Cladding a run of the mill file cabinet in wood

[Mike OMelia]

Crazy idea? Been thinking about it for a while. I want a solid wood file cabinet for my office, but I've found little in the way of plans. Plus, I really want this now rather than later, and construction of the drawers seems to be the hardest part. Soooo... why not? Pros and cons appreciated.

Thanks,

Mike (been gone a while, busy with too many projects!)

[Mel Fulks]

It's going to be pretty challenging to make something strong enough without looking too bulky. ART METAL made thick steel ,fireproof file cabinets with faux wood finishes that were pricey enough to be well regarded. I'd look into that type of solution.

[Steve Mellott]

Have you considered covering it with veneer? Peach State lumber yard in the Atlanta area sells 2' x 8' sheets of veneer at a reasonable price.

[david brum]

I think it would be really easy to clad a metal filing cabinet in hardwood ply. You could apply decent edge banding and screw panels to the sides from the inside. Then make false front drawer fronts extending to the edges of your new sides. They could also be ply with edgebanding. If you select the ply carefully and cut everything from the same sheet of ply, it can look really good. Apply your preference of finish and get some cool looking hardware and you're off to the races.

[Jim Andrew]

Why not just build yourself some file cabinets from wood? Start the design by measuring the inside of the drawers, add the thickness of the sides, and the gap needed between the drawer and the box for the guides, and then add the size of face frame, and the extra depth needed for drawer guides. Reverse engineering.

[Myk Rian]

Drawers are drawers. No different from a dresser, cabinet, desk, etc.
A file cabinet shouldn't be very hard to wing-it. A box with dividers and a back.
Plans? Heck, the only plans I've used were for my tool chest and a rocking horse.
Everything else was a wing-it project.
Just use a metal file cabinet as a guide.

[Mike OMelia]

Hey, they clad modern appliances in the kitchen now, should be no big deal. I will consider all ideas here (except veneering a metal file cabinet, you just gotta know that won't look right! lol)

Thanks,

Mike

[Joe Jensen]

I think it sounds like an easy and quick project. I wouldn't veneer, but I would carefully decide how you want the front to look. Drawer fronts overhanging the sides and top, or inset? The tolerances for the drawers running in most file cabinets is pretty sloppy so be careful to plan around that. If very sloppy, maybe drawer fronts that overlay the sides would be better as if inset you my need 3/16" or more all the way around the drawers to make sure they work well.

Lastly, really check out the cheap ones, they pretty much suck. If you are going to cover it, maybe a scratch and dent commercial one?

[Sam Babbage]

I've made several filing cabinets. As mentioned above, start with the file size and work out from there. I used rebated cleats screwed to the inside of 1/2" thick sides to "catch" the files. These can be replaced in the future if they wear. I used 2 sets of heavy duty K&V runners per drawer. A good trick is to make the drawer fronts look like two drawers stacked vertically, complete with dummy escutcheon and drawer pull. This breaks up the giant "I am a filing cabinet" drawers, and makes them look more like a lingerie chest.

[Mike OMelia]

Joe, your idea of a scratch and dent is a good one, and I know just the guy to contact. I know my idea sounds silly to most wood workers. But I REALLY do not want to turn this into a major project and am betting I can pull this off with a really good look. Lots of good advice, and thanks. If I do it, I'll post some pictures.

Mike

[Sam Murdoch]

Hey, they clad modern appliances in the kitchen now, should be no big deal. I will consider all ideas here (except veneering a metal file cabinet, you just gotta know that won't look right! lol)

Thanks,

Mike

Just to add to the discussion, I once applied peal and stick paper backed mahogany and cherry veneers to commercial aluminum window frames that lasted for 20 + years before the new home owner decided to replace the windows. These were 4' to 22' tall frames (different rooms) 3" deep on the sides and 4" wide on the face in vertical and horizontal positions. I fitted carefully and neatly and finished all with multiple coats of a marine varnish. They looked great and lasted well beyond the client expectations. Just saying' - I wouldn't dismiss veneering a metal file cabinet if asked :).