The papers in my house were starting to get out of hand. I literally had filled every unused drawer, cubby hole and freed up counter space with articles of important mail, letters, keepsakes, etc. One day I needed my marriage license and couldn’t find it through the mile-high monstrous mounds. It was at that very moment that I decided I needed to organize these stacks of paper looming around my house. I honestly didn’t think a file cabinet would cost that much and went to search online. I wasn’t too happy with the cost of a basic file cabinet and of course I’m not for paying full price for anything if I don’t have to. The cheapest price of a brand new file cabinet from Walmart is $39.88 and goes up from there.
So I went to my local Goodwill and lucked up with this diamond in the rough file cabinet for only $9.99. As soon as I saw it the wheels started turning in my head and I knew the refinish would be amazing!
Items I purchased to give this old cabinet new life!!!
- 2 cans of Spray paint
- 1 can of Clear Coat Spray Paint
- Shower Curtain
- Sandpaper
- Stencils
- Fabric
- Spray Adhesive
Lightly sand the exterior surface of the file cabinet to allow for the spray paint to stick to the metal cabinet. Sanding will also remove the exterior gloss finish of the cabinet.
Spray paint the exterior surface of the cabinet. Allow it to dry for 12 to 24 hours before applying the clear coat. Apply the clear coat and allow another 12 to 24 hours to dry before moving on to your next step.
I had in my mind that I wanted to do some sort of stencil project on the outside of this cabinet but decided against it…probably because I was getting so tired of watching paint dry. So I decided to add fabric on the outside doors of the cabinet instead to give it that dramatic effect. I instantly fell in love with this print when I saw it in the store. Please do not ask me what the words say- I have no idea…but it’s pretty, right!
The spray adhesive is as easy to use as a can of spray paint just aim and spray. Remove the handle and any hardware from the front of your cabinet. Spray the entire surface of the cabinet doors with the adhesive. Allow the spray adhesive to get tacky for about 1 minute before placing the fabric on top. Work very slowly when you are smoothing the fabric on the surface of the cabinets to avoid the formation of bubbles underneath. I would also suggest using some sort of smoothing tool, because once the adhesive gets on your fingers it is hard to get off. Add your hardware back on and…Voila, Perfection!
The Cost Breakdown
- Filing cabinet from Goodwill for $9.99
- Spray paint purchased for $1.00 a can @ Walmart
- Clear coat spray paint was $3.00 @ Walmart
- Shower curtain and sandpaper were purchased from the Dollar Tree
- Spray adhesive was $6.99 from Hobby Lobby paired with the 40% off coupon, for a total of $4.50
- I only used a half yard of Fabric from Hobby Lobby paired with the 40% off coupon, for a total of $3.00
- Stencils purchased from Joann’s paired with 50% off coupon making them only $2.00 (since I decided against the stencils I decided not to add them in the total cost, but just in case you decide to go the stencil route you have an idea)
Total cost of this quick project: $24.49
Here’s a beauty shot of the cabinet in my office/craft room. I am totally in love with this refashion project!!!!!!
This article was written by:
Like!! Thank you for publishing this awesome article.
Thank you for visiting our site.