Whether you’re painting a cooler for your date for a Fraternity Formal, or one for Clue Week for your little, there are a few basics you’ll need and I’ve got the scoop! I’ll take you step by step through the cooler painting process!
5 Step Cooler Prep
1.) You can buy your cooler at a number of different places. I usually start (and end) my search at Walmart because they are the cheapest, but Gander Mountain, Bass Pro Shops and other outdoors stores carry coolers.
2.) Once you bring your cooler home, take it apart. Unscrew the hinges that hold the lid in place and if the handle comes off, go ahead and get it off of there.
3.) The next thing on your to-do list is sanding. You want a rough piece of sandpaper and a washcloth to hold it with so you don’t tear up your hands. Now you have a smooth surface to paint on!
4.) Next put newspaper or plastic over the opening of your cooler and tape it in place. This is important because you don’t want spray paint on the inside of your cooler if you plan on using the ice from inside in your drinks!
5.) The primer I use is Rust-oleum; treat it just like spray paint. Hold the can about 6-8 inches away from the cooler and KEEP IT MOVING. You don’t want drips, so it is super important to keep your hand moving and let it fully dry between coats. I usually stick to 3 coats, and one can of primer is enough!
Design Time
Now you are ready to start painting your cooler!! This is the fun part! You’ll need just basic acrylic paints for this. You can buy them at Walmart or any other craft store (Joann’s, Hobby Lobby, Michael’s, A.C. Moore, etc.) for as little as $0.99. You can also buy cheap brushes and sponges at these places, and I definitely recommend sponges for your base colors! You’re covering a lot of surface and you don’t want brush lines. As far as designs go: Get creative! GO on Pinterest and check out other frat coolers (or srat coolers) and let the creative juices flow!
I’ll show you progress pictures of my most recent cooler, but the list is literally endless for all the possibilities!!
You can freehand, stencil, trace or even mod podge images onto your cooler! Yes. You can print images off the internet and mod podge them onto your cooler. This is handy for logos and crests, as well as alcohol bottles and the works.
I suggest do the main parts of the cooler first, and then painting the top. The top is the part everyone sees first, and it usually has a name on it, so think long and hard about how you want it to look.
I use painter’s tape to help with straight lines and spacing, but you’ll most likely have to touch up the lines because a coolers isn’t a smooth surface, so paint seeps through.
After you are done painting, you’ll want to seal the cooler so the paint becomes water proof and chip resistant. You can buy spray sealers, but I typically reach for my trusty mod podge. I do anywhere from 3 to 5 layers of mod podge on the entire cooler, letting it dry fully between coats (about 20-30 minutes).
After the mod podge is completely dry, it is safe to put the handle back on and screw the hinges with the lid back in. And your cooler is complete!!!! Remind the recipient of your cooler how hard you worked on it and ask them to treat it with care. The mod podge makes the paint chip resistant, not chip-proof.