This is a DIY crime scene. If you are sensitive to graphic images consider yourself warned.
Last year when I was gearing up for The Hoard Sale I found a listing on Craigslist for 2 card catalogs. The pictures were bad, and the listing was super vague. But I mean, OF COURSE I had to contact the seller.
I found out that they were about 40 minutes away and were in rough shape…like they had lived in a barn outside for the last 35+ years. I cant remember what the original asking price was, I think well over $1000 but I ended up getting them both for $550 and they were able to deliver. Which was wonderful considering this thing weighs so much.
The pictures looked pretty bad, but MAAAAAAAN. It was worse than I thought.
The previous owner had used the pull out shelves to spray paint. (screen shot from the ad)
WHYYYYYYYYYY?
It was EVERYWHERE.
Not to mention that it had been living outside in the heat of Arizona. As you can imagine the veneer was toast. I’ve never seen anything like it, it was the consistency of shredded corn flakes. Luckily the drawer fronts were solid wood and were salvageable.
So I did what any normal person would do, I got to work saving the dang thing.
I needed to take the paint off of the hardware that had overspray, but I didn’t want it to look new. After testing a few different things I settled on Acetone. I put it in a large bowl and let the hardware soak for about 3 minutes. The spray paint melted off without altering the age of the brass.
Every single one of the 58 (2 were missing) drawer fronts were sanded completely. The ones that didn’t have paint had a flakey topcoat that needed to be out of both of our lives.
I LOVE how many different tones of wood are in it.
There were exactly 1 & 1/2 drawer fronts missing, as well as a few trim pieces (like the long one right under the bottom row of drawers) So I went to Home Depot and matched the wood grain as much as I could. I feel like I remember ending up with oak.
I used my saw to cut the drawer fronts and the trim pieces and attached them to the catalog directly
You can see in the picture above that it came with a pretty giant base complete with it’s own shredded corn flakes.
I debated on using Danish oil on it and tested a few drawers (the ones on the left) but decided that I liked the raw wood on the right better.
When it came time to sell it at The Hoard Sale I was having very mixed feelings about parting with it. Because dang these things are hard to find.
So I priced it higher (around $800 I think) and said if it sells, then its just not meant to be.
Much to my delight (and Court’s distain) it didn’t sell so for the last 9 months it’s been sitting in the back of the garage.
Lotioning, Oiling. Oiling. Lotioning
Until I couldn’t take it anymore!
When we moved the entire thing inside (base and all) I wasn’t convinced. The problem wasn’t the card catalog, it was the base. The base needed to go. But the catalog on the floor looked super weird too. It just needed a little something.
I went to Home Depot (seriously you guys, multiple times a day.) and bought a hefty 4×4.
We cut it down into legs that are about 5” each. Then we bolted them to the thick base inside.
It lifts it up just enough.
Turned out pretty great!
UPDATE: You have got to see how it looks in my living room reveal! It turned out SO good!!!
You have really done right by this great old piece! It’s perfect.
I love it! I know that had to take some serious patience to clean up! Doesn’t it just make you cringe to see people waste beautiful vintage things like that. My mom and dad live in a 135 year old farm house and back in the 90s my mom decided to remove all the vintage crystal doorknobs in the house and replace them with nickel ones. The horror! Anyway, I love the way your living room is coming along!
What a fabulous makeover, really good job! And the Sandlot reference….so great, made my day.
Omgosh, so good.
I love what you’ve done with the catalog. It looks great against the brick (yea for no whitewashing), I think it’s lighter color makes more of an impact that way. What are you keeping in your card catalog?
Your card catalog is beautiful, I mean now that you completely restored it. I have one too, it has 15 drawers and came on a steel base. I did try just using it on the floor and with casters and hairpin legs…but nothing looked right or SAFE. I like your legs alot…and its tricky because of the weight of these things. It’s the one piece of furniture in my house that everyone comments on, over and over again. Thanks for reminding me how much I love it. I loved reading your post today because it took me about a year to track one down on craigslist, I paid $100 and then $16 for some missing knobs on ebay. Not a bad deal but yours is better. PS. If you want to see a photo of it, I just posted it on instagram and tagged you.
It was worth all your hard work, it turned out gorgeous. About 15 yrs ago our library was selling the exact catalog cabinet for $25 and my husband said “what are you going to do with it”? I wanted it for mittens and no I listened to him and did not buy it. I can kick myself since then. Enjoy!
I love how it turned out! Something about that raw wood just gets me! We painted ours almost 5 years ago {whatttt! I cant believe its been that long!} But now I kinda wish we wouldve sanded it and kept it raw. Maybe next time:) Here is how ours turned out: https://dreambookdesign.com/2010/06/turning-old-junk-to-beauty-html/
Looks great! I am loving the big planter on top. Where did that come from?!?
My dad and I went to a school auction several years ago. The school was old and closing. He bought two of the card catalogs and thought they were really neat and unique. We would joke about how much I loved them and he said “put your name under it” so when he died I could tell my siblings they are mine – look at my name. When he passed a year ago – us four kids went around and decided how we were going to divide everything up. What do you know, it just so happened that both of my turns I was able to pick both card catalogs. I am a very proud owner – not only do I love them, but I love the memory of being with my dad when he bought them, and that he cherished them and knew that I would cherish them too. They are my prized possessions! So cool – I love how you restored yours. Great job as ALWAYS!! Sending love from Indiana – love your spunk and all your creations!
Man alive – all that grumbly about inspiration being drained seems to have disappeared! You have hit a stride with one rocking post after another. A hearty round of applause from the Pacific Northwest for the work with these (ALL. THE. SANDING.!!!!) and the #100reveal series posts. I’m living vicariously through all these rockstar transformations. I love your energy and pluckiness. Keep it up!!
I absolutely love the new chunky legs!
I have been trying to score just ONE card catalog for the last few years to no avail! (wah!)
You got 2 of them at a “please steal me” price and made them gorgeous!
In the words of my 4 year old grandson, “Not fair!!!”
You have made 2 incredible pieces even more incredible…enjoy, enjoy!
I love the card catalogs. The legs are working–though, personally, I’d have either tapered the legs a bit, put industrial casters on a platform and set it on that platform (so that it could be easily moved), or I would have created a completely different base (like this: https://sarahmdorseydesigns.blogspot.com/2014/01/adding-legs-to-mid-century-modern.html). Still, you are right that it needed legs, and your solution works elegantly.
I totally agree with you on the legs, tapered would have been beautiful! The problem is that this thing weighs easily 400 lbs. Tapered legs just didn’t seem like a super safe option.
xo
m
I agree with you the base needed to go. The legs look so much better. Love your blog. Love your style.
I like the legs so much better too.
You lucky, lucky girl! You did a fab job of cleaning it up. I want a card catalog so bad, but 1) don’t have the money, and 2) have no where to put it!!! Our local craigslist isn’t very good and it is very rare to find cool things. Maybe one day I will be able to fulfill my dream of owning something spectacular like this. 😉
I love these and have always wanted some! I couldn’t afford what you were selling them for or I would have gotten them in a heartbeat! So happy to see that you were able to use them after all though. 🙂
I admire you so much Mandi! It looks like it was a lot of work cleaning that card catalog up and it’s so beautiful now!
I love, love, love this!
Wow! What a different some hard work can make! A card catalog is on my bucket list of furniture I’d love to have, and knowing that one which looks rough to start can end beautifully is so encouraging!
That is great and alot of work and the reference to Sandlot made my day!!!!
Sometimes I just don’t understand Craigslist at all… why on Earth would the owner price it so high after covering it with spray paint?! Good haggle! I’ve been searching for a similar piece on a smaller scale for my house. Also – I love the giant bowl planter in your last few images… where did you find it?
Homegoods!! It was around $35
xo
m
But what do you put in all the drawers? I have a much smaller one with about 25 drawers. We keep all sort of cables and charges in them, but it’s awkward to find things and remember what’s where. I’d love to make mine more useful.
WOW!! That turned out really kewel!! Love it!
Nice job Mandy. Love how it fits in with everything.I can also appreciate all the work that went into it. Fun isn’t it? Hah! I just redid one about half the size of yours. Did a custom made herringbone top. Would love it if you took a look and let me know what you think! I have it’s twin that I haven’t gotten around to doing yet.
Here’s the link:https://makemeprettyagain.blogspot.com/2014/11/the-elusive-card-catalogs-and-how-i.html
And I also just completed a metal card catalog that I painted and added hairpin legs to. Can’t seem to sell it. Maybe needs repainting?? it’s under ” before and after /Gallery”
I have a card catalog that is much taller but narrower, its in pretty amazing shape and got it for a steal of $220 when these are going for over $800 here in Portland. I actually got it from a relative of someone who worked for the university library where it was housed until they removed all their card catalogues. The drawers are metal. I am just not sure what to do with it. Because of its height its kind of weird to place anything on top of it, but without the base it would just look off. I love it but am at a loss of what to do with it.
I LOVE that there are parts missing. I hope you won’t ever replace them. Beautiful job!
Stunning makeover/stunning piece/s-t-u-n-n-I-n-g- room. Love the brick walls, wood floor and light from the windows. Sweet!
I have one of these that I am finally turning into a small parts cabinet in my woodworking shop – looks very elegant there. For several years it has lived in our house and while other people had a junk drawer maybe in the kitchen – we had a whole junk cabinet! Anything and everything that could fit in those drawers found themselves there – it was a treasure trove to paw through and usually if it wasn’t somewhere else obvious it was “in the little drawers”.
I love your find and all the effort you did to restore this lovely stunning jewel!!
thank you for rescuing this great piece and restoring it’s beauty!
You did a fabulous job restoring this stunning piece of the past. How many hours did I spend at our local library rummaging throught these when I was a kid? I love the wood catalog pieces and I’ve been looking for one for close to five years. I’m ‘green’ with envy, and hoping my ‘estate sales’ and craigslist searches will eventually pay off. Lots of work, but oh! the finished look. Beautiful job.
I love that you left the wood raw! I’m in the process of refinishing a card catalog and was planning on painting it a dark gray in chalk paint, but now I think you’ve changed my mind! Question on refinishing though – did you sand over the little brass circles underneath the drawer pulls? I can’t figure out how to remove mine, but it seems like they might get too rough if I sand over them.
Absolutely stunning! And I love everything about your entire living room. You have fabulous taste.
Also, the Sandlot reference nearly killed me… I didn’t need the picture of Squints to picture him perfectly after that quote hahaha
I have 3 card catalogs.
One is in my kitchen and holds spices, untensils, etc… all labeled, I love it.
I have 2 double sided ones in the basement.
One side of one holds all sewing supplies, the other side is beading
The other one has tools , bolts nuts you have it.
took 6 men to carry them in like a coffin. ahahahhaha
THANK YOU for rescuing this piece! It looks FABULOUS!!!
I have a nine drawer card catalog I collected from an old school demolition. I sanded the fronts, replaced missing
Label holders ( check out renovators supply ) and voila!
I think I’ll add four bun feet to raise it off the floor.