How to Make an Oil Lamp

Co-authored by Claire Donovan-Blackwood

Last Updated: November 13, 2022 Approved

An oil lamp is easy to make, and you might already have all of the supplies at home. You can customize them easily using fragrant oils and fun additions, such as pine sprigs. This article will show you a few ways to make an oil lamp. It will also give you a few ideas on how to customize yours.

Method 1

Method 1 of 4:

Making a Cork and Jar Oil Lamp

1
Gather your supplies. This lamp is simple and easy to make. It requires few supplies, making it perfect for emergencies. Here's a list of what you will need:
- Squat mason jar or bowl
- 100% cotton cord or lamp wick
- Craft knife
- Scissors
- Cork
- Nail and hammer
- Olive oil
- Water (optional)
2
Find a piece of cork. You can get a cork from a wine bottle or purchase a bag of craft corks from an arts and crafts shop. You can also use sheet of cork that's at least ¼ inches thick.

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3
Cut the cork so that it is flat on the bottom. Cut your cork horizontally using a craft knife. If you are using a flat, squat cork, you don't need to cut it. The cork will help keep your wick afloat.
- If you are using a sheet of cork, cut it into a small circle or square. It needs to be small enough to fit inside your jar, but large enough so that it won't sink under the weight of the wick.
4
Use a needle or a nail to poke a hole through center of cork. The hole needs to be wide enough for the wick to be able to slip through, but not so wide that the cork slides off when you hold the wick upside down.
5
Pull your wick through the hole in the cork. The wick should be no more than an inch (2.54 centimeters) above the hole.
6
Trim the wick down so that it can fit inside the jar. Hold the cork so that it is about two-thirds to three-fourths of the way up the side of the jar. Trim the wick down until the end touches the bottom of the jar.
- If you don't have a jar, you can use a pretty glass bowl instead.
7
Fill the jar two-thirds to three-fourths of the way with olive oil. Olive oil is great to use, because it burns clean. It does not contain harmful chemicals, and it does not leave behind bad smells.
- If you want to save on oil, use one part water and one part oil.
8
Place the cork on the oil. Try to float it as much in the center as you can.
9
Wait 15 minutes before lighting the lamp. This will give the wick enough time to absorb the oil and make it easier to light.

Method 2

Method 2 of 4:

Making a Wire and Jar Oil Lamp

1
Gather your supplies. This lamp uses a jar and a bit of wire. It's great for those who have jars but either don't have the lid anymore or don't want to poke a hole in the lid. Here's a list of what you will need to make this lamp:
- Squat mason jar
- 100% cotton cord or lamp wick
- Olive oil
- Scissors
- Floral wire
- Wire cutters
2
Trim the wick down with a pair of scissors so that it can fit inside the jar. The thicker wick you use, the larger flame you will get. If you want something small, go for a #2 or ¼ inch lantern wick.^{[1]
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3
Cut a piece of thin wire using wire cutters. The wire needs to be long enough so that it can hook over the mouth of the jar when doubled. You will be using it to support your wick.
- Avoid using plastic-coated, painted, copper, or zinc/galvanized wire.^{[2]
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- Do not use scissors. Not only could you hurt yourself, but you'll also dull the scissors.
4
Place the wick in the center of your wire and fold the wire in half. You are sandwiching the wick between the two halves of the wire. The tip of the wick should be no more than an inch (2.54 centimeters) above the lip of the wire.
5
Gently twist the two halves of the wire together. The wire needs to be tight enough so that it can suspend the wick, but loose enough so that you can still pull the wick up and down.
6
Position your wick over the center of the jar. It's okay if the wick dips down a little bit into the jar. If it dips down too far into the jar, try bringing it a little bit closer to the rim.
7
Hook the end of the wire over the lip of the jar. The wire should now be holding the wick just inside the mouth of the jar. If the wire does not hold its shape, you can try wrapping another piece of wire around the neck of the jar, securing the wick-holding-wire to the jar.
8
Fill the jar about two-thirds to three-fourths of the way with olive oil. Olive oil is great to use because it doesn't contain dangerous chemicals. It also burns clean and doesn't stink.
9
Wait 15 minutes before lighting your wick. This will give the wick enough time to soak up the oil and allow you to light it.

Method 3

Method 3 of 4:

Making a Lidded Jar Oil Lamp

1
Gather your supplies. This lamp is great for patios, but it requires a little bit more work. The ending result, however, is worth it. Here's a list of what you will need:
- Mason jar
- Mason jar lid
- 100% cotton cord or lamp wick
- Olive oil
- Hammer
- Screwdriver or nail
- Pliers (optional)
- Two blocks of wood
- Tape (optional)
- Metal washer or nut
2
Place the mason jar lid upside down between two blocks of wood. If your lid comes apart, set the ring part aside and use the disk part for now. The two blocks of wood should be about 1 inch (2.54 centimeters) apart. The gap should be right in the middle of the lid.
3
Punch a hole into the jar lid. Position your nail or screwdriver right over the middle of the middle. Use your hammer to force the nail or screwdriver into the lid. Once you have poked the hole, set the hammer aside, and wiggle the nail or screwdriver out.^{[3]
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4
Widen the hole, if necessary. The hole needs to be wide enough so that you can slide your cord or wick through. It needs to be tight enough so that it can support the cord or wick and hold it up over the jar. If your hole needs to be widened, you can use a pair of pliers to peel the edges of the hole towards you.
5
Slip your wick through the hole. The tip of the wick should be now sticking up through the top of the lid. If you want, you can wrap the tip with some tape first; this will prevent the wick from unraveling as you work it through the hole.
- You can also use a 100% cotton cord.
6
Consider slipping a metal nut over the wick. This will hide the hole in the jar, and make your lamp look neater. The tip of the wick should be sticking no more than 1 inch (2.54 centimeters) above the top of the nut. Make sure that the inside diameter of the nut is the same as your wick.
- If you used tape, be sure to snip the taped part off once you have the wick through the nut and hole.
7
Fill the jar one-fourth to one-third of the way full with olive oil. You can also use other types of oil as well, such as citronella or lamp oil. Olive oil, however, is the safest because it does not contain any harmful chemicals.
8
Place the lid back onto the jar and wait 10 to 15 minutes. This will allow the cord or wick to soak up enough oil so that you can light it.

Method 4

Method 4 of 4:

Customizing Your Oil Lamp

1
Consider customizing your lantern before you add the oil in. This section will give you a few tips on how you can make your oil lamp look and smell prettier. You don't have to use all of the ideas in this section. Just choose one or two that appeal to you the most.
2
Add a few drops of your favorite essential oil or candle fragrance into the oil lamp. This can give your lamp a more fragrant smell as it burns.^{[4]
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- If you want something calming or relaxing, consider using lavender or vanilla.
- If you want something refreshing, consider using lemon, lime, or orange.
- If you like cool, fresh scents, you might like eucalyptus, mint, or rosemary.
3
Slip in a few sprigs of your favorite woody herb. This will not only make your jar look prettier, but the herbs will give the oil a faint fragrance as it burns.^{[5]
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- Rosemary
- Thyme
- Lavender
4
Give your jar a burst of color with some citrus slices. Cut a lemon, lime, or orange into thin slices and slip those slices into the jar. Push them against the walls of the jar so that the center jar is mostly empty. The citrus slices will not only give your jar a burst of color, but they will also give the oil a nice smell when it burns.^{[6]
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5
Match your jar to your decor by filling it with other items. Just don't get too carried away, or you won't have enough oil in the lamp for it to burn. Here are a few ideas to get you started:
- For a nautical or beach-themed lamp, you can fill your jar with seashells and sea glass.
- For a festive lamp, try adding some cedar cuttings, holly berries, and small pine cones.
- For a more fragrant festive lamp, add in some pine sprigs and cinnamon sticks.
6
Consider adding a few drops of food coloring if you are using water in your lamp as well. Fill your lamp part way with water and add a few drops of food coloring. Stir the water with a spoon, then add your wick and oil. The water will sink to the bottom and the oil will float on top, giving you a stripped effect.

Community Q&A

Question

Is it possible to use shoelaces to make wicks for oil lamps or candles?

Eugene Tan

Community Answer

If your shoelace is 100% cotton, it should be fine as long as your remove the aglets on the ends of the laces. You can try twisting it with a thin wire to give it a bit more support.
Question

When I tried this with the wire going across and the lid with the hole and wick sticking out, the light went off as soon as the exposed wick burnt out. What did I do wrong?

Community Answer

You need to make sure the wick is soaked for at least 30 minutes; the wick should be cotton; and you will need to pull the wick out from the jar since, like a regular candle, the wick is used up when it burns. You may also have tied the wick with the wire too tight, preventing the oil from being pulled up past that point.
Question

I did the "lidded jar oil lamp" and the wick keeps burning out. I waited 30 minutes for it to soak and pulled it out about half an inch, but it burns fast and just goes out in like a minute. What could be wrong?

Community Answer

You might want to try making your hole (in the lid) a bit bigger. If the wick you are using is pinched at all it won't allow the oil to flow to the top. Also, make sure the gap between the top of the wick and the oil level is not too big. The bigger the gap, the harder it is for the oil to get to the top.

Warnings

You won't be able to blow these lamps out like a candle. You will need to snuff them out using a metal bucket or pan.

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Use caution when lighting the lamp. Sometimes, the flame burns higher than you might expect.

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Never leave a burning oil lamp unattended.

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These candles may burn really high when you first light them. Because of this, try to keep them away from anything flammable, such as shrubs and curtains. The flames should eventually shrink down to more normal-sized flames after a few minutes.

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Make sure that you set your lamp down on a stable surface. You could end up with an oil fire if the lamp tips over.

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