The Safe Working Range for Encaustic Wax
Working with encaustic means working with heat, and temperature control is essential. Keeping your wax at the proper temperature ensures both your safety and the colour quality of your paint.
A good working temperature is between 180° and 200°F. Staying within this threshold prevents the release of harmful fumes. If you ever see smoke rising from your palette or smell an acrid odour, that’s a clear warning sign—turn down the heat immediately.
Overheating also creates serious safety risks. Hot wax produces fumes and smoke you don’t want to breathe in, and at very high temperatures, encaustic medium can even ignite.
Staying within the safe temperature range keeps your studio safer and your colours true.
Tools for Monitoring Heat
Many artists use a pancake griddle, but the built-in dials on these appliances can’t be trusted. They tend to heat unevenly, leaving hot spots across the surface. That’s why a thermometer is a must. A simple grill thermometer placed on the palette will give you a more accurate reading, or better yet, use an infrared thermometer. This allows you to check multiple areas of your palette quickly and accurately, so you can be confident your wax is in the safe zone.
How to Use an Infrared Thermometer for Encaustic
- Aim and hold steady
Point the infrared thermometer at the surface of your heated palette or griddle. Hold it about 2–3 inches above the wax, but check your model’s “distance-to-spot” ratio in the manual. Hold it steady until the reading appears, and release the button before pulling it away. - Scan across the surface periodically
Griddles often heat unevenly, so take readings at the centre, edges, and corners to make sure the whole surface is within the safe working range. Repeat this from time to time while you work. - Check the display
The digital screen instantly shows the surface temperature. For encaustic medium (beeswax and damar resin), a safe working range is between 180°F (82°C ) and 200°F (93°C ).
R&F- Encaustic Temperature Chart
For a deeper understanding of wax behaviour, R&F Handmade Paints has published an Encaustic Technical Information: Temperature Chart, which outlines the melting points and safe working ranges for different waxes.
Maintaining safe temperatures protects both you and your materials—ensuring your studio is a healthy space and your encaustic paints remain clear, vibrant, and true.
