Skip Basic Candle Holders: Craft A Unique Alternative With A Copper Pipe DIY

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After searching through thrift stores, estate sales, and retail stores alike, you are at a loss. You know that a unique candle holder is the perfect addition to your dining room table, but all you find are basic options. If no candle holder is living up to your expectations, maybe it's time to roll up your sleeves and get a little creative. While you may want to avoid copper countertops in your home, incorporate some of that industrial chic vibe in a different way by turning copper pipes into candle holders. A copper candle holder, designed to fit your style, can add both elegance and warmth to a space. And, depending on your design, you do not need a lot of tools, supplies, or practical knowledge to pull this DIY off. 

Making a candle holder out of a copper pipe starts with a basic list of supplies. Or course, you should have a length of copper pipe. Head to Home Depot, or another home improvement store, and look for Type M copper pipe. Type M copper pipe (which usually has writing in red ink on the side) is thinner and therefore cheaper than Type L (which has blue writing). The thinner walls also make it easier to cut, which you can accomplish best with a tubing cutter. You can pick up this well-rated LIBRATON Copper Pipe Cutter on Amazon for $16.99. 

And, when selecting the diameter for the copper pipe, make sure to match it to the diameter of your intended candlesticks. For example, if you buy these flamecan Ivory Taper Candles on Amazon for $12.96, you need ¾-inch pipe so they will fit inside your finished candle holder! To attach the copper pipe together and form a candle holder, you will need super glue or some other heavy-duty adhesive.

There are many ways to design a copper pipe candle holder, so don't be afraid to let your creativity flow. Some designs feature fewer steps, while others involve more complicated configurations. The TikTok creator @TheNavagePatch, for example, cuts multiple lengths of pipe before attaching them with glue into a winding, curvy shape. The different heights of pipe standing tall look magical with candles lit inside them. This DIY also allows you to customize the placement of pipe pieces to suit your space and style. Instead of giving the candle holder a curve, you could line the pieces up in a straight line for a neat finish. However, this design may be too busy for your needs. There are other compact candle holders you can build out of copper pipe, too.

One example of a compact copper pipe candle holder puts emphasis on the industrial element of the pipes and doesn't require gluing pieces together. With this DIY, grab a few copper fittings and elbow fittings alongside your copper pipe. Arrange the fittings and short pieces of pipe together to form a sturdy square shape with four pieces of pipes pointing upwards to hold four candles. Another example for the fan of extreme minimalism takes two pieces of copper pipe and a plank of balsa wood to make a very simple, yet unique, candle holder. This candle holder features one piece of pipe glued on either side of the plank. An unexpected and creative way to bring copper into your kitchen design is by adding a homemade candelabra to your decor. But no matter which copper pipe candle holder you pick, you will have a statement piece that every guest will surely remake upon.