DIY Candle Holder for Taper Candles

BySugar & Cloth Last Updated on

Bring the wow factor to your home with a Rainbow Taper DIY Candle Holder. This fun project is as simple as drilling holes into a piece of wood. And it looks just as pretty unlit as it does lit. 

A perfectly colorful rainbow DIY taper candle holder for parties and entertaining - sugar and cloth
A perfectly colorful rainbow DIY taper candle holder for parties and entertaining - sugar and cloth

Tired of the same old store-bought candle holders? For those of you that are big romantic lighting fans that also have a special place in your heart for rainbows, prepare to freak out over your next dinner party table. Look no further! 

This DIY Candle Holder for taper candles is the perfect solution. It’s surprisingly simple. Anyone can do it, even if you’re new to crafting. All you need is a piece of wood, a drill ,and a little bit of creativity.

In just a few easy steps, you’ll transform a plain piece of lumber (or even reuse some scrap wood) into a stunning candle holder that reflects your own style. Plus, this project is completely customizable. Choose the type of wood that suits your taste,from rustic and natural to sleek and modern. 

You can even paint, stain, or embellish your creation to make it truly one-of-a-kind. So, grab your tools and get ready to unleash your inner DIY master. This easy project has been one of our most popular DIY candle holder ideassl. So it’s time to create a unique and beautiful candle holder that will add a warm glow to your home!

A perfectly colorful rainbow DIY taper candle holder for parties and entertaining - sugar and cloth
A perfectly colorful rainbow DIY taper candle holder for parties and entertaining - sugar and cloth

Tools and Materials Needed

  • Wood board — Our oak wood board measures 4-inches high x 4-inches wide x 3-feet long.
  • Drill
  • 3/4-inch spade bit set — You’ll need a drill bit slightly wider than the diameter of your taper candles.
  • Fine sand paper — Optional for a smoother finish on the wood.
  • Colorful taper candles — We purchased the candles online in varying heights, sizes and colors from Zest Candle since we loved the staggered look with small candles and tall candles. Aim for a rainbow spectrum, but feel free to adjust based on your preference.
A perfectly colorful rainbow DIY taper candle holder for parties and entertaining - sugar and cloth
A perfectly colorful rainbow DIY taper candle holder for parties and entertaining - sugar and cloth

Candle Safety Tips

BEFORE WE GET STARTED: We’d like to preface that don’t condone playing with fire and/or making fire hazard DIY’s. So be careful when lighting this little centerpiece, especially if you’re making one as large as ours.

It is very important that none of the candle wicks ever touch. We also recommend only lighting a few at a time to make it a safer environment. And never leave lit candles unattended!

A perfectly colorful rainbow DIY taper candle holder for parties and entertaining - sugar and cloth
A perfectly colorful rainbow DIY taper candle holder for parties and entertaining - sugar and cloth

How To Make A Rainbow DIY Taper Candle Holder

1 — Decide on the number of candles you want your holder to accommodate. Mark the exact spots where you’ll drill the holes for the taper candles. Ensure the spacing allows enough room for each candle without them touching when lit. We did a more freestyle approach and staggered the holes all the way down the wood.

2 — With a drill and the appropriate drill bit, carefully drill holes at the marked locations. Drill straight down, ensuring the holes are deep enough to hold the taper candles securely.

A perfectly colorful rainbow DIY taper candle holder for parties and entertaining - sugar and cloth

3 — Optional: Using a super fine grit sand paper, smooth the wood for a more finished look, especially if you used a rough-hewn piece. Now you’re all set to place your taper candles in the drilled holes!

A perfectly colorful rainbow DIY taper candle holder for parties and entertaining - sugar and cloth

Tutorial Notes and Tips

  • Choose a size and thickness that suits your taste. Consider a branch for a natural look, a reclaimed board for a rustic vibe, or a pre-cut piece of lumber for a clean finish.
  • If desired, paint or stain the wood in a color that complements your décor. Ensure it’s heat resistant. Let the paint or stain dry completely.
A perfectly colorful rainbow DIY taper candle holder for parties and entertaining - sugar and cloth

How to Get a Drip Candle Look

Now to get the cool melted look (without having to wait a million years for each candle to burn down enough), we used a butane (or culinary) torch instead of lighting them each individually.

All you have to do is run the torch along the candle a handful of times. And you get the full effect in seconds.

A perfectly colorful rainbow DIY taper candle holder for parties and entertaining - sugar and cloth
A perfectly colorful rainbow DIY taper candle holder for parties and entertaining - sugar and cloth

More Candle and Aromatherapy DIY Ideas

We hope all of my fellow color lovers enjoy this DIY Candle Holder idea! We have to say it might be be seen styled in the background of upcoming posts because we love it so much! In case you’re looking for a few other candle and aromatherapy DIY projects, here are some of my favorites from the archives —

photo of how to make a Rainbow DIY Taper Candle Holder by top Houston lifestyle blogger Ashley Rose of Sugar & Cloth
A perfectly colorful rainbow DIY taper candle holder for parties and entertaining - sugar and cloth

DIY Candle Holder for Taper Candles

Print
5 from 15 votes
Bring the wow factor to your dining table or home with a Rainbow DIY Taper Candle Holder. It looks just as pretty unlit as it does lit. 
Total Time30 minutes
Course DIY
Category Candle Holder

Equipment

  • Drill
  • 3/4-inch spade drill bit

Materials

  • 1 wood board
  • 1 fine sand paper optional
  • Taper candles in varying heights, sizes and colors for a staggered look

Instructions

  • Decide on the number of candles you want your holder to accommodate. Mark the exact spots where you’ll drill the holes for the taper candles. Ensure the spacing allows enough room for each candle without them touching when lit. We did a more freestyle approach and staggered the holes all the way down the wood.
  • With a drill and the appropriate drill bit, carefully drill holes at the marked locations. Drill straight down, ensuring the holes are deep enough to hold the taper candles securely.
  • Optional: Using a super fine grit sand paper, smooth the wood for a more finished look
Cost: $30
KEYWORD: diy candle holder for taper candles

Don’t forget to share your Rainbow DIY Taper Candle Holder with us on Instagram using the hashtag #sugarandclothloves. We always love seeing all of your creations! And if you’re looking for more quick DIY’s find them all right here!

Please note that we may earn a commission for some of the above affiliate links. However, products featured are independently selected and personally well-loved by us!

5 from 15 votes (13 ratings without comment)

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38 Comments

  1. We made this today and it turned out epically amazing. We did 4 feet long and used just hot pink, light pink, orange, yellow and red of the candles you used to go with my Dining room. So obsessed. Thank you.5 stars

    Reply

  2. Hi! Love this idea! I just made 4 of these following you directions with the 3/4” spade drill. I ordered some zest candles but they don’t fit! Do you happen to have a link for where you purchased your candles. I’m worried I have all these candle holders now and no candles to fit! Hope you can help! Thanks!!

    Reply

    1. Hi Heather! Oh no! Did you order the Zest Candles linked? We checked and even though they’re different heights, they’re all the same diameters. What are the diameters of yours?

      We haven’t had anyone else tell us about fit issues. It is a tight fit so that the candles don’t wobble around or fall out. Since you already drilled them, you can trim the base of the taper candles to get them in. We highly recommend sanding the holes beforehand also. There’s also a super cheap candle shaver to make it easier.

      Reply

  3. I am so in love with this, I’m trying to mentally work out a solution to the wax dripping onto the table top because I think I want to make one.

    Reply

    1. Hi Hayley! We purposely melted the candles to drip like this! You can fake the drip effect so that it’s not as “melted” as ours! Also, don’t worry. If you are lighting the candles, they won’t drip down like ours in the photo. That was just a visual effect. It won’t be until you’ve really burned them for a long period of time (which we don’t recommend) would the candles melt like this! XOXO

      Reply

  4. OMG I love this so much, totaly woth making, definetly saving this for when I have a place of my own.

    Btw, I love your dress, can you tell me where did you get it?

    Reply

    1. Aww! So glad to hear that, Daniela! The dress is from Kate Spade, but unfortunately it’s all sold out :(

      Reply

  5. It looks really lovely, but it’s super dangerous. All those candles would give off immense heat, which is a definite fire hazard. Please bear this in mind!! It’s a wonderful centrepiece, but don’t light it up, please…

    Reply

  8. Super cute, but the re-user in me would love to know how easy it was to scrape the wax off and clean? Also, did the shorter candles melt the taller ones on the side?

    Reply

    1. Hi Christy! We spaced the candles far enough so that they’ll didn’t touch and melt each other. We highly recommend doing the same or it would be a fire hazard. It’s easy scraping off the wax if it’s all dried, but it’s definitely a bit harder to totally get rid of all the wax. Doable but lots of scraping and scrubbing! You’d have to take off all the candles.

      Reply

  11. ohhhh…if ever there was a reason to learn to use a power drill ^^ those candle colors are amazing!

    Reply