holder ideas!  

The best way to remove the labels from any glass jars and tin cans is to use vapour or steam. After boiling a pot of water, remove from the heat and hold your container at a safe distance from the pan. This will allow the steam to gently warm the glue while still protecting you.

DIY candle holder ideas using glass

The most recycled candle holder material is glass. Jam jars, wine bottles, olive oil dispenser bottles and so on, all make great candle holders.   

Here are 5 easy candle holder ideas using a jam jar:  

1. Decorate your jam pot with beads or shells that you've picked up during your holidays. Use a glue gun to attach the shells and beads to the pot. You can put them just around the rim or create patterns across the body of the jar. 

2. You can likewise use pebbles or shells at the bottom of the jar as a base for your votive candle.

3. Using recycled fabric, or leftover embroidery, you can easily embellish a glass bottle or jar using a glue gun. 

4. If you have any pieces of garden wire lying about the house, you can use these to wrap around the rim of the jar to create a candle lantern. 

5. Turn your mason jar into an oil lamp. Fill the jar with flowers, lavender shoots, cinnamon sticks, pinecones, etc. Cover the jar with water but leave ¼" left to be filled with oil – olive or sunflower oil are the cleanest to burn. You can infuse the oil with your favourite scents using essential oil. On top of the oil, add a large floating wick (already waxed and attached to a metal disc). Light up the wick, and enjoy the flickering flames of your DIY oil lamp.

DIY candle holder ideas using tin cans

Though glass jars are great for DIY candle holder ideas, there is one material that every house is bound to have – tin cans! 

Get inspired with our tin cans candle holder ideas and every can of sweetcorn can be your next recycled candle holder:

1. Grab tin cans of different sizes and spray paint them with colors from a similar palette. Metallic or matte colors work equally well. If you’re using a different type of paint, once the tin cans are dry, spray them with acrylic varnish to seal it.

2. You can easily create a design using nails and a hammer. Just make a stencil on a piece of white paper. Attach the paper around the tin can using rubber bands. Fill the can with rice and close it, so that when the holes are punched, the can won’t lose its shape. Place the can over a folded towel and punch holes following your design. Remove the attached paper and spray paint the can if you like.

3. You can decorate your tins with stencil embossing or cover them with burlap fabric. 

Candle stand ideas using other recycled materials

Find here two great candle stand ideas for your dining or centre table:

1. Turn old driftwood into a candle holder – this is great for votive candles. All you need to do is treat the wood to protect it, and then cut out some holes for your candles. To carve the holes, use a drill with a hole saw. 

2. Plastic bottles can be used to make a dinner candles taper stand. Using a utility knife, cut the upper part of the plastic bottle. Paint the base with acrylic paint and decorate with beads or ribbons. 

Now that you're bursting with DIY candle holder ideas, don't be afraid to innovate, have fun and upcycle.

Do you want to learn which household cleaning tasks cause the most stress?  Then read our Heated Household data analysis.