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Home » Animal and Land » Gardening » File Cabinet Planter

File Cabinet Planter

09/09/22 | Gardening

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Making a planter out of an old file cabinet is easy to do in about 30 minutes and will cost less than $10 in supplies! Quick, easy, high-impact DIY project for your yard and garden.Making a planter out of an old file cabinet is easy to do in about 30 minutes and will cost less than $10 in supplies! Quick, easy, high-impact DIY project for your yard and garden.Making a planter out of an old file cabinet is easy to do in about 30 minutes and will cost less than $10 in supplies! Quick, easy, high-impact DIY project for your yard and garden.

Making a planter out of an old file cabinet is easy to do in about 30 minutes and will cost less than $10 in supplies! Quick, easy, high-impact DIY project for your yard and garden.

I originally saw this idea from builds_by_Kristen on Tiktok, click for her tutorial.

Where to Find a File Cabinet

It is really easy to find a file cabinet for free or very cheap! Here are some places I’ve found them for free:

  • Facebook Marketplace
  • Local Classifieds
  • Yard Sales
  • On the side of the road (yes, this is a thing!)

Supplies needed for turning a file cabinet into a planter:

  • 1 file cabinet
  • 2 cans spray paint
  • 1 drill wide bit
  • 10 cubic feet potting soil

How to Make a File Cabinet Planter Box

  1. First, take out all the drawers. If it’s been sitting watch out for spiders.
  2. Clean the cabinet, if necessary.
  3. Lay it down on its side so the openings are facing up.
  4. Drill drain holes – don’t skip this! Drain holes are important for plants to grow properly.
  5. Spray paint the cabinet your desired color. (affiliate link)
  6. Let dry (this part takes the longest).
  7. Move it to your desired location.
  8. If desired, run drip tubing through the planter to make it hands-free. This tutorial can be applied to this planter for drip irrigation (the tutorial is at the bottom of the post).
  9. Fill with soil. I filled the bottom 4 inches of mine with rocks and pieces of cardboard and then tilled the rest with soil. It held 10 cubic feet of soil.
  10. Plant!

Looking for more in-depth chicken-keeping information? Take my course, Gardening 101!

My exclusive Gardening 101 course guides you through each step, from starting seeds to harvest. This course will teach you everything you’ll need to know about planning and growing your own garden.

Take me to the course!
What type of spray paint should I use for my DIY file cabinet planter?

Use an outdoor spray paint that is made for metal surfaces. Usually, this will be called and “all surface” spray paint and have “interior/exterior” listed on it. You can also use an enamel spray paint. I used a semi-gloss.

Is it safe to plant vegetables in a file cabinet planter?

Nope, I don’t recommend it. I would use these strictly for non-edible plants. If you’re looking for an easy and quick DIY garden box tutorial, click here.

What if my file cabinet is missing the bottom?

I had a cabinet like this, there are a few options.
1. If you have the proper tools and can do so safely, you can remove the front from the drawer that fits in the bottom. This will maintain the opening at the top while filling in the bottom portion.
2. If not, you can use a piece of sheet metal and cut it to size like I did here. Once you fill it, it seals enough without fastening it.
3. If you’re putting two next to each other, you can put the open end flush with another cabinet and fasten them together.

Looking for more in-depth chicken-keeping information? Take my course, Gardening 101!

My exclusive Gardening 101 course guides you through each step, from starting seeds to harvest. This course will teach you everything you’ll need to know about planning and growing your own garden.

Take me to the course!
Making a planter out of an old file cabinet is easy to do in about 30 minutes and will cost less than $10 in supplies! Quick, easy, high-impact DIY project for your yard and garden.
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DIY File Cabinet Planter

Making a planter out of an old file cabinet is easy to do in about 30 minutes and will cost less than $10 in supplies! Quick, easy, high-impact DIY project for your yard and garden.
Prevent your screen from going dark
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings 1 planter
Author Alli
Get ad-free recipes in PrepearLearn more about Prepear here!
Cost $8

Equipment

  • Drill
  • Drill Bits
  • Potting Soil
  • Black Spray Paint

Ingredients

  • 1 file cabinet
  • 2 cans spray paint
  • 1 drill wide bit
  • 10 cubic feet potting soil

Instructions

  • First, take out all the drawers. If it's been sitting watch out for spiders.
  • Clean the cabinet, if necessary.
  • Lay it down on its side so the openings are facing up.
  • Drill drain holes – don't skip this! Drain holes are important for plants to grow properly.
  • Spray paint the cabinet your desired color.Let dry (this part takes the longest).
  • If desired, run drip tubing through the planter to make it hands-free. This tutorial can be applied to this planter for drip irrigation (the tutorial is at the bottom of the post).
  • Move it to your desired location.
  • Fill with soil. I filled the bottom 4 inches of mine with rocks and pieces of cardboard and then tilled the rest with soil. It held 10 cubic feet of soil.
  • Plant your plants in the planter.
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Tried this recipe?Mention @longbournfarm or tag #longbournfarm!

Looking for more great yard and garden content?

  • How to Set Up Drip Irrigation in a Garden
  • DIY Self-Watering Window Boxes
  • DIY Window Boxes
  • Easy Ways to Spruce up the Exterior of Your Home
  • How to Gel Stain Garage Doors
  • DIY Wood Shutters
  • DIY Tall Planter Box
  • Gardening Tips for Beginners
  • Winter Squash Storage Tips
  • Building Raised Planter Boxes
  • How to Start Seeds Indoors
  • How to Make Hummingbird Food
  • The Best Way to Store Zucchini
  • Quick Way to Preserve Tomatoes
  • How to Compost
  • Harvesting Onions and Storing Onions
  • How to Harvest and Freeze Broccoli
  • Herb Harvest and Preservation
  • Garden Soil Preparation

Comments | 2 comments

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Comments

  1. Janet says

    January 28, 2023 at 11:53 PM

    You say you would not recommend planting veggies in these planters, but you didn’t give your reasons. Can you please elaborate?

    Reply
    • Alli says

      January 29, 2023 at 8:50 AM

      The metal and paint are not food-safe. If you painted them with a food-safe product you potentially could unless they start to rust.

      Reply

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Hi, Friend!


Alli Kelley is an Agriculture focused entrepreneur. She runs a successful food blog, a consulting and coaching business, and all the social media connected with an online presence.

She also owns and operates a small, diversified farmstead where she enjoys home improvement projects, experimenting in the garden, creating profitable mini businesses on the farm, and of course, riding her big grey horse, Zane.
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