How to update a 20 year old file cabinet

How to update a 20-year-old file cabinet in a few easy steps with some paint and new cabinet hardware.

My office makeover on a budget for my husband is moving right along. We finished painting the room and now it’s time for the fun stuff.  Since I am trying to do this makeover on a budget, I decided to give my hubby’s 20-year-old file cabinet (it may even be older than that)  a new fresh look.

20-year-old cabinet before

Here’s the cabinet before I took action. We bought it at Haverty’s 20 ish years ago. It was part of a set and is a quality piece of furniture. We got rid of the desk years ago since it was a beast in the room. You can see the original wood color on the side. I’m assuming the side wasn’t painted because it wasn’t shown or I just forgot? Anyhoo, I took care of that.

Tips for furniture painting

• I wiped down the cabinet with a TSP solution to get rid of any dirt or dust. Any degreaser will work as well. This is an important step so that your paint adheres to whatever you are painting.
• The cabinet got two coats of  SW Tricorn Black in satin finish. Anytime I am painting furniture I use premium rollers for ‘smooth’ surfaces. It really makes a difference to eliminate any stroke lines.
• As anxious as you may be, let your piece completely dry before placing objects on it. Drying times depend on the conditions of the room. I let this piece dry overnight before styling.
• If you are replacing hardware with different holes/ measurements use this tutorial for a flawless finish. I replaced the handles with these brass handles for a more modern and updated look. The new hardware cost about $30.00. I think it was worth it.

20-year-old cabinet after

What do you think? Much better, right?

Next up is tackling the gallery wall. I am waiting for the weather to warm up a bit to spray paint some of the frames. I’ll be sharing some of my gallery wall styling tips soon, so look out for that.

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