Did you know you can turn almost anything into a clock? Here’s how to make a clock and some out-of-the-box clock ideas.

A cozy laundry room with white walls features a wooden bench with a wicker basket underneath. Above the bench, a rustic sign reads "U-Pick Cut Flowers Strawberries." A washing machine and dryer are visible in an adjacent room, and a dog is walking near the bench.

When I was growing up my mom set all the clocks in our house ahead five minutes.

Every. Single. One.

It kind of time-scarred me for life.

When I’d leave the house I’d try and do the clock math in my head and figure out how much time I had and misjudge every time and think I had more time than I actually had and inevitably I would be late to wherever I was going.

See that clock in the top right-hand corner?

It came with the house when my parents bought it. It’s built-in and it used to be on the other wall before it was knocked out to turn the workshop into a family room. My mother moved it over to the back wall of the kitchen and promptly set it five minutes ahead.

But somewhere between Cyndi Lauper and The Spice Girls….

….it stopped working.

The hands kind of froze in place at 8:15 and never moved again.

Until yesterday.

Here’s how to make a clock and some creative clock projects to try today.

A minimalist wall clock displaying 9:16. The clock and its numbers are in a monochromatic light beige color, with a simple, modern design. No other elements or decorations are present, emphasizing the clock's simplicity—perfect inspiration for those curious about how to make a clock with sleek aesthetics.

Here’s what the clock has looked like forever.

Someone painted it gray and the numbers and the clock hand gray, too.

I’ve been debating about repainting the center white, but I was so excited to see if we could actually get the clock to work that I just left it gray for now.

Two gold-colored clock hands, one long and one short, and a black clock mechanism are placed on a marble surface. The clock hands and mechanism appear to be separate pieces, likely offering insight into how to make a clock or facilitating easy assembly or replacement.

How To Make a Clock

You can actually turn anything into a clock and making a project like this is so much easier than you think.

Did you know that?

Here are a few suggestions of potential future clocks:

  • a pot lid
  • the top of a wood spool
  • a door
  • a picture frame
  • a record
  • an embroidery hoop
  • a paint pallet

A rustic wooden wall clock showing the time 10:09, with numerals in a minimalist style on a round, light wood background painted in Sea Serpent by Sherwin Williams.

Here are a few other time projects that I’ve shown you before.

My brother made this one from pallet wood.

You can see the complete DIY here.

A rustic wall clock made from various sizes of wood slices, featuring prominent clock hands and numbers 12, 9, 6, and 3. the background includes a magazine titled "the man cave.

I made this wood slice clock years ago for a magazine project.

It’s just wood slices glued to a wood board in a circle.

Then I glued numbers at the four corners.

A minimalist wall clock design with large black numerals arranged in a circular pattern on a white wall, with the clock hands centered, above a decorative box containing colorful and

Just made a clock on the wall at the gatehouse.

I just stuck numbers on the wall.

Then I stuck the battery-operated hands on the wall in the middle.

You can easily recreate a project like this on any wall. I found a few options for stick-on clocks on Amazon.

An artistic classroom setup with a large wall clock design above a wooden chest, flanked by vintage school desks, each holding a single red book, all set against a chalkboard backdrop.

We made a bicycle wheel clock at the farmhouse.

The hands are made from vintage yardsticks and it’s on a chalkboard wall with roman numerals written in chalk.

You can see this bicycle wheel project and the entire DIY here.

Two gold-colored clock hands, one long and one short, and a black clock mechanism are placed on a marble surface. The clock hands and mechanism appear to be separate pieces, likely offering insight into how to make a clock or facilitating easy assembly or replacement.

The one thing all these projects have in common?

Clock hands.

You can see the clock hands I ordered from Amazon here.

They were actually really affordable. The kit came with two sets of hands. I wish you lived around the corner so I could give you the other set to use for your own clock project.

Here’s what you are looking for:

  1. Make sure they are high torque.
  2. Make sure they are battery-operated.
  3. Make sure to measure the length of the hands compared to your numbers. I actually ordered the wrong set and had to return them.
  4. Make sure to determine what style (contemporary, modern, farmhouse, victorian) you want for your project.

Here’s what the kit looked like that we ordered.

There’s usually an hour hand and a minute hand and a battery pack.

That’s it.

It’s SO EASY to install.

A black battery compartment attached to the back of a deteriorating clock mechanism, missing its clock face. The arrow-shaped white hands rest on a mottled brownish-golden base, giving insight into how to make a clock look antique and weathered.

You can follow the instructions on the package, but here’s how I DIY’d this project:

  1. Put the nut and the washer on the clock shaft.
  2. Tighten it a little, but not too much.
  3. Make sure to put the hour hand FIRST then the minute hand.
  4. Keep the hour hand and minute hand parallel when you install them.
  5. Then tighten and add the batteries.
  6. There was already a hole in the wall from the previous clock that the battery pack was inserted into.

A close-up view of minimalist gold-colored clock hands mounted on a simple, round white base. The hands lack numbers or other traditional clock face features.

Here’s the side view so you can see what it looks like when it was finished.

Those hands are so pretty.

You can see the kit I ordered from Amazon here.

I found tons of hands on Amazon in tons of different sizes and colors and styles.

A close-up of a minimalist wall clock with a round face and thin, tapered hands. The numbers 1 to 6 are visible on the right side of the clock, with the large hand pointing to 3 and the small hand slightly past 10, indicating around 10:15. The clock and background are shades of gray.

Here’s a close-up of the clock before.

A minimalist clock face with gold numbers from 1 to 12, placed on a light gray background, showcases elegant design. The clock has two gold hands, one long and one short.

And here’s a close-up of the clock after.

A cozy entryway with a white wooden bench. A woven basket sits underneath the bench while a grey pillow with "hello" text rests on top. Above the bench hangs three wooden signs reading "U-PICK," "CUT FLOWERS," and "STRAWBERRIES."

Here’s an overall picture of the clock on the kitchen wall now.

I just used Rub ‘N Buff on the numbers to turn them gold. If you have never heard of Rub ‘N Buff before it is a MIRACLE SUBSTANCE. You can use it to make anything look like metal. My favorite finish is the Antique Gold. It’s the most realistic looking when you rub it on.

You can see the Rub ‘N Buff I used here.

An analog clock face with gold numbers and minimalist hour and minute hands on a light gray background.

When the time was set, the hour and minute hands were turned to exactly the right time—I’m sure much to my mother’s dismay.

It’s not five minutes fast anymore.

But guess what?

I’m still late.

Go figure. 🙂

PS Have you ever made a clock before from something unusual? I’m all ears. 🙂

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Posted On: January 23, 2023

Written By: KariAnne Wood

Comments

  3. Image for Lou Ann Lou Ann

    The clock project looks GREAT! I’m also a big fan of Antique Gold Rub ‘N Buff! I would just LOVE to be late to ANYTHING ….but married to a Marine, so unless you’re 15 min early…you are late!

    Reply
  4. Image for Jodena Beale Jodena Beale

    The cutest idea. I love rub n buff in all the shades for one project or another. Your stories are always so fun. We received 6 inches of snow in west Ohio yesterday. Calling for another 4 to 7 tomorrow. The hands to Springs clock can start moving soon. Lol

    Reply
  6. Image for Lisa Barron Lisa Barron

    The clock looks great, it stands out more now that you added the rub ‘n buff! I love that it was built into the wall, so cool! I love clocks, I have multiple clocks in every room, some work and some don’t! xoxo Lisa

    Reply
  7. Image for Denise Denise

    Love the updated look on your clock. Your story reminded me of my mother-in-law who ALWAYS set her clocks 10 minutes ahead. And I don't know what was more annoying, the clock not giving me the correct time or her telling me, E V E R Y time I looked at the clock, that it was 10 minutes fast. Like I would or could forget that, which makes me laugh now, years later.

    Reply
  8. Image for JC JC

    I love clocks but don't have any in my house, except what is on our stove and micro, 😉 because I can not sleep with any ticking noise or gongs. I guess I'm a lite sleeper! My inlaws used to have coo-coo clocks, grandfather clocks, wall clocks, and I would have to stop each one when we stayed with them. Sad huh? I guess I'm a clock scrooge!😂 It would be 2 am and I would hear the gongs and count how many hours the time was and try and fall back to sleep before the half hour sounding. Torturous! I have always wanted a Mora clock, but have never gotten one because of this reason. SO, does this particular clock kit have much of a loud ticking noise? I'd love to have clocks in my future. I can see you running down your stairs in your stirrup pants, baggy sweater, and scrunchie, grabbing your Language Arts and Social Study books, and dashing out your door all without a hair out if place!

    Reply
    1. Image for Kris Kris

      I love clocks and have them all over, but the loud ones are not in the bedroom! I have similar memories of staying at my grandparent's house and hearing the gongs every 15 minutes. Not a restful way to sleep!

      Reply
  9. Image for Peg Peg

    This is great! It makes such a statement now!! xoxo And here's a fun quote on time: Time if free, but it's priceless. You can't own it, but you can use it. You can't keep it, but you can spend it. Once you've lost it, you can never get it back!!

    Reply
  10. Image for Carol Tucker Carol Tucker

    I LOVE LOVE your blog..best ideas ever!! Because of you...I'm a Amazon Prime customer...lol. I've got to order the Antique Gold Rub now..The clock idea on chalk paint wall..amazingly clever. Love you

    Reply
  11. Image for Lenore Lenore

    I was one always late, I really tried but I'd change my outfit, check the hair, make up etc., too many times...I was much younger then. My family was all early or early early. I tried the clock thing and I'd be standing doing the math but then I did 10 minutes and that was easy to calculate but I was still going to be late. I really regret all of those years and it caused such anxiety and thinking while driving, what's the excuse this time. Not lying, but trying to appease people with why. I noticed at work people calming sitting at desks, drinking coffee, when I came flying into work on time or within a minute or two but like a whirlwind but anxious and apologetic, etc. Good thing I was a really hard worker! One day I heard Oprah say, "When you are late, you don't respect the other person's time." Hit me like a hammer! I never felt I was doing that but in essence I was. How unfair of me not to get places on time. That statement really changed me.

    Reply
  12. Image for Marlene Stephenson Marlene Stephenson

    My father use to make clocks out of slices of cedar trees. They had great shapes and lovely wood color. He is gone now and I need to buy some hands and motor for the two I have. Thank you so much, love the one your brother made for you.

    Reply
  15. Image for Ynde Ynde

    Love your blog, always puts a smile on my face. Yeah, team always late!!! Lol. My husband is always on time, I thought when he retired things would change, it’s even worse now…Love your ideas and all of your inspiration and your sense of humor and your gift for telling stories and writing!!!

    Reply
  16. Image for Rosanna Stutzman Rosanna Stutzman

    Love your stories and ideas! I am wanting to create a clock to hang up outside. What would you recommend? How would I protect the batteries from rain etc?

    Reply

Comments are closed.