How to : How to Make Sky Lanterns

Part 1

Part 1 of 4:

Making the Paper Shell

1

Buy a roll of wax paper. Wax paper is a thin, sheer paper used for cooking and arts and crafts. Wax paper is ideal for making sky lanterns because it’s lightweight and translucent. Look for a roll of wax paper that’s at least 15 feet (4.6 m) long. It should say right on the packaging how long it is.^{[1]

X

Research source}
2
Roll out and cut 2 pieces of wax paper that are the same size. Make the pieces longer than 2 feet (0.61 m) so your sky lantern isn’t too small. Keep in mind that the longer the pieces are, the bigger your sky lantern will be.^{[2]

X

Research source

Be careful cutting the paper so you don’t accidentally tear it.}
3

Glue the pieces of paper together along one of the long edges. Lay the 2 pieces of paper on a flat surface so they’re slightly overlapped lengthwise. Then, use a glue stick to attach the pieces of paper where they overlap. When you’re finished, you should have a single large piece of paper.^{[3]

X

Research source}
4

Glue the short ends of the paper together to create a paper cylinder. Grab one end of the paper and fold it over so it’s slightly overlapping the other end. Apply glue to the ends of the paper and press them together so they’re attached where they overlap each other. You should now have a large paper cylinder.^{[4]

X

Research source}
5

Cut out a square piece of paper that’s slightly larger than the open ends. The square piece of paper will be the top of your sky lantern. Make sure the square is big enough to completely cover one of the open ends, and then some.^{[5]

X

Research source}
6

Glue the square over one of the open ends of the paper cylinder. Place the square next to one of the open ends of the cylinder. Then, glue the edges of the square to the edges of the cylinder so the open end is covered.^{[6]

X

Research source}

Part 2

Part 2 of 4:

Building the Frame

1
Buy a roll of metal wire to make the frame for your sky lantern. Metal wire will easily bend and hold its shape, making it an ideal material to build the frame for your lantern with.^{[7]

X

Research source

You can get a roll of metal wire online or at your local home improvement center.}
2

Make a ring with the wire that has the same perimeter as the paper shell. To find the perimeter of the paper shell, lay it on a flat surface so the open end is completely flat. Then, measure the length of the open end with a tape measure and double the length to get the perimeter. Once you have the perimeter, measure and cut a piece of wire that’s 1 inch (2.5 cm) longer. Bend the wire into a ring shape and twist the ends together.^{[8]

X

Research source}
3

Run 2 strips of wire across the center of the ring so they’re perpendicular. These pieces of wire will hold the fuel you’ll use to light and launch your sky lantern. Twist the ends of the 2 strips of wire around the wire ring so they stay in place.^{[9]

X

Research source}
4

Glue the wire ring inside the open end of the paper shell. Take the paper shell and hold it so the open end is facing up. Then, insert the wire ring inside the paper shell so it’s about ¹⁄₂ inch (1.3 cm) away from the edge of the open end. Working your way around the ring, fold the edges of the paper down over the ring and glue them down to secure the ring in place.^{[10]

X

Research source}

Part 3

Part 3 of 4:

Preparing the Fuel

1

Melt candle wax in a pan over the stove top. Candle wax will serve as part of the fuel for your sky lantern. Leave the melted candle wax on the lit stove top until you’re ready to use it so it doesn’t harden.^{[11]

X

Research source}
2

Dip a strip of cloth in the melted candle wax until it’s completely covered. Any kind of cloth fabric will work. Use a strip that’s around 1 foot (0.30 m) long and 1–2 inches (2.5–5.1 cm) wide. Once the cloth is covered with wax, use a pair of tongs to lift it out of the pan. Let the cloth strip dry for 2 minutes.^{[12]

X

Research source}
3

Tie the wax-covered strip of cloth onto the center of the wire frame. Turn your sky lantern upside down so the wire frame is facing up. Then, wrap the cloth strip around the middle of the wire frame and tie several knots. Continue tying knots until the whole strip is bundled up in the center of the frame and the ends are no longer sticking out.^{[13]

X

Research source}

Part 4

Part 4 of 4:

Lighting Your Sky Lantern

1
Light your sky lantern in a safe outdoor location. Sky lanterns can be a fire hazard if they’re not lit in a safe place under the right conditions. Never light your sky lantern indoors, and always check the weather before you light your lantern. If it’s going to be windy or rainy, wait and light it on a different day.^{[14]

X

Trustworthy Source
US National Park Service

Agency responsible for the maintenance and promotion of national parks and monuments
Go to source

Don’t light your sky lantern near tall trees or buildings.}
2

Hold your sky lantern by the wire and light the wax-covered cloth. Hold a lighter to the cloth until it catches fire. Keep holding it once it’s lit. You don’t want to release it just yet.^{[15]

X

Research source}
3

Continue to hold your lantern right side up until you feel it pulling upward. It will take a few seconds for the fire on the wax-covered cloth to fill up the paper shell with air. Once it does, you should feel the lantern being pulled upward.
4
Release your lantern. Once you feel your lantern being pulled upward, it’s ready to be launched. Gently let go of your lantern and watch as it soars into the air.
- If there’s no wind when you launch your sky lantern, you may be able to collect it when it floats down from the sky. If it’s a windy day, your sky lantern will probably travel too far for you to find it.

Tips

Submit a Tip

All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published

Submit

Thanks for submitting a tip for review!

Warnings

Sky lanterns are prohibited in some cities. Before you light your sky lantern, make sure they’re legal in your area.^{[16]

X

Trustworthy Source
US National Park Service

Agency responsible for the maintenance and promotion of national parks and monuments
Go to source}

⧼thumbs_response⧽

Helpful
1

Not Helpful
0