I had the desire to create a unique product in steel. My product of choice was the MALM chest of 2 drawers. I wanted to make it look like a vintage metal cabinet, with a hint of old New York style.
Final result of my vintage metal cabinet
The project is not an easy one — the bending and cutting of the iron plates requires some practice. But it can be done in about 5-6 hours, however, spread over several days, as lacquer and glue must harden.
IKEA items used:
- MALM chest of 2 drawers
MALM chest of 2 drawers | IKEA.com
Other materials and tools:
- Steel 1,0 mm sheets
- Glue
DIY vintage metal cabinet – the process:
First, I assembled the MALM chest of drawers.
Metal sheets in 1mm is cut to measure
Then, I got the metal sheets cut with an angle grinder (or with fibre laser if you have it). I had this done at a workshop.
All the plates were then coated in a special liquid to age it and accelerate the dark oxidisation effect.
The metal plates being bent into shape
Next, all plates were curved on a bending machine. This can also be done without a CNC machine if you do not have access to a workshop.
All corners are welded
After that was done, I welded every corner and glued all the plates to the IKEA MALM chest.
It’s starting to look a lot like a vintage metal cabinet.
Side plates are glued on with mounting glue
The cabinet is test assembled before spraying on clear lacquer
Finally, I sprayed all surfaces with 2 to 3 layers of Clearcoat.
And it’s done!
What to pay special attention to?
The light emitted from welding can cause damage to the eyes. So always wear a welding helmet like those of professional blacksmiths.
My friends love it and the one comment I get is, “Can you make one for me?” 
See more of the vintage metal cabinet hack on my blog.
~ by Andreas
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