DIY Reclaimed Barn Wood Clock

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Thanks for checking out my site! Glad you’re hear, and hope you love this reclaimed barn wood clock.

choose your wood:

Alright, so I realize that this is a one-of-a-kind clock, since there’s no way to replicate this exact barn wood or layout, or rustic chipped awesomeness of these boards, but I wanted to share with you the process that I went through to make my clock. Maybe after you see how easy it is, you’ll realize you can build your own too!

First, gather some boards that are at least as long as the desired diameter of your clock. I used some of those pictured here, and some others that I got with the same lot.

Clean your wood. I use water and a metal brush (affiliate link TEKTON Mini Wire Brush Set ) to get all the dirt and grime off the wood. Depending on where you get your wood, you may need more. I’m no expert on this, but you definitely want to make sure it’s not bug infested or anything. Mine just took a good scrub. Be sure to let it dry for a day before cutting or drilling.

Next, lay out the pattern that you want. I played with the boards a bit to decide. Some of mine still have paint, and others are bare or rusty, and I wanted it all. Here’s the layout I decided on.

My boards were actually this short already. I basically decided on the size because the length of the boards that I had. Like I always say, work with what you have. Mine measured at 34″ diameter.

Cut the circle shape:

As soon as I had my layout, I measured to find the center and inserted a screw at the exact center. I then took some twine and tied it around the screw (you can see that in the next pic). This is a really amateur way of marking the circle. I know there are some tools that will help make this MUCH easier, but at this point I didn’t have one, so again I just worked with what I had! Used a pencil and marked the circle. Be sure that the boards are exactly where you want them. I supposed you could connect them on the back at this point, but I didn’t because of the method that I used to cut them. I wanted to cut them as smaller boards, not one huge piece. Trace the circle.

Okay, so I marked the circle. I then took out my jigsaw and cut along all of the lines. If you’re careful, this is actually quite easy. At least, it was with my boards. Sometimes I forget to be a good blogger and get a photo of every step, so I forgot to take one here, but this is pretty self-explanatory, right?

Next, I flipped all the boards over and carefully lined them up where I wanted them. (Can you tell the middle board is wet? I had forgotten to scrub the back, so I had to do it here. There’s always something I overlook.) Once you get them where you want them, grab your two support boards.

Add supports on back:

Lay them on the back where you want them. I had to be careful because I had certain areas where the wood was chipped or weakened, so I really had to think through this step as I did not want to break any of the boards when I screwed down the supports. Once you have them where you want them, screw those babies down.
Wait, NO, STOP! First, pre-drill the holes for your screws. Especially if you’re using reclaimed wood, otherwise it’ll just split like you’ve never seen. You’ll need to screw at least one screw into each of the boards on the front so they all hold. Add more if you have wider supports. I always say it’s better to have more support than not enough. Okay, so you’ve carefully pre-drilled your holes, NOW screw those babies down. 😉  If your wood is more level than mine, I’d recommend adding wood glue before screwing down, but my wood wasn’t level enough for the glue to do any good.

The clock seemed to hold just fine. Not one board was loose. I bought some hands and a clock mechanism online, and I drilled a hole in the center to add all of that on. Make sure to get a mechanism with a shaft long enough to go through your center board. Mine was slightly too small, so I used a forstner bit on the back to lessen the thickness of the board a little.

I opted not to add numbers after all. I debated for quite awhile about the design of them and about numbers vs. roman numerals, or even just lines to mark the minutes, but I finally decided I didn’t want to take away from the rustic beauty of the wood so I just left it plain. My kids certainly wouldn’t use this over the microwave clock anyway, so it’s more for look than anything, and I’m extremely happy with my decision now that it’s up. That being said, if I do change my mind, the beauty of DIY is that you can add it later!

All finished:

Once you’ve got everything together, display that beauty! Mine is on our mantel. The decor around it will always be changing, but it’s a definite solid piece to be the center of any holiday or yearly decor.

I just love it. I hope this information helps you to understand my process and get the courage or inspiration to make your own! Do it! Share pics when you’re done though, I’d LOVE to see them.

If you want to check out my other barn wood projects, there is also some awesome reclaimed art. Have a look!  Project 1. and Project 2!

Also, if you love this idea, please PIN this image on Pinterest.

Thanks friends! Have a fantastic holiday season!

-Sheri

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