Dear AT, I wanted to find out how to paint a filing cabinet. I am buying a used grey one on Craigslist and would love to spice it up with some high-gloss paint for our home office (similar to the illustrative photo above). Is there a special type I need to use for metal? Please help!
Repainting a filing cabinet is a quick and affordable way to bring in some stylish colour into your home office. All you'll need is a drop cloth, preferably to drape outside for proper ventilation (trust us, spray painting indoors is not a good idea). You'll also need to remove all the hardware and pull out the drawers so you can spray each individually and allow them to dry separately.
Clean your cabinets of any marks, rust or debris, then use a spray paint primer (readily available from any home hardware shop, Target, Wal-Mart, etc). Apply primer from about 12" away, erring on the side of caution by applying even, light coats. Allow to dry overnight (preferably). Now your cabinet is ready to paint using a rust resistant spray paint in the same manner the primer was applied (patiently or you'll possibly have streaks or uneven sections). Allow to dry and get ready to show off to everyone your spectacular new metal filing cabinets!
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Comments (11)
Go to a place that does electrostatic painting, also known as powder coat. Very durable, even not blotches and environmentally good.
I have done this a few times and it does not cost a fortune just shop around.
You may want to consider appliance paint, which is made to be hard-wearing.
Just a thought!
I painted a bank of lockers with normal semi-gloss latex paint. High gloss is fine too. Using a roller is the best way to paint it, and and make sure you sand it all, b/c it looks particularly bad if you miss a spot.
I would highly recommend auto body paint. It works better than any other paint on steel cabinets (you still need to sand them slightly first). But you need an airgun to get a smooth finish.
Powder coating is also a great idea, but it costs a fortune!
I really like the office pictured. The colors are great, and I'm in to the movable wall.
Thanks for the tips on painting a metal item.
I was going to suggest an auto body shop but the off gassing inside your kitchen will be horrible and bad for your health.
I had a auto body shop paint an old vintage outdoor metal chair a metallic blue, it looked great but even the fumes from the off gassing on my patio were bad.
The best way to DIY with good results is probably 1) lightly sand entire surface with a fine-grit sandpaper or sanding sponge, 2) wash thoroughly to remove all dust and loose paint, 3) masking tape any areas (hardware, etc) you don't want painted, 4) primer and paint - Rustoleum makes great latex enamels that work well on metal... just ask at the hardware store, 5) paint any thin/small surfaces and edges with a foam brush, and *then* do the large surfaces with a low-nap roller for the smoothest surface. Check for drips, esp around edges and sides of drawers. Definitely do two coats, with ample drying time in between. Leave drawers open for a few days while it dries and cures. I wouldn't put anything on top of the cabinet for at least a week... you'd be amazed how long paint can stay damp/tacky enough for things to stick to it, even when it seems totally dry.
amandacollier: are you able to get a smooth coat using a roller? I originally wanted to use an aerosol can to avoid brush/roller strokes, but doing so would mean that I would have to move my cabinets outside (a huge pain, since they are gigantic flat file cabinets).
I'm assuming you applied the primer with a paintbrush and roller as well?
Thanks!
re:rollers.
i started using rollers instead of spraypaint when i was doing a lot of stenciling. there are lots of different kinds these days- i like the 6" wide ones that are a fine foam-sponge material. if you don't completely saturate the roller with too much paint- you get really nice and even coverage. smooth coat- no problem. just get a denser roller.
much easier than spraypaint.
Remember: If you live in Chicago, you have to go out to the suburbs to get your spray paint....oh, how that's always irritated me so much!
antimatt: great tip, thank you!