Upcycled Thomasville File Cabinet

6 Materials
$25
4 Hours
Easy

While this file cabinet wasn't bad, sometimes you just want to do something different. So we opted to update it with a nice coat of chalk paint followed up with some creme wax and the outcome did not disappoint!

We started out by cleaning the file cabinet with a vinegar and water solution (50/50) to remove any dirt and grime. I used goof off to get a sticky spot that I found as well.

We used the DecoArt Americana Decor line of chalk paint. We only used one 8 oz container and not even half of the creme wax.

For the first coat, we brush on the paint. And it left more brush streaks that we anticipated. So we sanded it down a bit to smooth it out and did the second coat with a roller.

dried brush strokes

After allowing it to dry completely, we applied the wax using a brush. Leaving it on for 2-3 minutes at a time, and then wiping it away. The wax filled in the brush strokes. In hindsight, we didn't actually have to sand it because the wax would have filled it in beautifully.

The final outcome is simply beautiful.

To see more details and photos, check out the full article on my site.

Resources for this project:
See all materials
Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
Hometalk may collect a small share of sales from the links on this page.More info
TaKenya Hampton
Want more details about this and other DIY projects? Check out my blog post!
Go
Frequently asked questions
Have a question about this project?
3 of 4 questions
  • Vicki Vicki on Aug 13, 2018

    Would this paint be acceptable for old dark wood kitchen cabinets? What would the finished cabinets look like? I guess I'm asking about the chalk paint. Is it chalky looking? I've never seen it but am interested in trying. Thank you !

  • Kathy Parker Kathy Parker on Aug 13, 2018

    What does the wax do... besides give it shut? Does it extend the paint



  • Leslee Case Leslee Case on Aug 14, 2018

    how did you get green from white. why the art brushes.

Comments
Join the conversation
2 of 10 comments
  • Kaye Kaye on Aug 18, 2018

    TaKenya this piece came out fabulous. I so love the color, well really just the whole thing. Thanks

  • Denise Denise on Sep 05, 2018

    A bit of polish would have brought this up beautiful

    why is everyone painting over lovely furniture

Next