How to Repaint  Metal Filing Cabinet？

Part of your remodeling plans may include sprucing up your old filing cabinet, or perhaps you are rescuing a cabinet from storage or from a second-hand store. Repainting it may bring out your inner graffiti artist, because the easiest and most effective way to apply the paint is by spraying it on with an aerosol can of enamel. You'll probably be able to resist the urge to spray slogans, but you don't have to settle for a monochromatic color scheme, unless, of course, you prefer one. Whatever your color predilections, proper preparation is the key to getting excellent results.

1.Prepare the cabinet for sanding and rust remediation by emptying the drawers and removing them, if possible. Wipe the cabinet down with denatured alcohol and a rag to remove surface grime.

2.Sand rusty areas with 220-grit wet/dry sandpaper to flatten lumps and remove residue. Dissolve rust deposits by rubbing them with white vinegar or lemon juice before you sand.

3.Fill holes with auto body filler. Mix the filler with hardener according to the directions on the container, apply it with a putty knife, scrape it flat and let it harden. Sand it flat with 150-grit wet-dry sandpaper, then smooth it with 220-grit paper.

4.Remove the handles from the drawers or cover them with painter's tape, if you don't want to paint them. Scuff-sand the entire cabinet, including the drawers, with 220-grit sandpaper to etch the existing paint.

5.Move the cabinet outside or into a room with plenty of ventilation and set it on top of old newspapers. Put on a respirator and spray the cabinet and drawers with a single coat of metal primer. Let the primer dry for about an hour.

6.Spray on one coat of metal enamel. If you're planning a multi-tone design, this is the base coat. Let it dry, scuff it with 320-grit sandpaper and spray a second coat.

7.Let the base coat cure for 24 hours, then use painter's tape and masking paper to create a design, if desired. After covering the parts you don't want to paint, spray the exposed areas with a different color of enamel. Let the first coat dry, scuff it and spray a second coat.

8.Remove the tape and masking paper as soon as the second coat has dried hard enough to touch. If you want to add a third paint layer, let the second layer cure for 24 hours before masking.

9.Wait for 48 hours after spraying the final coat before using the cabinet.