The short answer
About 12.20 oz of soy wax and fragrance together (346 g), filled to 85%.
At an 8% fragrance load that's 11.30 oz of wax plus 0.90 oz of fragrance oil. Wax weighs less than water, so a jar that holds 16 fluid ounces of water holds noticeably fewer ounces of wax.
By fill level (8% fragrance)
| Fill | Total pour | Wax | Fragrance oil |
|---|---|---|---|
| 80% full | 11.48 oz 326 g | 10.63 oz 301 g | 0.85 oz 24 g |
| 85% full | 12.20 oz 346 g | 11.30 oz 320 g | 0.90 oz 26 g |
| 90% full | 12.92 oz 366 g | 11.96 oz 339 g | 0.96 oz 27 g |
Most makers fill 80 to 90%, leaving a little headspace at the top.
By fragrance load (85% full)
| Fragrance load | Wax | Fragrance oil |
|---|---|---|
| 6% | 11.51 oz 326 g | 0.69 oz 20 g |
| 8% | 11.30 oz 320 g | 0.90 oz 26 g |
| 10% | 11.09 oz 314 g | 1.11 oz 31 g |
Never go above the maximum load your wax supplier lists.
Pouring a batch
| Batch | Wax to melt | Fragrance oil |
|---|---|---|
| 6 candles | 4.45 lb 2018 g | 5.69 oz 161 g |
| 12 candles | 8.90 lb 4035 g | 11.39 oz 323 g |
| 24 candles | 17.79 lb 8071 g | 22.78 oz 646 g |
85% full, 8% fragrance, with 5% extra for spills and what sticks to the pot.
How this is worked out
A 16 fl oz jar holds 16.69 oz of water by weight. Filled to 85% that's 14.19 oz of water. Most container waxes weigh about 86% as much as water, which gives 12.20 oz of total pour. That total is split so the fragrance oil is 8% of the wax weight.
Using beeswax? It's denser, so the same jar takes about 13.62 oz in total. Jar listed by wax weight? Some shops list how much wax a jar holds instead of its fluid capacity. If yours says it holds 16 oz of wax, pour 16 oz total. For your exact jar, weigh the water it holds to your fill line and use the water weight option in the calculator.
Common questions
How much wax do I need for a 16 oz candle jar?
About 12.20 oz of total pour for a 16 fl oz jar filled to 85%, or 11.30 oz of wax plus 0.90 oz of fragrance oil at an 8% load.
How much fragrance oil goes in a 16 oz candle?
About 0.69 to 1.11 oz at a 6 to 10% load, filled to 85%. Check your wax's maximum load first.
Does a 16 oz jar hold 16 oz of wax?
Usually not. Jars are often sold by fluid capacity, and wax is lighter than water, so a 16 fl oz jar holds about 14.35 oz of wax when filled to the brim.
More quick answers
Free forever. No accounts, ever.
Plenty of sites make you sign up for a calculator just to collect your email. That isn't what this is. WaxMaths never asks who you are, never makes you create an account, and never sells your info. Your recipe book stays in your own browser on your own device.
It's free, and it's staying free. To keep it that way the site may show a few ads down the road, kept small and out of your way, and tips help a lot too. If it saved you a short pour, a wasted batch or an underpriced product line, a coffee goes a long way.
☕ Buy us a coffee on Ko-fiTips are optional and never unlock anything. Every tool here stays free for everyone.