The Traditional Pendulum Wood Wall Clock

This is an example of what traditional wood wall clocks look like.

By the title, you can imagine what this clock looks like.  Traditionally, this style has a non-wooden (could be metal, or a painted surface) faced clock with a pendulum.  The whole assembly is usually housed within a wooden case, often with glass windows to see the pendulum swinging.  Sometimes, the glass windows are also on the sides near the face to allow for an onlooker to view the mechanical workings inside the clock itself.  This is one of the charms of these types of wall clocks.

In times past, this type of wooden wall clock would have been wound by hand with some sort of key.  The spring and coil mechanisms stored the energy of the windings and would keep accurate time for some period before needing another few turns of the wrist.  Modern pendulum clocks of this  style are usually battery powered.  Ahh, the conveniences of modern history.  While the accuracy of these types of pendulum clocks is good, be prepared to keep an eye on them and adjust when necessary.  Since you are probably buying the clock more for decorative purposes, the accuracy may be less of an issue.  Regardless, you still want to get the functionality out of your beautiful piece of art.

You will find that the majority of wall clocks in this style are of a darker colored wood or stain.  Often, the woods that make up the cases are of cherry or oak.  Both woods have a nice grain pattern to them and the choice is more of personal preference.  For a longer lasting, classic appeal, you might find that the cherry cabinet variety fits the bill better in this regard.

Wood Wall Clocks Also Come In Contemporary Styles

What we have been discussing up to this point is the classically styled hanging wall clock.  These types still make up the majority of wooden wall clock sales.  However, a clock with growing popularity is a more modern take on the traditional wooden style.  There are also two divisions here.  First of all, we can talk about the general overall features and then the more specific styles of each.

A look at how the face of a wood wall clock can be solid wood instead of an ivory-like appearance.

The overall style is one of having the clock face itself being crafted of wood.  Then, the numerals, hands and other details are comprised of either other woods or metals, like brass, iron or a nickel/aluminum finish, that are often inlaid into the face.  So, what we are talking about is a more simple clock appearance, usually round but could be square, with no pendulum.  The look of these wooden clocks is quite striking – in a classic way.  Not too much, just enough modern styling to highlight the elegance of the woods.  These come in either darker woods, like cherry or walnut for example, or in more modern looks like the lighter oaks and ash or birch woods.  The lighter woods usually have the metal elements in nickel or brushed aluminum.  This is definitely going to give you a more modern or urban feel.  The darker woods with the brass or iron metal elements will lend themselves to a more handsome and refined style.  A very nice look that is making a move is the darker wood faces with the brushed nickel and aluminum elements.  This creates a great mix of modern styling with that refined elegant and masculine quality.  There is a wide range of options these days regarding many aspects of wall clocks that simply didn’t exist in previous years.

You probably aren't in the market for a clock quite this large...

room, then there are a few rules to keep in mind.  These rules are really more like aesthetic principles than anything carved in stone.  It would be possible to find an exception to each of these ideas, so don’t get too caught up in the details.  Remember, at Wall Clocks Place we’re really just trying to give you options and ideas to make your home decor that much more outstanding.

As the title of this article suggests, the main feature of these types of wall clocks are their size.  When we talk about large wall clocks, diameters in the 24″ – 48″ range are what we are referring to.  Sure, if you have a smaller space then a 20″ diameter wall clock could seem quite large, but that is simply in proportion to your wall size.  This is an important point that we will come back to as one of the ‘rules’ mentioned above, so keep that thought.

What Is Special About Large Wall Clocks With 4 Foot Diameters?

There is nothing magical about this particular number.  It simply represents one of the larger sizes  that you will find for a hanging wall clock.  As you do a search, you will also find that specific brands will pop out as more characteristic of larger sizes or more antique styles of wall clocks.  It is much like any other type of product, certain names get associated with specific qualities or features.  Some of these ideas are covered in our “Brand Name Wall Clocks” category you can find in the sidebar.

So, one main principle regarding the size of your clock is the overall size of your wall or wall space available for hanging.  See, if you have a lot of other pictures or odd wall features – cutouts, angles, windows, etc. – you may not have as much wall to work with as you think.  A general rule of thumb is to keep your wall clock fairly centered on your wall with enough space that it doesn’t look like it takes over in your room.  Some ideas are to keep 2-3 feet of space on each side of the clock to the edges of the wall, side to side, and at least 7-8 feet from the floor.  These are very general rules, because if you have a much larger wall, like a cathedral ceiling or some type of vaulted ceiling, you can vary the spacing.  Again, these are just rough ideas for you to take on as you are searching for an appropriate sized clock.

Make sure that you can comfortably hang your wall clock.

Keep in mind that you will have to be mounting this heavy clock somewhere on your wall as well.  So, if you plan on hanging this wall clock yourself – hiring a handyman or contractor with the right tools might be a good idea for really large wall clocks – remember that you will need a stud to mount to.  You don’t want to be mounting heavy clocks on drywall.  You may be able to use a heavy-duty drywall anchor, but for most applications, finding a stud to mount to will be the safest option.  With a tall ceiling, you may find that your ladders are not quite tall enough to safely allow you to hang that big clock teetering on your ladder.  Better safe than injured.

The Other Rule of Thumb For Large Wall Clocks

I mentioned that there were a few principles to keep in mind.  One is the positioning and space requirements.  The other is the actual proportion to your space.  Remember that while clocks are attractive and can make a real statement in your home, you don’t want that statement to be “keep staring at this huge clock on my medium wall”.  People may not say anything, but it will feel out of proportion and awkward in your space.  Another slightly less noticed quality is that with a too large clock for a smaller space is that you will find yourself continually checking the time.  This is the last thing you want to be doing while you are just trying to rest at home.  With guests or hosting parties you don’t want your guests to continually feel like they are checking the time.  Some clocks can also be heard as they operate and large wall clocks, especially, might have a louder ticking mechanism.  This will quickly drive you crazy.  If your space is large enough, however, your clock will be hanging high enough and you will have enough space in your room to counteract the noisy clock issue.