Hang a wall clock on a solid brick or block wall

Mark, drill and plug a solid brick or block wall, then fix and level your clock safely in one session.

WC-01Gather your tools and materialsGet everything together before you start: a cordless drill with a masonry bit, a spirit level, tape measure, pencil, and a vacuum or dust sheet for tidying up. Check your clock's hanging point (usually a slot or hook on the back) so you know exactly where the fixing needs to sit. Working on brick or block, you'll need a wall plug and screw sized to suit the weight of the clock, not a picture hook.

1 each · Cordless drill with masonry bit (6mm)

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1 each · Spirit level

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1 each · Tape measure

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1 each · Pencil

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WC-02Check your stopcock before you drillFind your stopcock, usually under the kitchen sink, and check it turns freely. Cables and pipes can run almost anywhere in a wall, not just in the usual safe zones, and a detector can miss deep cables or ones in metal conduit. If you have any doubt about what's behind the wall, isolate the circuit at the consumer unit before drilling, and know you can shut the water off fast if you hit a pipe.

WC-03Decide the clock's positionHold the clock roughly where you want it, or measure from the ceiling and adjacent wall to get it centred. Use the spirit level to draw a faint horizontal pencil line at the height you want the top of the clock. Mark a single point on that line for your fixing.

WC-04Scan the wall before you drillRun a cable and pipe detector over the marked spot, checking side to side and up and down, not just where you plan to drill. Solid brick or block walls can still have cables chased into the surface and covered with plaster, so treat the detector reading as a guide, not a guarantee. Drill slowly for the first 10mm and stop straight away if you feel a change in resistance, hit a wire, or see anything unusual coming out of the hole.

WC-05Drill the pilot holeFit a 6mm masonry bit and drill straight into the marked point, keeping the drill level. Go to a depth of 40mm, matching the length of your wall plug, and use masking tape wrapped around the bit as a depth guide if you're not confident judging it by eye. Pull the drill out every so often to clear brick dust from the hole.

1 roll · Masking tape

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WC-06Insert the wall plugPush a 6mm red wall plug into the hole until it sits flush with the wall surface. If it doesn't go in easily, tap it gently with a hammer rather than forcing it, which can crack the plug. Don't skip this step on brick or block; screwing straight into the masonry without a plug won't hold securely.

1 each · Red wall plugs (6mm)

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WC-07Drive in the screwUse a No.8 screw, around 40mm long, and drive it into the plug until roughly 8-10mm is left protruding from the wall, enough for the clock's hanging slot to catch on. Don't drive it fully flush or the clock won't have anything to hook onto.

1 each · No.8 wood screw (40mm)

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WC-08Hang and level the clockLift the clock and hook its hanging point over the protruding screw, letting it settle naturally. Check it's level with your spirit level and gently twist or lift it off to adjust the screw angle slightly if needed. Give it a light tug to confirm it's secure before letting go.

WC-09Clean up and tidy awayVacuum or brush up any brick dust from the floor and skirting below where you drilled. Wipe down the wall if any dust has settled on the surface. Pack away your tools and check the clock one more time from across the room to make sure it looks straight.

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