We were flicking through an issue of last years Notebook magazine and came across a ‘how to’ that we thought looked elegant and easy to do. The ‘how to wallpaper a filing cabinet’ is not just limited to wrapping paper as suggested, you could use fabric, newspaper, pages from books, sheets of music or even wallpaper! Full instructions after the jump…
How To: Wallpaper a Filing Cabinet
Melbourne
How to wallpaper a filing cabinet
What you will need:
- Heavyweight wrapping paper [or your material of choice]
- Spray adhesive
- Ruler or measuring tape
- Scissors
- Scalpel
- Soft, clean cloth
1. Remove the drawers and measure drawer front carefully. Cut paper to size, allowing for a 1cm overlap to cover edges.
2. Spray the front of the drawers with adhesive, apply some to the edges also. Place the cut paper on the prepared drawers and use a soft cloth to neatly smooth the paper, working from the centre out. Set aside to dry. Small bubbles can be pricked with a pin and smoothed away before the glue is completely dry.
3. Cover the top and sides of the cabinet using the same method as per above.
4. To cover the front of the cabinet, spray the adhesive over the drawer frame and fix a sheet of paper over the entire area. Smooth as above. Let it dry a little, then use your blade to cut an ‘X’ into each drawer space. This will allow you to trim the paper neatly, leaving a small edge to fold and glue in place. [This might not be the most effective way of doing things but it would depend on how your filing cabinet is built].
5. When all elements have completely dried, put the drawers back in place.
Edited from Notebook Magazine April 2007
Easy done! We have an ugly green filing cabinet that will be receiving this treatment as soon as we can agree on the covering material.
Have you ever revamped a filing cabinet?
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Old maps might be good the paper is usually quite thick.
view hrhprincessfiona's profile
Lovely idea and seems easy enough. I worry that if I used paper that it could be scuffed or torn. Does anyone think that doing a coat or two of some soft of clear protective coat would work? I would prefer a satin finish to a glossy one. Which product would be best for this use?
view Monica's profile
@ Monica:
maybe you could use contact paper? It seems to be tougher and more plasticy.
view revolution9's profile
Good idea revolution9, but contact paper doesn't come in all the pretty patterns that wrapping paper does (as far as I know).
view Monica's profile
There are some cute Martha Stewart contact paper designs at Kmart
view sdnyc's profile
There was a post on contact paper yesterday. It had a good online source to get some different patterns of contact paper.
view djohnson's profile
Thanks djohnson...I will check out that post and see what I can find.
view Monica's profile
I would love to do this at work, but I would have to be able to convert the cabinet back to its original state whenever I leave the job. How well would it come off? Any suggestions for less permanent decoration?
view HeatherAB's profile
Going back to craft roots you could used podge as a way to protect it.
I used old National Geographic maps to cover a cheap dresser using the same method and it was so much better than original fake wood.
view jinx's profile
Mod Podge was what I was refering to. I think it comes in both a matte and gloss finish.
view jinx's profile
Love this idea. So pretty.
view Manuchao's profile