A Beginner's Guide to Painting Metal Cabinets

Give your metal filing cabinets a glow-up with this simple tutorial

Co-authored by Ez's Painting LLC

Last Updated: September 19, 2023

Tired of your plain metal cabinets? Believe it or not, you can change the look of a metal cabinet by simply painting it. The key is knowing where to start. We'll walk you through the entire process, so you can feel totally comfortable prepping, priming, and painting your cabinet.

Things You Should Know

Sand the surface of the cabinet with fine sandpaper to get rid of any rust or loose paint. This helps your new paint to adhere to the metal surface.
Remove the drawers from the cabinet and arrange the furniture outside so it isn't near any other objects.
Apply one coat of primer to the cabinet surface, followed by a layer of top coat.
Check the paint label to see how much time it needs to dry. Once it's dry, replace the cabinet drawers and move the furniture back to where it was originally.

1

Prepare the metal cabinet for painting.

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Remove anything that may be in the drawers of the cabinet. Clean the cabinet well with a damp cloth. Allow the cabinet time to dry. Use fine sandpaper and go over the cabinet to remove any loose paint or rust. Sanding will help the new paint to stick better.^{[1]
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- If the cabinet drawer lock is sticking and not opening, you may have to pick it open. See How to Pick a Filing Cabinet Lock for help.
- Put something under the cabinet to protect the ground, such as a newspaper or a drop cloth. Be aware of anything that is outside that might get stuck in the paint.

2

Select the paint you will use on the cabinet.

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You may choose to use a special spray paint that is made just for painting on metal. Purchase a primer for metals that prevents rust. Purchase the kind of paint and the new color you would like for your cabinet. Read the label on the paint can to determine how much spray paint you need to buy.^{[2]
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- Instead of a spray paint, you can try a highly durable paint like Emerald Urethane. It dries hard so that you cannot scratch it off, which is good for surfaces that are constantly touched.

3

Remove the drawers from the cabinet.

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You may choose to only paint the front of the drawers. Decide if you want to paint the handles. If not, you will need to either remove them or cover them with painter's tape.

4

Shake the spray paint can and the primer well before applying.

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5

Prime the cabinet.

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Allow the primer to dry completely before applying the top coat of paint.^{[3]
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6

Apply the top coat of paint.

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Use a steady back and forth motion with the can. Spray light coats of paint. If you get the paint too thick, it will run down the side of the cabinet.

7

Let the paint dry.

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When the paint is completely dry, return the cabinet drawers.

8

Move your cabinet back indoors.

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Community Q&A

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Question

Can I paint a metal cabinet indoors safely?

Sylghouls

Top Answerer

It is preferable to do so outdoors, as paint fumes can be toxic, depending on the type of paint you intend to use. With proper ventilation, though, there shouldn't be any real issue.

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Can I paint 1940s metal cabinets while they are still up?

Community Answer

You probably would want to take them down so as not to get paint on your walls, but if you cover the corners with painters tape, it should work.

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Tips

You can paint the cabinet with oil based paint and a paint brush. The finish will not be as smooth and the brush marks will show. It also takes more time to paint with a brush.

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Warnings

Avoid painting on a day when the humidity is high. This will hinder the cabinet drying properly.

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Painting on a windy day is not a good idea.

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