File Cabinet Plans

By Sara Elliot

Office Furniture Doesn't Have to Be Expensive

There are some things you should look for in file cabinet plans. Choose a plan with a system of measurement that's consistent with the tools you'll be using and make sure to select a size and style that will fit your space. File cabinets look pretty rigid in their structure, but there are some interesting ways to personalize and use them that will give you a great place to keep your important papers in style.

File Cabinets -- Things to Consider

With more and more people working from their homes, the presence of a file cabinet somewhere in the house is becoming commonplace. Once only accepted in an office environment, file cabinets are now popular home storage solutions too. Whether you're looking for a place to house your stamp collection or organize your online mail order business, file cabinets are an easy choice that will still offer you a few clever design options.

Types of File Cabinets

You can go with the traditional two, three or four drawer file cabinet designed for letter or legal sized folders. Two-drawer models can stand in as side tables pretty easily. A change of decorative hardware to match other furniture in your room may be all you need to transform your cabinet into a serviceable lamp table.

If you opt for a bank of four drawer file cabinets, you can use them as an effective room divider for an open concept family room or finished basement. Add a ceiling mounted curtain rod and a valance, and you have a designated office area complete with privacy wall. A single three-drawer file cabinet would make an effective addition to a closet, or could fit easily in the corner of an entry, mudroom or garage. File cabinets are great solutions for making out of the way spaces storage friendly.

If traditional file cabinet styles leave you cold, consider lateral files instead. Lateral files are designed to open along one of the long sides. The advantage of this setup is that the drawer depth is much shallower, making it easier to situate the files in narrow spaces. It also makes it easier to use them as makeshift sofa tables, credenzas or television stands.

File Cabinet Tips and Tricks

Other things you may want to consider when planning your file cabinet project:

Decide on a hanging file arrangement before you build your drawer. Setups with a lip to support hanging files will need to be made of sturdy wood. If you opt for installing a metal bar instead, make sure that the mounting you choose will hold the accumulated weight of contents in hanging files. Paper can get heavy. Knowing that you're going to use a complete wire frame insert will save you some structural work going in.

To make moving your files easier and save yourself from having to empty them whenever you rearrange the furniture, consider installing casters on your file cabinets. New style adhesive mounted casters are easy to install without nails or screws. All you have to do is remove the adhesive strip and press the casters in place.

If you're planning on placing your file cabinet near an HVAC floor vent, install legs on the bottom to lift the cabinet high enough to provide good airflow.

A filing cabinet may never look like a piece of designer art, but you can successfully integrating one into your décor by coordinating the wood stain and handles on the cabinet with other furniture or cabinetry in your room. This is a good way to add file storage to a kitchen or breakfast nook.

If you plan on using your file cabinet as a catchall for your home office coffee pot or water carafe, why not protect the top with a clear or black sheet of Plexiglass?