The first step involves acquiring the necessary materials and proper tools. It is best to get everything prepared before commencing because this allows you to progress without unnecessary interruptions.

The first consideration is the location of the clock. We like to position them relatively high on a wall so that the delicate clock hands do not get damaged. For a built-in clock, you need to make sure that the wall behind the installation is free of wiring or water pipes. Also, you should ensure that there aren't any wall studs that will get in the way. Note that these instructions are for stud and wallboard (drywall) constructed walls - if your wall is brick or thick plaster, the shafts of ordinary clock movements will not be suitable.

You will be inserting the movement from the wall directly behind the desired location of the clock. Therefore, you will want to position the clock in a location so that the access will be from a insignificant location, ie. closet. We found a great place for the clock in by making an access opening from a kitchen pantry. Note that some jurisdictions require fire-rated walls between certain types of rooms (usually between garages and living spaces). We recommend not selecting this type of wall for built-in wall clock; penetrating this type of wall would require additional precautions and steps to maintain the required fire rating. If you are not sure, contact your local building department.

This is definitely a time when you want to follow the do-it-yourself adage: 'measure twice and cut (drill) once'. Make sure that the space directly behind your desired clock location is free from obstructions and will not be easily visible. Drill the appropriate sized hole for the shaft of the clock movement as shown on the right. If your drill is long enough, you can drill through the other side of the wall, otherwise, you can just measure.

If your drill bit wasn't long enough to penetrate through the other side of the wall, carefully measure the spot where it would have come through. Next, create a square for the access hole. We made a square about 4" x 4" (10 x 10cm) aligned to the clock movement. Then, drill four holes at the corners of the square. Notice the original mark in the center of the square. These holes will make it much easier to remove the drywall.

The final step before installing the clock movement is to cut out the square. You can use a utility knife and a straight edge and make repeated passes until you have penetrated through the drywall. Once you are through, the hole you drilled from the other side should be right in front of you. Finally, install the clock movement following the manufacturer's instructions, set the time, and insert a battery. Refer to the review section below for information regarding an access door.

Access Door

Now you have a great-looking built-in clock on your wall but you have an ugly hole on the other side of the wall. We highly recommend covering the hole with a door. The simplest way to achieve this is to use a pair of self-closing flush mount cabinet hinges like the one shown on the right. You can mount these self-closing hinges to one side of the hole. We used machine screws and nuts with large fender washers to fasten them to the drywall; if a wall stud is nearby, you can position the hinges right over the stud and use wood screws. A piece of hardwood or plywood (slightly larger than your hole, of course) can act as the door. You can use a router to provide an edge profile and paint or finish as desired. Finally, you can add a knob, but since this door is used so infrequently, we omitted a knob.

Design Considerations

location of clock: We recommend positioning the clock high on a wall to ensure that the delicate clock hands do not get damaged. Also, make sure that the access to the clock from the wall directly behind is free of obstructions and that the wall doesn't have electrical wiring or other interference. Remember, as stated in step 2, avoid installing a built-in wall clock in walls that have special fire requirements (usually between garages and living quarters): contact your local building department if you are unsure.

hands: The manufacturers of clock movements often offer various interchangeable hands for your clock. Brass seems to be the standard finish, but we also saw matte black and a chrome finish.

numbers: We chose to make a clock without numbers or marks, but this is an area where you can get real creative. Press-on adhesive backed numerals are available. You can also paint numbers, marks or attach objects to delineate the positions around the periphery of the clock. Check out this unique page for some ideas: sushi clock.