When you begin an investigation for useful home furnishings or office furniture, you naturally think of tables, chairs, lamps, sofas and other practical or attractive furnishings. But seldom do our minds drift toward making renewed use of older items on the verge of being tossed out. Old metal cabinets fit that category.

Metal storage cabinets or file cabinets don’t have to be just for file folders and paperwork. You can also use them as innovative organization and storage solutions. So, cash in on that minimalist or art deco look and feel.

Keep reading for some unique ways you can use that old metal file cabinet in your design.

Paint it Up

Auto paint is the perfect way to update your old metal storage cabinets with a minimal amount of money or effort. This type of paint works best because it comes in a range of colors, but also because it’s made for metallic surfaces.

You can jazz it up with stenciled or geometric patterns or simply go with a solid, fresh, new color that matches your design strategy.

Before you start applying paint, wash your cabinets with a gentle soap and water mixture to clean off any debris or grease that can prevent the paint from adhering to the metal.

Once the cabinet is dry, either remove or cover the handles to avoid painting them. Now, you’re ready to paint. Apply even layers in a downward motion and allow the paint to dry between layers. Ideally, you want to apply at least three coats to get a sheen and professional finish.

Art or Sewing Supply Storage

Who says a filing cabinet has to hold files? Utilize that storage space to house your hobby, craft or sewing supplies in one convenient location. Start by organizing your supplies into categories like notions, fabric scraps, accessories and patterns.

Then, mark each drawer with a label and fill it accordingly. For mobility and space, add castor wheels to the bottom, so you can move your new storage cabinet in and out of the closet easily.

Storage Solution for Vinyl Records

Did you know that most older filing cabinet drawers are at least 12″ deep? That means they’re perfect for storing old vinyl records. You can even label the outside the drawers to keep your records in perfect alphabetical order.

Another perk? Storing your records in a drawer will keep them safe from dust and moisture. While nothing short of an airtight container will protect them completely, it’s better than storing them in an old milk crate.

Avoid putting more than 30 records in a drawer as the weight can pull on the drawer mechanisms and break your metal storage cabinets. Instead, opt for shorter drawers as this will also allow you to flip through your record collection easily.

Many new and improved cabinet hardware products have been introduced in
the last few years to replace
The old. I will explain how to replace some of these new products.

Replacing knobs drawer pulls.

Replacement of knobs and drawer pulls is very easy most can be accomplished with a screwdriver.

If you are replacing your cabinet hardware and not your doors it is best to locate new hardware that mounts in the same screw holes as the old otherwise you will have to contend with unsightly screw holes. If you are repainting you can fill these holes and paint over them and use any type of new cabinet hardware you like.
Generally a screw is all that holds the old knob in place this can be accessed from the inside of the door or drawer simply remove the screw and replace the knob with the new one and new screw.

If you are installing new cabinet hardware that mounts in a different place or configuration I recommend making or buying a jig (template) so all of your cabinet hardware is mounted in the same place on each door or drawer. These jigs are available at Home Depot or Lowes.

Cabinet hardware is one of the easiest ways to add a splash of color to your kitchen. There is a large selection of new knobs and other cabinet   hardware on the market today.  

Changing your cabinet knobs and drawer pulls is a simple process if you replace the knob with the same attaching pattern you may not even have to drill any holes if you can use a screw driver you can change the look of your kitchen with new cabinet hardware.

Generally there are two different mounting patterns for cabinet knobs and drawer pulls a single screw and a double screw mount.

If your existing cabinet hardware is the single screw mounting type you can easily replace the old knobs with new hardware of the same mounting configuration, simply remove the screw from the backside and replace the old knob with your new knob and screw.  The problem arises when replacing cabinet hardware with the two screw mounting system. The problem is holes if you are using new cabinet doors obviously this is not a concern but with old cabinet doors we do not want any holes showing.  If you are repainting your doors you can fill the old holes before you paint then you can use any type of new cabinet hardware you like.  However if you have solid wood doors you may want to use new cabinet hardware that will mount in the original holes.