Old Drawer Cabinet

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I guess I have been doing MORE than just de-junking…I have been taking it and making it into a treasure!

It is amazing what a little imagination and paint can do!

It all started with this drawer. I have had it for about 4 years, and I got it for free off of Craig’s list. It has been patiently waiting for a makeover and a new purpose in life.

The drawer front was split and cracked on the sides and because I wanted to make this into a cabinet, I decided it needed to be removed. I used a crow bar and slowly pried it off.

The sides were loose from the drawer bottom so I added some Gorilla Wood Glue and clamped it. You can also see I removed the drawer slides as well.

While the glue was drying on the drawer I picked up some left over trim that I had removed when I did my teen boy’s room makeover. This would be the frame for my cabinet door. I cut one end at 45 degrees on my miter saw and then measured it to the drawer to make the second cut.

I did this all the way around until I had all four sides cut. Then I used wood glue and my nail gun to attach them at the corners. Note: I recommend using nail in fasteners on the corners if your trim moulding is too thin for pocket holes which is the best method, I was out of fasteners which is why I used nails, but I find it a weaker joining method on mitered corners…just saying.

For the shelves inside the old drawer cabinet I used some more trim from the same pile, it was a little wider than what I used for the frame. I cut it to size and glued and nailed it on the sides and the back.
I just made two shelves, but you could add as many as you want!

This is what I had at this point.

Part of the reason I wanted to do this project is so that I could us some of this chicken wire I had picked up from the side of the road. I have been wanting to use it on something for a LONG time, so I was super excited when I was cutting it to fit my frame. 🙂  I used wire cutters, making sure I had enough to overlap for attaching later.

Next up was filling the holes with spackle, if I was staining I probably would have skipped this step. I wanted to paint so I knew I need cover up the holes so they wouldn’t show. I also sanded the drawer and cleaned it with TSP.

Now for paint! I used a homemade chalk paint with white for my first coat, and then added another coat of white (non chalk paint) on top. Tip: For a smoother finish make sure to sand with fine grit paper between coats.

I rounded up some hinges and a pull that I got off of some shutters…at least I think that is where they came from… I started by attaching the hinges to the old drawer cabinet first.

Then I attached my chicken wire to the back of the frame with staples, and screwed the door to the hinges on the cabinet. Last I added my pull. Oh, and I do want to note that I sprayed the chicken wire with oil rubbed bronze spray paint to darken it up a little.

When I got to installing the door I realized I needed a magnetic door catch. I didn’t have any…so I made my own. I used some button magnets and a small scrap piece of wood. I hot glued them in the top and bottom corners so the magnet was flush with the top of the drawer. Then I hot glued on these metal plates into each corner. I think they were part of a magnetic catch system at one time…

They keep the door closed perfectly, and that is it. Done. Of course then you have to decide where it is going…I put felt pads on the bottom for now so it can stand on it’s own, but I may add d-rings to the back and hang it in my bedroom. Decisions, decisions.

I love how it turned out, simple and just cute!

See more of Mindi’s Repurposed projects here on MRL below:

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