direct Handmade Concrete Clock walkthrough (with less mess!)

The steps below follow the order of the work for this decor project.

Hello Bekob readers! Colleen here from Lemon Thistle, home to Handmade, home decor, printables, and parties. I’m excited to share this direct Handmade concrete clock with you today. I am so thrilled with how this Handmade turned out you guys! I love the concrete trend to add an industrial touch to spaces but was yet to really bring it into our home. We need a clock for our entry way (we’re working on renovating that right now), so I thought it was the well fitted thing to try out the medium.

This clock looks really heavy… but it’s kind of a method. Here’s what I mean… it’s not solid concrete. And that’s what makes it so direct to make (and straightforward to hang!).

Handmade Concrete Clock
by Lemon Thistle

Here’s what you’ll need to make your own concrete clock:

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Finishing Concrete OR I actually used a mortar repair kit and LOVED it. It comes in a no mess bag with a spatula so you’re not wasting your money on a giant bag that you might not use again (we also found similar products on Amazon and Home Depot)
Spatula
Foam Brush (the kind you get from the dollar store)
Wood Round for base (I purchased my 14″ one from Michaels but can’t find it online- it had grooves in it if you’re looking for the same one, or you can find similar ones on Amazon)
Drill with 10mm drill bit
Clock kit (I got mine from Etsy ages ago- there’s tons of similar ones you can find there)
Construction adhesive (you can find similar adhesive on Amazon)

Okay, so start by mixing up your concrete or mortar mix. The kit I had was straightforward, you just added water to the bag then mushed it around. I found I needed to add extra water to get a thinner consistency to get a nice smooth finish.

Then use your spatula to spread it over your wood round. This really feels like icing a cake. When you have it covered (I did about 6mm or so), use your foam brush wet with water to smooth it out. I also spread it over the edges, there’s a close up of the edge finished down below. I also used the handle of the brush to leave an indent in the concrete in the middle so drilling the hole would be direct.

Let it dry completely (I left it overnight) before drilling a hole in the center of the clock face. My kit specified a 10mm hole so read your kit instructions before this step. If you really wanted a nice smooth finish, you could use a clearly fine grit sandpaper on the face at this point. I liked the rougher look.

Since the clock was so thick, the nut that was supposed to screw into the kit from the front didn’t fit. This is where I used construction adhesive to mount the clock kit to the back instead. Pop on your hands and adjust the time- you’re good to go!

I was really anxious about this project because I thought concrete would be hard to work with. The little kit I found made it so direct you guys and just facing a wood round was a quick cheat that saved me making a mold. I’m so crazy happy with how this baby turned out. I have it sitting on my mantle (did you catch that makeover?) but plan to hang the concrete clock when our entry way makeover is finished.

Also on the mantel (which you can read more about here): Brass Ampersand // Handmade Constellation Painting with Copper Frame // Pot was thrifted, type of plant is Jade