Furniture upcycling: From an old tool cabinet to a dresser

Old drawers. New life. Tobi from Tobis Handcraft transforms a 50-year-old tool cabinet into a characterful dresser - furniture upcycling with wood oil, furniture wax, and green lacquer.

Tobi from Tobis Handcraft applies OLI-NATURA hardwax oil to the wooden top of the chest of drawers.
Tobi at work: The wooden top gets its finish with OLI-NATURA hardwax oil. Photo: © Tobis Handcraft

From a 50-year-old tool cabinet to a chest of drawers with character - a DIY project by Tobis Handcraft

What used to sort screws, nails, and small parts can now become a piece of furniture. An old workshop drawer cabinet - also known as a parts cabinet or apothecary cabinet - gets a second chance.

Past its prime? Not at all. This is upcycling the way DIY fans like it: honest, visible, with a story.

From find to furniture with character

Tobi is the person behind Tobis Handcraft. On his channels, he shares practical DIY projects involving wood, upcycling, and furniture making. He became known, among other things, for creative projects such as handmade wooden lamps - often made from reclaimed wood and simple materials.

His focus: clear, easy-to-follow steps, practical solutions for everyday use, and reusing existing furniture - no show, just substance.

In this project, he shows how an aged solid softwood cabinet is transformed step by step into a new piece of furniture.

A classic DIY project for anyone who wants to upcycle furniture, make a chest of drawers, or restore old furniture.

“I think you shouldn’t take away the history of furniture like this. That’s exactly what makes it special in the end.”

Upcycled chest of drawers with old wooden drawers, a green frame, and black metal legs in a living room.
From tool cabinet to chest of drawers: Old drawers, a green frame, and slim metal legs come together to create a piece of furniture with character. Photo: © Tobis Handcraft

Preserving what’s already there, adding something new

Tobi treats an old wooden drawer with a cloth and OLI-NATURA Furniture Wax.
Preserving what’s already there: Tobi refreshes the original wooden drawers with OLI-NATURA Furniture Wax. Photo: © Tobis Handcraft

For the countertop, Tobi uses OLI-NATURA hardwax oil. He treats the original drawers and visible wooden surfaces with OLI-NATURA Furniture Wax.

A classic beeswax and carnauba wax formula – reimagined, without terpenes, silicones or VOCs. The wax brings the natural patina back into focus and is ideal for caring for vintage furniture and restored wood surfaces. Pleasant to the touch, with a subtle scent – made for furniture that’s used every day.

“I deliberately wanted to leave the old parts as they were. They have character – you can’t build that from scratch.”

For the new build: protection with a system

Green NORDIC B furniture lacquer is applied to a component of the new body with a roller.
Green meets wood: Tobi applies NORDIC B to the new body with a roller. Photo: © Tobis Handcraft

The newly built multiplex body is deliberately treated differently – this is where lacquer comes in.

NORDIC B in green, rolled on instead of sprayed. An ultra-matte furniture lacquer made for indoor wood, multiplex furniture and plywood.

lacquer, reimagined. At its core is a binder based in part on renewable raw materials – where the lacquer does its work.

Chalk-like look. Protection like lacquer.

The result

Detail of the restored chest of drawers with old wooden drawers, metal handles and a green lacquered side panel.
Character preserved: The old wooden drawers and metal handles meet a green lacquered body. Photo: © Tobis Handcraft

A finish that doesn’t look overly polished, but feels just right. Old and new come together without overshadowing each other.

The waxed drawers tell a story and bring back the distinctive character of vintage furniture. The lacquered body creates clean lines and a modern look.

That’s exactly what makes it appealing: upcycling instead of buying new. Restoring furniture instead of replacing it.

You can find the complete DIY project on the Tobis Handcraft channel. As an OLI-NATURA partner, Tobi stands for exactly this kind of project.

All photos: © Tobis Handcraft

A project feature by OLI NATURA®
Written by Sylke Schubert-Temmen
Article from April 2016 · Published online on

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