Halloween How-To: Floating Flameless Candles

Flameless candles floating against a black background.
Add a little magic to your holiday this year with these easy to make floating flameless candles.
To complete this project you will need the following tools and materials:
Paper towel and/or toilet paper rolls.
Paint, I used (ULTRA PURE WHITE and Arrowhead N320-6)
Craft glue
2 small/detail paint brushes
Tissue paper
Water
Glue gun
Glue sticks
Scissors
Fishing line or transparent thread
Needle
Flameless candles (1 per roll)
Step 1: Cut your rolls to size (optional)
If you want to make a variety of candle sizes, you can cut your rolls to different lengths.
Empty paper towel and toilet paper rolls. Cutting the cardboard rolls to size.
Step 2: Create dripping wax look
Working in a well ventilated area, flip your glue gun to high and start dripping the hot glue down the roll. Be sure to add some creative variation to the drips. If your glue is hot enough it will drip down the side naturally. Please be careful not to burn your self as you do so. Place your rolls upright and allow the glue to cool completely before moving on to the next step.
A glue gun adding glue to the cardboard rolls to create the look of candle wax drips.
Step 3: Create a ledge for your light
Switch your glue gun back to low. When the glue drips have cooled, create a ledge for your light to rest on within the roll. Most lights are about 1/2″ in height, so I made a ring of glue about about 3/4″ down the roll’s interior.
Top and inside view of the cardboard roll showing glue on inside and string across the top.
Step 4: Add bottom to candles (optional)
If you like, you can add bottoms to your candles. If you prefer not to, skip to step 5.
With your scissors cut a piece of tissue paper large enough to cover the bottom of the candle.
Tissue paper cut in a small square.
Cut the piece into a circle that will just cover the bottom opening of the rolls.
Tissue paper cut into a circle.
Brush some craft glue on the bottom of the roll and place the tissue over the opening.
Carboard roll with tissue paper covering the top area.
Gently brush the tissue down the sides to adhere. Cover the tissue with a thin layer of craft glue to seal it. Allow the glue to dry completely before moving on to the next step.
Person adding white glue to the tissue.
Step 5: Paint your candles
I selected white, but you could paint them any color you wish. I painted the tops first, and let them dry before painting the bottoms. Apply a second coat of paint if desired.
Painting the cardboard rolls with white paint. Cardboard rolls sitting vertically after being painted with white paint. Cardboard rolls completely painted.
Step 6: Add some detail (optional)
If you’d like to add a bit of dimension to your candles you can do so with a darker color. Take a drop of a gray or brown color and water it down. Trace around the edges of your drips with your detail brush.
A person painting along the edge of the wax drips in a darker color.
Don’t worry if you make a mistake. Simply water down a bit of your candle color and paint over it. Allow candles to dry completely before moving onto the next step.
A person painting over mistakes using the white colored color.
Step 7: Thread candles
Measure and cut your desired lenghts of transparent thread. Thread a needle with one length, keeping the ends untied. Poke a hole into one side of your candle and push the needle through to the other side. Try to keep the needle level as you do. Pull the needle and one end of the thread through.
Needle and thread going through the top of the painted cardboard roll. Needle and thread thoroughly going through the top of the painted cardboard roll.
Step 8: Hang candles
Tie an overhand knot at the end of your thread. Pop in your lights and hang where desired. Low light areas will hide the transparent thread making them appear as if floating!
Showing a tied knot at the end of the string that is attached to the carboard roll with a battery-operated candle added at the top under the string. Flameless candles floating against a black background.
For more holiday project ideas, check out our Holiday Collection.
Colorfully yours,
Quinn