The Genius Way To Repurpose An Old Filing Cabinet For Your Garden

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The creative leap it took to conceive of old filing cabinets being upcycled into outdoor planters was indeed a stroke of genius. At a casual glance, the vertical metal drawer cabinet looks nothing like a planter. You probably think of them as existing in an office location, not outdoors. They are full of files, folders, and sheets of dry paper, not green verdant plants. But when looking at the price of large planters, you might begin to wonder if there is not a clever alternative. Let the inspiration happen, and take some inexpensive filing cabinets and turn them into sleek, modern-looking planters.

Once expensive office items, filing cabinets are now often available for sale at reasonable prices at online marketplaces, and folks are transforming them into a variety of furniture. Before you buy them, check to see they are not dented or otherwise distressed. It's not necessary that the drawers work properly, as in this case, as you will be removing them (but not throwing them away). Sometimes, you can even find filing cabinets for free online or on the street during annual community large-item pickup days. The cabinets commonly come in two and four-drawer options.

The first step in the conversion is to remove the drawers and set them aside, then lay the cabinet on its back (now becoming the bottom of the planter). Using a hacksaw or sheet metal shears, decide how to cut the sheet metal crosspieces that divide the rectangular opening where the drawers once were. Use a metal file or sandpaper to remove any sharp edges or burrs created when you cut out the crosspieces. 

The cabinet may or may not have a bottom. If it does not, you'll need to put one in to close the end. Have your hardware store cut a piece of sheet metal to the size needed to fit in the space. Secure it with a construction adhesive like Liquid Nails. It is a good idea at this point to paint the cabinet with an exterior paint of some sort to avoid rusting and discoloration. Pick a color that goes well with backyard decor, or get creative with bright ones for a piece that pops. Lastly, drill some drainage holes through the bottom of the planter.

Move the cabinet to where you want it to be situated. If it is on the ground (as opposed to a patio or similar), you may need to level the area before you place it. You do not need to fill the entire cabinet with soil; in fact, it's impractical to do so. Instead, lay the drawers in the opening just to take up space and pack some other items around them (kitchen scraps like peanuts, yard waste, rocks, cardboard, or broken clay pots), then put a thick layer of landscape fabric in place. Fill the remaining cavity with soil, and you are ready to start planting.