Scavenger Chic

Metal File Cabinet Makeover

• By Joan
• February 27, 2019
• 5 Comments

When I shared my industrial stools last week, I mentioned that I was on the hunt for a file cabinet.  Actually not one file cabinet but a pair.  Son #2, Kevin, having recently moved into a new home was in desperate need of a desk.  He’s been camped out on  his bed for the last two months surrounded by his computers and paper work.

I told him I’d be on the lookout for desks and I did pass along leads on several that I found online.  None were approved.  What he really wanted was his desk from his old house.

When he moved, Kevin had to leave his old desk behind since he had attached it to the wall, it was now considered a builtin.  This was his old office.  That’s not a close up of just the desk, that was the entire room. 

He left the desk, but he did like the setup and since hes working from home his desk is extremely important.  

We eventually decided that a simple desk anchored by file cabinets would be the way to go.  Similar to the desk I made for his younger brother a couple years ago but this time in an L shape.

I’m replicating this pair of mismatched file cabinets that I made for that earlier desk. It was kinda nice to just use my supply list from the previous post which included 2 sheets of 2×4 mdf plywood and 2, 8 foot 1×3 pieces of lumber.  Refer back to that last post if I leave anything out.  It was slightly more involved since the file cabinets were not exactly the same…notice the 2 different heights.

Mark the mdf plywood.  Those are 4,  3 1/2″ strips and 8, 2 1/2 inch strips.  This is enough trim pieces for one file cabinet.

If you clamp the two pieces of mdf together the cutting goes twice as fast and you only have to mark one of the boards.  I found the circular saw worked better than the handheld jigsaw, it was easier to get a straight line. A better option yet would be to use a table saw.

It was cold out the day I was cutting so I did not take my advice from when I made the last file cabinets and I still cut the wood indoors. The wood still leaves a layer of sawdust on everything.

Cut to fit and sand the mdf pieces before attaching. The 3 1/2 inch pieces were used for the top and bottom and the 2 1/2 inch strips were the longer vertical strips.

Attach with builders adhesive.  I used 2 tubes of builders adhesive for the two cabinets.

note..this was a deeper file cabinet than my 2016 version so it has an extra vertical piece

Let the adhesive dry before flipping and gluing the opposite side.

Remove all the hardware on the front.

Since the keys on this thing are long gone there is no need for a lock. That piece that looks like it has a U, holds the locking mechanism on.  Just pry that U thing off.

If by chance you can’t get your lock off, I have another option for you…just leave it where it is.  When you add the 1×3’s overtop of the cabinet just burrow out a small hole with a drill in the 1×3 so it can sit flat.

One thing I learned from the last file cabinet makeover was that the adhesive was not quite strong enough to combat son #3 banging his chair into it on a daily basis.  After 7 months, the piece closest to his chair popped off.

I’m planning ahead this time, using a metal drillbit to predrill holes on all four sides of the drawer. 

Measure, cut and sand the 1×3’s to fit over the drawer fronts covering the side edges as well.

Use builders adhesive again for the drawer fronts. For those side pieces, make sure you put the glue on just the drawer or you’ll end up gluing your drawer shut.

Use leftover pieces of the mdf to cover the drawer fronts.  Again, use builders adhesive to attach.

When the adhesive is dry, use screws to secure the 1×3’s thru those holes you predrilled.

Fill in any gaps with paintable caulk.

Time for paint.  Chalk paint can be used as a primer but since I did not have enough for 2 coats on both file cabinets, I used some leftover wall paint that included a primer as an initial coat. Once that initial coat was dry a second coat was added.  That second coat is Ocean by Waverly chalk paint.

Finish off the chalk paint with a coat of wax.

If you like the drawer pulls, they are from Hobby Lobby.

They don’t even look like the same file cabinets any more.

I delivered the file cabinets last week.  I’ll keep you updated as they (hopefully) turn into an L shaped desk.  I don’t think those legs are staying and the current plan is to move the corner file cabinet to where the legs are now.

Hopefully I’ll share the finished desk with you next week.

Stay inspired.

Related posts:

Mismatched Metal File Cabinets get a Makeover Desk made from old Metal File Cabinets IKEA Bookshelves go Horizontal File Cabinet L Shaped Desk