Make a Wine Bottle Torch

An Easy to Make Torch for the Outdoor Seating Area

I absolutely love this idea! Wine bottle torches are so functional any time of year. They look great on a porch or patio, and add ambient light to an evening outside. Any bottle can be used and with the right fitting in the top, the easy to make wine bottle torch is a great accessory!

The wicks are a little short for wine bottles because they are made for tiki torches. I filled the bottom with sand, tiny pebbles or crushed shells to take up a bit of room in the bottle so that less fuel can be used.

Materials:

• 1/2″ copper cap (to cover the wick when not in use)
• 1/2″ x 3/8″ copper reducer
• 3/8 x 16 threaded rod
• 1″ split ring hanger (in the plumbing dept!)
• 3/8″ ceiling flange (also called a “top plate connector”)
• 2 – 3/8″ hex nuts
• Tiki torch replacement wicks (<– affiliate link!)
• Empty glass bottle

I wanted to use them as ambiance for a barbecue we were planning. Plus, if the bug repellent type of oil is used, it can do dual duty and keep those pesky mosquitos at bay!

Here is how I created my torches:

I sprayed a clear coat on the caps and reducers. I didn’t want the patina on the copper that will eventually happen.

The couplers will need to have teflon tape wrapped around the larger end in order to fit in the bottle. I found that wrapping the tape five times around it gave a nice, snug fit in the bottle opening. Then I inserted the wick in the opening with at least 1″ at the top.

The store where I purchased the ceiling flanges didn’t have them in copper, only galvanized. I thought about spray painting them even though paint doesn’t stick to galvanized material very well. Its a small part so eventually repainting wouldn’t be a big deal. I used primer and painted them with hammered copper spray paint. I’m not ready to mount mine yet (I have to build the deck first!) so I set the ceiling flange, split ring connector, and threaded rod off to the side for awhile.

Fill them with torch fuel and definitely use a funnel (<– affiliate link!)! The wicks seem short for the bottle but pour enough in there so the wicks can absorb the fuel. The Tiki brand fuel also comes in a bug-repellant type which will be great for this summer! I learned that water can be poured into the bottle along with the fuel (they won’t mix) and as long as the lower 1″ of the wick is in the fuel, it will burn just fine!

I waited until dark to light mine so I can check them out. The caps are so the wick can be protected when not in use. Aren’t they great?

I have several of these torches that I’ve made in various bottles. I may share another post later on how to make a wine bottle torch using another type of bottle or jar! Any questions? Leave a comment below!

Originally posted 2014-03-20 08:00:41.