How to: Upcycled Accent Table into Giant Wall Clock

Learn how to make this
upcycled round accent table into a giant wall clock.
Add paint, stenciling and numbers
for a unique décor piece.

 

Here are more painting tutorials and DIYs you should check out.

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Or you might want us to do the painting for you!

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All right.

Let’s get to the upcycle…

 

How to Prep the Table

I have an old basic, unpainted round table in storage.

I almost threw it away the last time we cleaned up the storage room,

then got the idea to try to make a giant clock.

So here it is, the first steps to a giant wall clock!

 

Supplies:

1. 20″ table top round, or buy this one.
2. Scrap wood to build a frame behind the clock face
3. Wood Drill, wood glue, nails or screws for the frame
4. Black, dark brown, chestnut brown, tan, almond and white color craft paint, 1″ brush
5. Painter’s tape, large square, pencil, tape measure, brown grocery bag for sandpaper
6. Painting pattern, (we’re using a floral design), white graphite transfer paper
7. Artist brushes
8. Clock works and numbers

 

Build the back supporting frame for the Upcycled Accent Table Clock:

1. Mark the center front of the round table top. Drill a hole through the wood the size recommended by the clock kit.
2. Flip the wood circle over to the back side.
3. Using a square, mark the quarters going out from the center hole.
4. Draw the lines to 3″ from the edge of the circle.
5. Measure between 2 points of the cross you just marked.
6. All the points should be the same distance apart.
7. Cut 4 pieces of 1″ x 2″ or 2″ x 2″ scrap wood the length between the points at 45° angles.
8. Glue and nail the frame to the back of the table round.
9. Pick one of the joints as the top of the clock. All designing will stem from your chosen top.

 

 

Paint the (beginner’s) faux wood grain finish

This table top is composite wood, not a wood cut with real grain, so we can’t use a stain and get a pretty finish.

Instead, we’ll do a faux wood grain finish with acrylic craft paint and artist’s brushes.

We’re not experts, so give us a little love here, and don’t judge too hard.

We’re going for a rustic wood look that passes muster at a distance, but is definitely not a pro-finish. For that, you have to find a real professional faux finisher. And, yikes, some of them are amazing!

Here’s how we’re doing it:

1. Paint the entire wood circle black.
2. Decide how wide your “planks” are, and mark them.
3. Place strips of painter’s tape on either side of each plank.
4. Using the browns and lighter colors and the artist’s brushes, create a faux wood grain.

 

 

 

Paint the White Floral Design on the Upcycled Accent Table Clock

When the faux wood finish is dry, sand it lightly with the brown paper bag.

Dust it well, then paint the design:

1. Make sure the “top” is correctly positioned, then tape your pattern in place.
2. Place white graphite transfer paper under the pattern.
3. Trace all pattern lines and remove the pattern and transfer paper.
4. Fill in the design with white paint.
5. The painting is all done for the upcycled clock!

 

 

How to make the clock face on your Upcycled Table.

When the paint is all dry it’s “time” to create the clock face.

1. If your clock kit comes with a pattern, mark the placement for the numbers.
2. If not, cut a square 8″ smaller than the table round.
3. Place one corner of the square 4″ from the exact top of the clock, then tape evenly so the 4 main numbers are  positioned equidistant from the edges.
4. Measure between one corner to another, and divide by 3. Mark the clock face at these points. Swivel the square to mark the point 4″ from the edge all around. Swivel once more and mark the last 4 numbers.
5. Adhere the numbers.
6. Follow the clock kit instructions to add the clock works and hour/minute hands.

 

 

What do you think?
Will you try this amateur faux finish
on a giant upcycled-table wall clock?