Rescuing the Centerpiece: How to Repair a Candelabra by Welding

Whether it’s a family heirloom or a stunning thrift-store find, a broken candelabra is a heartbreak. Often, these decorative pieces have delicate arms or heavy bases that snap due to stress or age. Because candelabras are "fire-bearing" objects, a sturdy repair is non-negotiable—you don’t want a burning candle falling over during dinner!

In this guide, I’ll show you how to identify the metal and use professional welding techniques to bring your candelabra back to life.

Step 1: Determine the Material

Candelabras are made from a variety of metals, and your welding approach depends entirely on what’s in your hands:

• Wrought Iron or Steel: Magnetic and heavy. These are the easiest to weld with standard equipment.
• Brass or Bronze: Often has a gold/yellow hue. These require brazing (a form of high-heat soldering with a torch) or specialized TIG welding.
• Pot Metal / Cast Zinc: Greyish, "grainy" at the break, and very brittle. Warning: This is extremely difficult to weld because it melts at a very low temperature. If it's pot metal, epoxy (like JB Weld) is often a safer DIY choice.
• Silver/Silver Plate: Usually marked "Sterling" or "925." These require silver soldering with a jeweler's torch, not a traditional welder.

Step 2: Tools Needed

For a standard steel or wrought iron candelabra, you will need:

• Welder: A TIG welder is best for delicate decorative work, but a MIG welder with .023 wire will work for sturdier iron pieces.
• Clamps & Jigs: Small spring clamps or even a vice with soft jaws to hold the odd-shaped arms in place.
• Rotary Tool (Dremel): Much better than a large grinder for small, intricate details.
• Reinforcement Pin: A small piece of steel wire or a headless nail (used for internal bracing).

Step 3: Safety Concerns

• Protect Your Eyes: Use a helmet with a proper shade for low-amperage welding.
• Watch the Coatings: Many candelabras are plated in chrome, nickel, or silver. Grinding these off is essential because welding through them releases toxic fumes.
• Heat Sink: Decorative metal is thin. Keep a damp rag nearby to cool the metal away from the weld to prevent warping.

Step 4: Preparation

1. Clean the Break: Use your rotary tool to sand away any old wax, soot, or plating at the joint. You must have 100% clean metal.
2. The "Internal Pin" Trick: For extra strength on thin arms, drill a tiny hole into the center of both broken ends and insert a small metal pin (like a piece of a paperclip). This acts like a bone graft, making the joint much stronger.
3. Alignment: Secure the pieces so they are perfectly aligned. Since candelabras are symmetrical, use the unbroken side as a visual reference.

Step 5: The Weld (Easy & Low Heat)

• Tack and Check: Fire a tiny "tack" weld first. Stop and look at the alignment from all angles. If it’s crooked, you can easily snap a tack and try again.
• Pulse Technique: Instead of a continuous bead, use a "zap-cool-zap" method. This minimizes heat and prevents the thin metal from melting into a puddle.
• Fill the Gap: Ensure the weld fills the "V" shape created by the break for a flush finish later.

Step 6: Make it Beautiful

1. Seamless Grinding: Use a small needle file or a Dremel sanding drum to smooth the weld until it perfectly matches the curve of the arm.
2. Texture Matching: If the candelabra has a hammered or cast texture, you can use a small metal punch to tap a similar pattern into the weld area.
3. The Finish: Most iron candelabras look best with a coat of flat black "High Heat" spray paint (designed for grills), which hides the repair and handles the heat of a candle flame.