DIY: Painted Cooler
Hey everyone!
Welcome back to a DIY segment on my blog!
Today I'm going to show you guys how I created my first Painted Cooler. I have wanted to design my own cooler since college because it was totally a Greek life tradition. But back then there wasn't a Frat boy worthy of my artistic abilities hehe and even if there was... I had no time to do this project. But nevertheless here I am today dating a wonderful Frat guy and I made this cooler for him for his birthday! Yay! ps. He's worth it ;)
So take a look below at my step by step instructions on how I created my first painted cooler.
How to Create a Painted Cooler
1. Buy a Cooler
You can use any size cooler your heart desires, just make sure it's plastic. I used this smaller cooler for my first DIY cooler project.
2. Sand Down the Cooler
I used pieces of sand paper to smooth down the surface of the cooler. This is a tedious process! It took three sheets of sand paper! I wasn't able to smooth the surface down completely, but it was sanded enough to be able to paint on designs. I would suggest using an electric sander to save time. I will probably purchase one for my next painted cooler project.
3. Primer
I primed down the cooler by using spray paint. It's an inexpensive way to prime a cooler. Plus the spray paint sticks to the plastic and dries quickly. Be sure to make sure the spray paint is equally distributed over the entire cooler with two coats.
Here's what the cooler looked like after a couple layers of the spray paint:
4. Paint
Now is the fun part! I freehanded all the designs on the cooler. I drew everything on with pencil to have a rough outline, then I began painting. I used large brushes to paint the backgrounds of my designs and the tiny brushes to focus on the small details. Be sure to focus on one side at a time. It can take several coats to get a solid design depending on what colors you're using. Lighter coolers were especially difficult, I had to use 2-3 coats for the design.
If you don't want to freehand the designs you can purchase stencils online as well as in craft stores like Hobby Lobby.
5. Let is dry!
Don't rush this process and let all the paint dry completely. Once the entire cooler is dry you need to add a layer of Mod Podge, this will protect the cooler from chipping. Let the first layer of Mod Podge dry, then add a second layer.
6. Sealant
Sealant is an important step to protect your masterpiece. Sealant not only protects your cooler from chipping, but also makes it waterproof because "Duh, cooler... drinks..." This is important! I purchased a spray sealant from Hobby Lobby. Add one layer, wait for it to dry then add another.
Hooray! You have completed your first DIY Painted Cooler!
Here's my finished cooler!
:)
Bud Light Theme for his name because that's his favorite :)
This is our dog, Mia! :)
This was such a fun project!
I love how it turned out AND Mikey loved it too!
Things I learned from this project:
It did take a lot longer to make than I expected. The paint takes multiple layers to cover the surface, this was by far the most time consuming. Next time, I would use a lighter colored cooler to make up for the multiple layers of paint. Then I would also buy a sander to ensure the cooler is completely sanded down.
The great thing about this project is you can express your creativity. It can be personalized and unique. I love that.
I hope you all enjoyed this DIY post and I hope it has inspired you to make your own!
Until next time... Thanks for stopping by!
xo,
Danielle