How to Paint a Cooler

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Prime, design, & paint your own creative cooler
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When you're painting a cooler, the color choices and design possibilities are endless. If you take the time to prime, paint and seal your cooler correctly, you'll have a personalized keepsake that you can use for years to come.

Painting a Cooler

Use spackle to fill in indents and spray the cooler with a plastic primer. Then, paint the cooler with acrylic paint in the color of your choice. Paint fun designs or use carbon paper to add designs. Then, apply 2 coats of Mod Podge and a thin layer of polyurethane.

Part 1
Part 1 of 3:

Priming the Cooler

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  1. Spackle is a putty used as a filler. It hardens when it dries, so you’ll be able to paint right over it later on. Use a putty knife to fill the indents with spackle. Scrape the edge of the knife over the top of the spackle so it’s flush with the rest of the cooler. Don’t worry if it’s not perfect — you can sand it down later. [1]
  2. The exact amount of time it will take the spackle to dry depends on how deep the indents you filled in were — the deeper the indents, the longer it will take to dry. After a few hours, try touching the spackle with your fingers. If it's hard and has a chalky texture, it's dry.
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  3. Sand the surface of the cooler once the spackle is dry. Sanding the cooler will make it easier for the paint to stick to it. You want to sand the cooler just enough to take away the shine and give the surface a little bit of a grit. Don’t forget to sand over the spackle, so it’s flush with the rest of the cooler.
    • Give the cooler a hard sand using 120-grit sandpaper. This will scuff the surface enough that the primer will be able to adhere to the surface of the cooler. [2]
    • For a smoother finish, start sanding the cooler with a coarse grit sandpaper (40-50 grit) and finish with a fine grit sandpaper (120-220 grit). Using 2 kinds of sandpaper will help you make your cooler as smooth as possible. [3]
    • If the cooler came with a smooth finish, you still want to sand it down to remove the top layer of the plastic so the paint sticks.
  4. A plastic primer will help the paint adhere to the surface of the cooler better. [4] Spray the primer on the cooler so there’s an even coat over the entire surface.
    • You can find a spray-on plastic primer at your local home improvement center or paint store.
    • If the cooler has handles or wheels that you don’t want to paint, cover them with painter’s tape before you spray the primer on.
  5. Place the cooler on a tarp or sheets of newspaper while it dries so the primer doesn't get on your floor. After 24 hours, the cooler should feel dry to the touch. If it's not, let it finish drying.
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Part 2
Part 2 of 3:

Designing and Painting the Cooler

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  1. Before you add designs or personal touches, you should create a solid base to work on. Cover the sides and top of the cooler with paint using a large paintbrush.
    • To use multiple colors for the background, paint 1 color at a time and let the paint dry in between colors.
    • One coat of acrylic paint should be enough for the background.
    • For a harder finish, try using enamel paint, rather than acrylic. [5]
  2. After 24 hours, the cooler should feel dry to the touch. If you're doing additional colors for the background, paint them on one at a time and let the cooler dry for 24 hours in between each coat.
  3. While you can definitely draw designs on the cooler freehand, using designs printed off the computer will make the cooler look cleaner and more professional. [6]
    • Keep in mind that you’ll be tracing the outlines of the designs onto the cooler and filling them in with paint, so stick with simple images and fonts.
  4. To use carbon paper, trace the outline of your design onto the paper. Then, hold the carbon paper on the cooler and draw over the lines to transfer the design onto the cooler. [7]
    • You can find carbon paper online or at your local art supplies store.
  5. Start by tracing your design onto a sheet of printer paper. Then, shade in the back of the paper with pencil. After the back is shaded in, place the paper on the cooler where you want the design to go and trace over the lines with a pencil to transfer it. [8]
  6. Trace your design onto a piece of tissue paper. Then, position the tissue paper on the cooler where you want the design to go and draw over the outline with a fine-point permanent marker. The marker will bleed through the tissue paper and transfer onto the cooler. [9]
  7. Use small paint brushes to apply the paint so you can be more detailed.
    • If you want to do multiple colors in the same design, do 1 color at a time and let the paint dry in between colors — otherwise, the colors might smudge together.
    • It may be easier if you lay the cooler on its side so the side you're painting is facing up. If you do this, you'll need to paint 1 side at a time and let the paint dry in between sides.
  8. The thinner the coat of paint, the less time it will take to dry. After a few hours, touch the paint to see if it's completely dry. If it is, you can add additional colors to your designs, start on a new side of the cooler, or move on to sealing the cooler.
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Part 3
Part 3 of 3:

Sealing the Cooler

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  1. Mod Podge is a sealer and finisher that will help prevent the paint on the cooler from chipping or peeling. Once the paint on the cooler is dry, spray the surface of the cooler with a thin, even coat of Mod Podge.
    • You can find Mod Podge online or at your local arts and crafts store.
  2. After 15-20 minutes, the Mod Podge should feel completely dry to the touch. If it doesn't, let it finish drying before you move on.
  3. Two coats of Mod Podge should be enough to protect the paint on the cooler from chipping or peeling. After you spray the second coat, let the cooler dry for another 15-20 minutes before moving it.
  4. Since coolers have a tendency to get wet, it’s a good idea to waterproof your cooler so the paint doesn’t come off. Use a clean paintbrush to apply a thin, even layer of clear polyurethane to the entire outer surface of the cooler. [10]
    • You can find polyurethane online or at your local home improvement center.
  5. After 24 hours, the cooler should be completely dried, sealed, and ready to go. If you covered the handles and wheels with painter’s tape, you can take the tape off now. [11]
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Expert Q&A

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  • Question
    What kind of paint do you use on a cooler?
    Patrick Coye
    Painting Specialist
    Patrick Coye is the owner and operator of Patrick’s Painting & Home Improvement in Alexandria, Virginia. With over 15 years of experience in residential construction, Patrick specializes in painting, wallpaper removal/installation, drywall, staining decks and fences, and kitchen cabinetry painting. To date, Patrick and his team have painted over 2,000 houses and stained over 800 decks. Patrick's Company won a "Top Job" award from the American Painting contractor magazine in 2020.
    Patrick Coye
    Painting Specialist
    Expert Answer
    I recommend using primer and enamel paint for a harder finish. However, you'll need to give the cooler a hard sand with 120-grit sandpaper. That will scuff it up to the point where the primer and paint can stick to it.
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  • Question
    How long do I leave the Mod Podge on?
    Community Answer
    You leave it on for one to three days.
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      Things You’ll Need

      • Cooler
      • Spackle
      • Putty knife
      • Coarse grit sandpaper
      • Fine grit sandpaper
      • Spray-on plastic primer
      • Tarp or newspaper
      • Painter’s tape
      • Acrylic paint
      • Paintbrushes
      • Carbon or tissue paper
      • Printer
      • Printer paper
      • Pencil
      • Mod Podge
      • Polyurethane

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      References

      1. ↑ https://totalsororitymove.com/how-to-paint-a-cooler-for-dummies-the-be-all-end-all-guide/
      2. ↑ Patrick Coye. Painting Specialist. Expert Interview. 22 July 2020.
      3. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aTTflEIH6wk&feature=youtu.be&t=163
      4. ↑ Patrick Coye. Painting Specialist. Expert Interview. 22 July 2020.
      5. ↑ Patrick Coye. Painting Specialist. Expert Interview. 22 July 2020.
      6. ↑ https://totalsororitymove.com/how-to-paint-a-cooler-for-dummies-the-be-all-end-all-guide/
      7. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aTTflEIH6wk&feature=youtu.be&t=306
      8. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aTTflEIH6wk&feature=youtu.be&t=306
      9. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aTTflEIH6wk&feature=youtu.be&t=306
      1. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aTTflEIH6wk&feature=youtu.be&t=398
      2. ↑ https://totalsororitymove.com/how-to-paint-a-cooler-for-dummies-the-be-all-end-all-guide/

      About This Article

      Article Summary X

      Before you paint your cooler, spackle and sand any logos or indentations, then spray on a plastic primer and let it dry for 24 hours. Then, apply 1 coat of acrylic paint, and let it dry for another 24 hours. Next, draw or trace the design you want onto carbon paper, and use the carbon paper to transfer the design onto the cooler before using acrylic paint to outline or fill in your design. When the paint is dry, apply 2 coats of Mod Podge to seal your cooler, and a coat of polyurethane to waterproof it. For tips on transferring a design to your cooler using printer paper or tissue paper, read on!

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