Learn to make your own DIY Wall clock tutorial with this super easy and inexpensive tutorial! This is a simple project that would look great on your wall!

Ever since I saw Joanna Gaine's living space with that gorgeous huge clock behind her sofa, I've been pining over a clock like it. Obviously, hers is a very custom piece, and I wanted mine to be the same. While I could buy some clocks similar to it at Hobby Lobby and Pier 1 Imports, I wanted one that was very particular: with a white, rustic vibe.

So, I'm showing you how we made a wooden clock in just a few hours in eight quick easy steps! Below, you'll see two different types of wall clocks we made using the same process, only we used paint for one and stain for another!

How to Make a DIY Wall Clock in 8 Easy Steps. This tutorial is so easy and with very few materials, you can make it over a few hours! It gives you that fixer upper style and relaxed cottage style for your space.

In This Post

Materials for DIY Wall Clock

2 - six foot lengths of wood (different widths)
joining biscuits and/or wood glue
piece of string
wood stain or paint
stencil vinyl
numerals for the clock (these are the ones we used)
clock mechanism
picture wall hanger

Directions for DIY Wall Clock Tutorial

Step 1 // Measure Your Space
First, figure out the space you are wanting to hang the wall clock to make sure you get the right measurements for it.

Step 2 // Determine Your Design
You can customize the look of your wall clock by varying the width of the wood or having it all the same standard size.

Step 3 // Create a Square
Cut your wood into pieces. For ours, we cut them down into 3 foot pieces for our wall clock. With your boards, you'll want to wood glue (we swear by this one) and/or bond it together with joining biscuits or tongue and groove.

Step 4 // Cut a Circle
First, you'll need to outline a perfect circle. As a shortcut, to find the center of your circle, draw an X from opposite corners of the square wood. Next, drill a 1/8 inch hole right in the middle using a piece of string (or board) like a compass! Using a jig saw, cut the circle within 1/8 inch outside your line or less.

Tip: We recommend having a custom router table made of cheap MDF. It's been so handy in situations like this, where we can temporarily drill into it for a project. As it gets used, we can always replace the router table top! For this project, we drilled into the table top, offset the 1/2 inch router bit and we cut it by slowly spinning the square.

Step 5 // Finishing the DIY Wall Clock
Paint or wood stain your piece before adding on the numbers. For a truly custom clock, you can make your own wood stain by soaking a steel wool pad into some white distilled vinegar overnight! (Trust me, it works and has an amazing look!)

Step 6 // Spray Paint and Install the Numerals
Decide how many numerals you want on the clock. Measure and divide for the number of spaces and add them in. If you have a cutting machine, like a Cricut or Silhouette, now is the time to use it to create some stencil design! For ours, we added our name. Check out my Instagram Highlight Stories on all the projects I've done with it. For this specific project, you will want some stencil vinyl to cut your design and make it a stencil. We used this spray paint, which gave us that rustic look we were looking for. It's been amazing for a ton of projects!

If you want markers between the numerals, here's a tip: use paint stick mixers that you can get for free at the hardware store, cut them down, paint and brad nail them on.

Quick and easy 8 step tutorial on getting that fixer upper look / relaxed cottage style wall clock! Rustic custom stain wall clock

Step 7 // Install the Clock Mechanism
Next trace the clock mechanism on the back of the clock. You'll want to jig out the wood so that the depth is equal to the clock mechanism. You want the clock mechanism to be almost flush with the surface of the clock to avoid any hanging problems.

This is the clock mechanism you'll want if you make your own custom DIY all clock using this tutorial!

Step 8 // Attach a Wall Hanger
You'll want to attach a hanger so you can hang the clock onto the wall. We like using these types of wall hangers because they are more secure and hang better!

That's it! Wasn't that a pretty easy DIY wall clock tutorial? Now, if you didn't want to complete the project, I've compiled some pre-made ones under $100 if you want to save some time 😉

Yield: 1

How to Make a Wooden DIY Wall Clock

Learn how to make an easy DIY wood clock in just a few steps. It's a gorgeous clock that you can decorate and personalize for your space.

Prep Time 20 minutes

Active Time 20 minutes

Additional Time 20 minutes

Total Time 1 hour

Difficulty Medium

Materials

2 - six foot lengths of wood (different widths)
joining biscuits and/or wood glue
piece of string
wood stain or paint
stencil vinyl
numerals for the clock
clock mechanism
picture wall hanger

Tools

miter saw
ruler
straight edge

Instructions

First, figure out the space you are wanting to hang the wall clock to make sure you get the right measurements for it.
You can customize the look of your wall clock by varying the width of the wood or having it all the same standard size.
Cut your wood into pieces. For ours, we cut them down into 3 foot pieces for our wall clock. With your boards, you'll want to wood glue (we swear by this one) and/or bond it together with joining biscuits or tongue and groove.
First, you'll need to outline a perfect circle. As a shortcut, to find the center of your circle, draw an X from opposite corners of the square wood. Next, drill a ⅛ inch hole right in the middle using a piece of string (or board) like a compass! Using a jig saw, cut the circle within ⅛ inch outside your line or less.
Tip: We recommend having a custom router table made of cheap MDF. It's been so handy in situations like this, where we can temporarily drill into it for a project. As it gets used, we can always replace the router table top! For this project, we drilled into the table top, offset the ½ inch router bit and we cut it by slowly spinning the square.
Paint or wood stain your piece before adding on the numbers. For a truly custom clock, you can make your own wood stain by soaking a steel wool pad into some white distilled vinegar overnight! (Trust me, it works and has an amazing look!)
Decide how many numerals you want on the clock. Measure and divide for the number of spaces and add them in. If you have a cutting machine, like a Cricut or Silhouette, now is the time to use it to create some stencil design! For ours, we added our name. Check out my Instagram Highlight Stories on all the projects I've done with it. For this specific project, you will want some stencil vinyl to cut your design and make it a stencil. We used this spray paint, which gave us that rustic look we were looking for. It's been amazing for a ton of projects!

Recommended Products

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Roundup of My Favorite Rustic Wall Clocks

Hope you enjoyed this DIY wall clock tutorial!

I also wrote an epic post how on to make closet barn doors that is super easy to follow!

How to Make a Wooden DIY Wall Clock in 8 Easy Steps

Materials for DIY Wall Clock

Directions for DIY Wall Clock Tutorial