Wooden Filing Cabinet Makeover

Sometimes a project comes together in a very logical way.

You plan it.

You find the supplies you need.

You do the project.

Sounds simple and orderly. Right?

But oftentimes, in my world at least, projects kind of magically appear in front of me when I see something cool and inexpensive that needs some makeover love.

I immediately start envisioning what I can do with it, and I can’t wait to get it home.

That’s exactly what happened when I saw this vintage wooden filing cabinet at a local Habitat for Humanity ReStore for just $10.

I wasn’t looking for it, but sometimes that’s when you find the best things.

Structurally it was in pretty good shape, but aesthechically it had seen better days.

At a price of $10 I simply couldn’t resist it.

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Supplies needed for this wooden filing cabinet makeover

• contact paper
• utility knife
• scissors
• ruler
• sanding block
• craft paint and brushes

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Sanding the wooden filing cabinet

When dealing with a vintage piece like this it’s always a good idea to give it a sanding before starting the project. The type of finish it has will dictate how much sanding you need to do. This old filing cabinet’s finish was pretty worn, so a light sanding with a sanding block was all that was needed.

Adding Contact Paper onto Wooden Filing Cabinet

I’ve had this contact paper for quite some time. I found it at a dollar store, and even though I had no idea what I was going to do with it I knew I would use it some day because I just loved the colors. It kind of gives me a 70s vibe; in a fun flower child kind of way.

I simply put it in place across the top and trimmed it with a utility knife. I’ll show you how I finish off the top later in the post.

Then I did the sides.

Starting at the top and pulling the backing off as I went, trimming afterwards as I did the top.

After removing the hardware I did the same to the two drawers. I replaced the hardware when I was done trimming.

Now it was time to paint the wood. It might seem like I did this backwards. That I should have painted the wood first.

That is probably true.

But I wanted to see the contact paper in place before deciding what color I was going to use. I didn’t want to paint it, be unhappy with it, and then have to paint it all over again.

Been there, done that, and trying to avoid that from happening again. lol.

Painting the wooden filing cabinet

Since not a lot of paint was needed, I decided to use some craft paint that I already had in a turquoise color. I started with the top.

As you can see here the contact paper wasn’t wide enough to cover the whole top. That turned out to be a blessing.

I cut around the contact paper to reveal an equal wooden edge all around.

Then I taped it off and painted it that lovely turquoise.

And it looks like it was supposed to be like that all along.

Finished wooden filing cabinet makeover

It took 3 coats all over the cabinet, but it actually went pretty quick. I didn’t have to tape any of the other areas.

I used a craft brush in some areas, and a foam brush in others. Whatever worked best to get good coverage.

It’s living in my craft room now, which I’ve been working on purging and reorganizing. I go through everything every winter and donate what I think I no longer need. I’ve donated 6 boxes so far, and there’s more to go through.

Before and After of Wooden Filing Cabinet Makeover

I can hardly believe it’s the same old wooden filing cabinet. It looks so much happier now. I really liked the vintage silver tone handles so I kept them as is.

This wooden filing cabinet makeover was super fun and very inexpensive at under $6. The contact paper was $3.50 per roll and I used one and 1/3 rolls. I already had the paint, and I used about half the container.

I hope this project has inspired you to tackle any piece of furniture that needs a little love.

Whether you plan it in advance, or just let it magically happen, a makeover doesn’t have to be complicated, or time consuming, to achieve a great transformation.

If you enjoyed this project you might also enjoy:

Decoupaged Table Makeover
How to Recover a Chair Cushion
Craft Desk Makeover

It would be greatly appreciated if you would pin this project to your favorite Pinterest board, and also share it with your friends.

Thanks so much for reading and until next time,

keep on keepin’ on!

XOX