DIY an Old File Cabinet

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When I saw this file cabinet, I started laughing because when I tried to move it, the top just disintegrated from all of the rain. It was some sort of particle board. I knew I could make a top for it and do something unique with the whole thing. What it was going to be, I didn’t know but I had faith. If you didn’t see the post with all of the DIY’s I found on the side of the road or in dumpsters, please see it here. The first makeover was an old ottoman. This is the second in the series of makeovers.

I brought it home and it sat in my backyard for at least 3 months. I covered it with a trash bag so it wouldn’t get even more messed up. When I finally decided to attempt a makeover I had to do a bunch of Pinterest searches to get inspiration. I didn’t want to just paint it, put a wooden top on it and be done. So it probably took another month of just researching and brainstorming.

Some ideas I had was to modge podge with magazine pages, but I had done that with a bookcase so I thought it was too similar. Then I thought of some sort of wooden molding on the whole thing with spacing in between so you could see the black so I went online and priced some Wooden Craft Sticks, but I really wanted to use something I already had.

I felt I was procrastinating so I spray painted the cabinet black because I just wanted to start it, I figured it would go with whatever I decided to do and because I already had 3 cans of black spray paint. It rained at least 5 times before I could finally finish just the spray paint. Meanwhile I kept postponing this post. I thought I would never be finished with this project. Every time it rained, I had to go out and clean it off before I could start again.

The spray paint I started off using was a Krylon Black Gloss Paint and the best invention, a Spray Can Holder so you don’t get arthritis in your finger. I ran out of paint halfway through so had to switch to Rustoleum Gloss Black. I grabbed some 120 grit sandpaper to sand in between the first and second coat of paint and a piece of a box to keep the spray paint from getting on my patio and on the inside of the file cabinet.

This is after the first coat. It’s blotchy, but it will even out after the second or third coat.

After more brainstorming, a lightbulb went off in my head. I have the ultimate fabric stash and I was sure I could do something with fabric. But what to do with the fabric? I had done a weaving technique with magazine pages for an art piece here and I knew I could do the same thing with fabric, but I thought it would be too overwhelming to do the whole thing. So I decided to just do the front of the 2 drawers. Whew! At least I now had a plan.

Here is just some of my stash. I have much more in my guest room closet, but I’m in the process of re-organizing and it’s a hot mess right now.

Now to pick out the fabric.I chose a mixture of black, white, gray and there’s even a little bit of silver in there.

I thought I needed something that would pop more and something with a small pattern, so I chose two more.

I started off cutting 2.5” strips of fabric but soon decided that would be too symmetrical so I cut some at 1.5”, 2” and just kinda winged it. Those sizes include the ¼” trim on each side. So if you want a 2” strip, you have to cut it at 2.5”. If I was just starting out, I would definitely buy this set here. It has the rotary cutter, the scissors, a ruler, clips and a tape measure. I wanted to fold over the edges because I didn’t know yet how I was going to attach the panels to the file cabinet drawer and I didn’t want the edges to fray.

I have a mini sewing pad that I made a long time ago. I love it because if you’re working with small pieces you don’t have to get out your big ironing board. It’s the green thingy on the right underneath the iron. Let me know if you would like me to make a blog post about how I DIY’d it.

This Rowenta Steam Iron is the best for steam ironing, although you have to watch where you put your fingers when you push the steam button. I’ve been burned, literally, too many times but it’s great for ironing that ¼” trim on the strips.

Now pin as if your life depended on it. The more pins the better; it helps the strips stay straight.

Sew as you’re holding everything very carefully. I learned this lesson after the first panel.The first one is kinda wonky in some places because I think I was going too fast, but the second one is much better.

Now it’s time for the second one. I laid the first one down just to make sure my strips were matching. I kept imagining these on the drawers and I thought if they didn’t line up, it would be really noticeable.

So I followed the same steps as the first one and now had two of them. I even thought about spraying poly on it to make them stiff at this point, but I didn’t.

When I got up the next day, there was a monsoon going on. Torrential downpour and wind. So I waited until it dried up a little bit and got to it. The top is a random MDF board that I had in my shed. I measure it and plan for it to hang over the edge a little. Now to cut the MDF with my Ryobi Circular Saw. I couldn’t find my exact saw horses because mine are old as hell but here is something similar.

After spraying the MDF with two coats of black, I brought the file cabinet inside, thank God, because those mosquitoes are no joke. Every time I go outside they almost eat me alive and that’s with all kinds of repellants slathered on my body.

While I waited for the MDF to dry, I attached the fabric panels with tacky glue. I decided to lay the cabinet on its back and prop one of the drawers open to make it easier to wrap the fabric. When top was dry, I attached that with the glue too.