The method you’ll use to make a wax seal depends on what form of sealing wax you’re using. Sealing wax comes in four forms: sealing wax with wicks, wickless sealing wax sticks, sealing wax beads, and glue gun sealing wax sticks.
We recommend starting with a sealed envelope rather than sealing the envelope shut with a wax seal. Some envelopes have adhesive on the flap; you can also use glue or a tape runner to close the flap.
Sealing wax sticks with wicks can be lit like candles. They’re easy to use, but they melt more slowly than other options and sometimes deposit soot in the wax.
Supplies:
- Wax seal stamp
- Sealing wax stick with wick
- Lighter or matches
- Sealed envelope
- Fire-safe surface (like a ceramic plate or sheet of aluminum foil)
- Optional: A moistened surface (like a damp sponge or paper towel)
1. Light the sealing wax stick’s wick like you would light a candle.
2. Hold the stick with the lit end slightly angled towards the paper. The wax will begin dripping onto the surface. Create a wax puddle about the same size as your seal stamp’s design. Slowly rotate the stick in your hand to ensure the wax melts evenly. Once the wax puddle reaches the right size, blow out the sealing wax stick.
3. If needed, gently stir the wax puddle with the non-wick end of the sealing wax stick to smooth out the wax puddle. Spread the wax puddle into the shape and size of your seal stamp. Set the sealing wax stick aside on a fire-safe surface.
4. Moisten the seal stamp’s surface before use to keep it from sticking to the wax. You can breathe on it or dab it on a moistened sponge or paper towel.
5. Make sure your stamp design is the right side up and press the seal firmly into the wax. Hold it in place for five to ten seconds, then gently pull it away. If it’s difficult to remove, wait a few more seconds. Let the wax seal cool completely.
Wickless sealing wax sticks are a little trickier to use than sealing wax sticks with wicks. You have to hold the sealing wax stick near a heat source to melt them. However, they’re less likely to drop soot into the wax.
We’ll cover three ways to use wickless wax sticks in this section.
If you’re only making one wax seal at a time, the lighter method is quick and easy. However, be sure to use a utility lighter (a lighter with a long neck, typically used to light candles or grills) to prevent accidental burns.
Supplies:
- Wax seal stamp
- Wickless sealing wax stick
- Lighter (we recommend a utility lighter with an extended wand)
- Sealed envelope
- Fire-safe surface (like a ceramic plate or sheet of aluminum foil)
- Optional: A moistened surface (like a damp sponge or paper towel)
1. Hold a lighter near the wickless sealing wax stick while you angle the stick towards the paper. Keep the lighter to the side rather than directly under the sealing wax stick. The wax will begin dripping onto the surface. Create a wax puddle about the same size as your seal stamp’s design. Slowly rotate the stick in your hand to ensure the wax melts evenly. Once the wax puddle reaches the right size, turn off the lighter and set it aside on a fire-safe surface.
2. If needed, gently stir the wax puddle with the heated end of the sealing wax stick to smooth out the wax puddle. Spread the wax puddle into the shape and size of your seal stamp. Set the sealing wax stick aside on a fire-safe surface.
3. Moisten the seal stamp’s surface before use to keep it from sticking to the wax. You can breathe on it or dab it on a moistened sponge or paper towel.
4. Make sure your stamp design is the right side up and press the seal firmly into the wax. Hold it in place for five to ten seconds, then gently pull it away. If it’s difficult to remove, wait a few more seconds. Let the wax seal cool completely.
The wax spoon method is a great way to use up leftover sealing wax stick pieces. You can also use the wax spoon method if you prefer having a free hand to hold the envelope in place while pouring the wax.
Supplies:
- Wax seal stamp
- Wickless sealing wax stick
- Sealing wax spoon
- Sealing wax spoon stand with candle (or a stand-alone candle)
- Fire-safe surface (like a ceramic plate or sheet of aluminum foil)
- Optional: Craft knife
- Optional: A moistened surface (like a damp sponge or paper towel)
1. (Optional) Use the craft knife to cut the wickless sealing wax stick into small pieces.
2. Light a candle with a lighter or match.
If you’re using a sealing wax spoon stand, place the stand over the candle.
3. Set the sealing wax spoon in the spoon stand.
If you don’t have a sealing wax spoon stand, hold the sealing wax spoon over the candle flame.
4. Press the end of the wickless sealing wax stick to the inside of the spoon to melt the wax. If needed, gently stir the wax stick.
If you have sealing wax stick pieces, put the pieces in the spoon to melt the wax.
5. Once you’ve melted enough wax, set the wax stick aside on a fire-safe surface if needed. Pour the wax onto the envelope. Spread the wax puddle into the shape and size of your seal stamp. Blow out the candle if you’re not planning on making more seals. Set the sealing wax spoon on the stand or on a fire-safe surface.
6. Moisten the seal stamp’s surface before use to keep it from sticking to the wax. You can breathe on it or dab it on a moistened sponge or paper towel.
7. Make sure your stamp design is the right side up and press the seal firmly into the wax. Hold it in place for five to ten seconds, then gently pull it away. If it’s difficult to remove, wait a few more seconds. Let the wax seal cool completely.
The candle method isn’t our favorite, but it’s a good option if you have a candle and matches rather than a lighter. It works best for small seals because it can be tricky to heat enough wax for a larger seal.
Supplies:
- Wax seal stamp
- Wickless sealing wax stick
- Lighter or matches
- Candle
- Sealed envelope
- Fire-safe surface (like a ceramic plate or sheet of aluminum foil)
- Optional: A moistened surface (like a damp sponge or paper towel)
1. Light the candle using a lighter or match.
2. Hold the wickless sealing wax stick near the candle flame. As the sealing wax stick melts, rotate it frequently so that the melted wax doesn’t drip.
3. Rub the melted end of the stick on the envelope in the shape of size of your seal stamp. If needed, you can heat the sealing wax stick again and add more wax to the existing puddle; the freshly melted wax will also keep the puddle fluid. Set the sealing wax stick aside on a fire-safe surface.
4. Moisten the seal stamp’s surface before use to keep it from sticking to the wax. You can breathe on it or dab it on a moistened sponge or paper towel.
5. Make sure your stamp design is the right side up and press the seal firmly into the wax. Hold it in place for five to ten seconds, then gently pull it away. If it’s difficult to remove, wait a few more seconds. Let the wax seal cool completely.
Sealing wax beads are more convenient than sealing wax sticks. They also allow you to mix colors easily and create marbled wax seals.
However, you do need something to heat the beads on; we recommend a sealing wax spoon because they’re large enough to fit multiple beads and have pour spouts. In a pinch, you can use a regular metal spoon.
Supplies:
- Wax seal stamp
- Sealing wax beads
- Sealing wax spoon
- Sealing wax spoon stand (or a candle or lighter)
- Fire-safe surface (like a ceramic plate or sheet of aluminum foil)
- Optional: A moistened surface (like a damp sponge or paper towel)
1. Light a candle with a lighter or match.
If you’re using a sealing wax spoon stand, place the stand over the candle.
2. Set the sealing wax spoon in the spoon stand.
If you don’t have a sealing wax spoon stand, hold the sealing wax spoon over the candle flame.
3. Add sealing wax beads to the spoon and wait for them to melt. Try 3-5 pieces at first and melt more if needed.
4. Pour the wax onto the envelope. Spread the wax puddle into the shape and size of your seal stamp. Blow out the candle if you’re not planning on making more seals. Set the sealing wax spoon on the stand or on a fire-safe surface.
5. Moisten the seal stamp’s surface before use to keep it from sticking to the wax. You can breathe on it or dab it on a moistened sponge or paper towel.
6. Make sure your stamp design is the right side up and press the seal firmly into the wax. Hold it in place for five to ten seconds, then gently pull it away. If it’s difficult to remove, wait a few more seconds. Let the wax seal cool completely.
Sealing wax sticks for glue guns are very easy to use and allow you to create many wax seals quickly. It’s a good idea to use a glue gun if you’re creating wax seals for high-volume projects like Christmas cards or wedding invitations.
Supplies:
- Wax seal stamp
- Glue gun sealing wax stick
- Hot glue gun
- Fire-safe surface (like a ceramic plate or sheet of aluminum foil)
- Optional: A moistened surface (like a damp sponge or paper towel)
1. Plug the hot glue gun into an outlet. Insert the glue gun stick into the glue gun. You may need to use two sticks to help push the wax to the tip of the gun.
Wax may drip from the glue gun’s nozzle while it heats up, so set the glue gun over a fire-safe surface.
2. Position the glue gun’s nozzle over the envelope and dispense the hot glue. Spread the puddle into the shape and size of your seal stamp. Set the glue gun aside over a fire-safe surface.
3. Moisten the seal stamp’s surface before use to keep it from sticking to the wax. You can breathe on it or dab it on a moistened sponge or paper towel.
4. Make sure your stamp design is the right side up and press the seal firmly into the wax. Hold it in place for five to ten seconds, then gently pull it away. If it’s difficult to remove, wait a few more seconds. Let the wax seal cool completely.
For the colors to contrast as much as possible, don’t stir the wax. If you’d like a more blended seal, you can stir the wax together using a heat-resistant tool like a metal needle or unfolded paper clip.
Sealing wax can be decorated with metallic stamp pads, metallic markers, and powdered pigments for stunning results.
We recommend using rubbing alcohol, acetone, or stamp cleaner and a toothbrush to clean leftover ink out of your sealing stamp.
Powdered pigment can be used to highlight the design of a stamp, or add a beautiful shimmer to wax. Powdered pigments can get messy, but they wipe off easily with a damp cloth or paper towel. If needed, you can use a soft toothbrush to gently scrub leftover powdered pigments from seal stamps.
The second is to mix the powdered pigment into the wax. Use a heat-resistant tool (like a metal needle or unfolded paper clip) to mix powdered pigment into the wax puddle or in a wax spoon.
Keep in mind that mixing together sealing wax and powdered pigment may change the color of your wax.
Create a clean space to work at. Make sure your workspace is flat so things won’t roll away. Remove anything that can catch on fire, like loose sheets of paper. Have a fire-safe surface (a ceramic plate works well) nearby that you can safely put sealing wax sticks, wax seal spoons, and other hot objects on. Never leave flames unattended. Turn off lighters and blow out matches and candles when they’re not in use.
If you get hot wax on your skin or touch something hot, run cool water over the area immediately. Wax that stays on your skin can be peeled off once it’s cool.
When the wax is cool, you can use a pair of tweezers to pick the wax out of a sealing stamp. You may also be able to “peel” cooled wax out of a wax spoon by lifting an edge with a pair of tweezers.
It’s also a good idea to take your letter or package to the post office to get it hand canceled. Hand canceling is when the postage is voided using a rubber stamp, so the mail doesn’t go through a sorting machine.
Be sure to look up how your postal service handles decorations like wax seals. In the United States, an envelope with sealing wax requires an additional non-machineable charge.
We recommend using the ice method if you’re making many wax seals at once. That way, you prevent your seal stamp from getting too warm.
Wax seals are delightful additions to any letter or craft project, and they’re lots of fun to make. What’s your favorite way to use wax seals? Let us know in the comments below!
