To melt crayons into moulds, a simple method involves heating crayon pieces in a microwave and then pouring the melted wax into silicone forms. This technique is popular for creating new crayon shapes or multi-colored art supplies.
Step-by-Step Guide to Melting Crayons
Creating new crayon shapes from old or broken pieces is a fun and creative project. The process primarily involves melting the wax and letting it cool in desired shapes. Here's a breakdown of how to do it, incorporating the described microwave method:
- Prepare Your Crayons: Begin by peeling the paper wrappers off your crayons. Break the crayons into smaller pieces. Sorting them by color can help if you want solid colors, or you can mix colors for unique effects.
- Microwave Heating:
- Place the crayon pieces in paper cups. Using separate cups for different colors or color mixes helps keep them distinct.
- Heat the cups containing the crayon pieces on high in the microwave.
- Based on our experience, heating took about 5 minutes.
- However, heating times can vary depending on your microwave's power, so you may want to start checking around four minutes. Watch carefully to avoid overheating or burning the wax.
- Pour into Moulds:
- Once the crayons are completely melted into a liquid wax, carefully remove the paper cups from the microwave.
- Then pour the melted crayons into your silicone molds! Silicone molds work well as they are flexible and heat-resistant, making it easy to remove the hardened crayons later.
- Cool and Set: Allow the melted wax to cool completely in the molds. This can take a few hours at room temperature, or you can speed up the process by placing the molds in the refrigerator for about 30-60 minutes.
- Remove from Moulds: Once the wax is fully hardened, gently pop the new crayons out of the silicone molds.
Materials You'll Need
Gathering the right materials beforehand makes the process smoother:
- Old or broken crayons
- Paper cups (disposable for easy cleanup)
- Microwave
- Silicone molds (various shapes work great, like animals, letters, or standard crayon shapes)
Remember to supervise children closely if they are participating in this craft due to the use of a microwave and hot wax. Work in a well-ventilated area.
