What To Do With Old File Cabinets

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If yours are standing empty, consider these creative DIY file cabinet projects, each designed to give renewed life to those old hallmarks of the paper age. CREATE A KITCHEN CART. Photo: curbly.com. STORE YOUR GARDEN TOOLS. Photo: tttreasure.com. BUILD A BAR CART. Photo: remodelista.com. GROW A GARDEN. MAKE A DESK.

How do you dispose of old filing cabinets?

First, check your local charities, nonprofits or Habitat for Humanity branch and see if you can donate the file cabinet to them. If you can’t find a place to donate it, you can list it for free (or even a small price) on Craigslist or your local Freecycle group.

Are filing cabinets recyclable?

Metal filing cabinets not in good condition can be recycled as scrap metal. Remove all non-metal components before recycling.

How do you disguise a file cabinet?

14 File Cabinet Decorating Ideas for the Classroom Spruce it up with chalkboard paint. Cover it with wallpaper. Brighten it up with contact paper. Apply stickers. Slap on duct tape. Transform it with spray paint. Stick some magnets on it. Who knew ceiling tiles could be this cool?.

Are old filing cabinets worth anything?

Antique Filing Cabinet Values As is typical with any furniture, antique filing cabinets are generally worth a few hundred dollars, ranging on average between $150-$450. The larger or more unique the filing cabinet, the more it’ll be worth.

What kind of metal is a filing cabinet?

Metal file cabinets are typically made of galvanized steel and are the most durable option.

What are filing cabinets made of?

Construction. Office filing cabinets are typically made of sheet metal or wood. The drawers usually use a drawer slide to facilitate opening the drawer which includes an “outstop” to prevent the drawer from being pulled completely out of the cabinet.

What are old file cabinets made of?

Vertical files are the familiar file cabinets of today. The earliest models were made from wood, but these were gradually replaced by steel vertical files in the twentieth century.

Can you wallpaper a filing cabinet?

Covering the drawers — or even the entire cabinet — with wallpaper, using a process known as decoupage, offers an inexpensive way to make file cabinets more appealing.

Can you put contact paper on metal cabinets?

Stainless steel contact paper is designed for use on metal, so it’s your best choice for decorating a file cabinet. Contact paper comes in many designs and colors, so examine the room you’ll be placing the file cabinet in.

Can you paint metal filing cabinet?

PAINT. Open your can of Rust-Oleum Satin Finish Furniture Paint in Carbon and give it a good stir. Then, pour a small amount into a paint tray, load up the foam roller and begin to paint the outside frame of the filing cabinet. Once the first coat is dry, apply an additional second coat to achieve an even finish.

What can I do with old metal filing cabinets?

Dear Megan: Metal file cabinets can be recycled, but they’re too big for you to just put on the curb with your recycling bin, and most haulers won’t take them. Instead, recycle metal file cabinets and other large metal items such as appliances or desks via a scrap recycler.

How do you cover a metal filing cabinet?

How to Disguise a Metal Filing Cabinet Paint. Applying a coat of paint is one of the easiest ways to disguise an ugly metal filing cabinet. Wallpaper. You can also help a metal filing cabinet blend in with the rest of the room’s decor by applying wallpaper to its surface. Fabric Skirt. Decoupage.

Can filing cabinets be scrap metal?

Can you scrap a metal filing cabinet? Yes! Filing cabinets are mostly made of aluminum, and can easily be broken down for scrap metal at your local recycling facility or scrap metal yard, but you’ll have to haul them there yourself.

When were file cabinets invented?

Invented in the 1890s, the filing cabinet was a result of the nineteenth-century faith in efficiency. Previously, paper records were arranged haphazardly: bound into books, stacked in piles, curled into slots, or impaled on spindles.

Are all filing cabinets metal?

Filing cabinets are traditionally made from steel, which is an awful insulator. However, there are many fire resistant options that offer more peace of mind when storing your documents.

Why are filing cabinets made of steel?

Whilst many filing cabinets and lockable metal cabinets are made from steel, a non-combustible material, steel is also a good conductor of heat. This means that if there is paper (a highly flammable material) stored inside, this could easily catch fire as a result of heat transferred to the inside of the cabinet.

What is metal filing?

Noun. 1. metal filing – a fragment of metal rubbed off by the use of a file. filing – a fragment rubbed off by the use of a file. iron filing – a fragment of iron rubbed off by the use of a file.

What is a metal cabinet?

Metal cabinets are built using pieces of sheet metal, which involves a fabrication process to produce thin broad sheets of metal. Metal Cabinets Metal cabinets are pieces of industrial furniture used for storage purposes. These cabinets can be built-in units or freestanding.

What is like a file cabinet in which you can keep your files?

A lateral file cabinet has drawers that extend from the long side (various lengths) of the cabinet. These are also called side filers in Great Britain. There are also shelf files, which go on shelves.

What is a full suspension file cabinet?

Hon® -Full Suspension Vertical Files are heavy gauge steel file cabinets are the finest quality, commercial-grade file storage available. These vertical file cabinets also feature heavy gauge steel telescoping mechanism and ball-bearing suspension for heavy-duty use.

How do you open a steel cabinet?

Pull the handle of the filing cabinet toward you. If the drawer does not open, then pull the handle with your right hand while moving the tab toward the handle with your left hand. If the drawer still does not open, the file cabinet may be locked or the drawer release mechanism may be broken.

What is the difference between lateral and vertical filing cabinets?

Lateral storage systems arrange folders perpendicular to the front of the drawer. That makes the depth of a lateral storage cabinet around the same length of a standard storage folder. Vertical storage systems arrange the folders on the same plane as the front of the drawer.

What are lateral files?

Lateral filing is when papers are added from the side of the file and the identification tab is on the side of the file. To pull the document out, you grab the sides edges. The main benefit of this type of filing system is that it is more space efficient.

Can you chalk paint a metal file cabinet?

How to Makeover a Metal File Cabinet Using Homemade Chalk Paint. I made chalk paint to paint the file cabinets, but you could also use any brand of chalk paint that comes in the color you like.

How do you remove paint from a metal filing cabinet?

How to Remove Paint from Metal STEP 1: Prep the area and protect yourself. Prepare the work area by covering the ground with drop cloths. STEP 2: Apply paint stripper. Pour a small amount of the stripper into a glass or metal can. STEP 3: Scrape the paint. STEP 4: Apply mineral spirits. STEP 5: Clean the metal.