DIY: File Cabinet Becomes Tool Stash

It’s all in a day’s work: an aging file cabinet gets a much more colorful second life as tool storage, with a few simple moves.

We spotted the former office staple on the blog Tttreasure, where its new racing stripes and sideways orientation make it almost unrecognizable. But the sturdy metal drawers still do a heroic job of organizing basics, in this case rakes, shovels, and assorted hand tools. We like the casters and the pegboard on either side for odds and ends like tape and twine that get the most use–and tend to go missing right when you need them.

See our sources below to get started; for complete instructions see Tttreasure.

Above: High-gloss spray paint and twin stripes make the cabinet garage-worthy, not to mention giving it a sense of humor. Photographs via Tttreasure.

Above: Pegboard is glued to the sides and clamped in place (L) until it’s secure. Hooks (R) are especially useful for small staples and tools with blades that can dull from being stored on their sides.

Above: Source sandpaper in a range of grits from coarse to fine; 9″ by 11″ 3M Production Sandpaper Sheets are $.49 to $1.09 each from Blick.

Above: Low-lustre alkyd spray paint is appropriate for use on metal. Hedrix Custom-Color Spray Paint in a 2-pack is $43.98 from My Perfect Color.

Above: The 2-Inch Steel Wheel Swivel Caster is $3.98 from Home Depot.

N.B.: Looking for a weekend garden project? See all 122 DIY Posts in our archive.