Fraternity formals are upon us and that means one thing: cooler painting season. Once you are asked to accompany your frat star you must begin the journey of getting his cooler prepared for a fun weekend. I have created a couple of coolers during my college years, and I have assisted on painting others. Below, is how to cooler paint for all of you first time painters who are curious about what is involved. 

What you need:

A cooler 

Acrylic paint spackle (not required)

Sandpaper 

Paint pens, pencils and Sharpies 

Color paint of your choosing

Mod Podge 

Tracing paper (you can also use wax paper) 

Polyurethane sealer 

Primer 

Paint brushes (get a lot of different sizes) 

Painter’s tape  

Step one: sand the cooler. Sanding the cooler will help the paint stick and avoid pealing fiascoes. If you know anyone with a sander, I recommend borrowing it for a fast fix. If you don’t know anyone with a sander, then you can just buy the sheets and do it by hand. Sanding can be extraordinarily tedious, but it will be worth it in the end. 

Note: Some of my friends used spackle and went over the indents on their cooler -- like the Coleman’s logo that is indented into the cooler. You can do this, as well, if you want a smooth painting surface. I didn’t do this, and it did not affect my painting technique. If you do use spackle, then you need to let it dry completely before you begin sanding. 

Step two: primer. Once you sand your cooler, then you can begin applying the primer. There are two types of primer you can use. One is buying priming paint, and the other is getting primer spray paint that is meant for plastic. Whichever one you choose, factor in two days for this process. Make sure that all of the sides are evenly painted and nothing is dripping. Once you have primed the cooler, it needs drying time -- about six to eight hours. After the first coat is completely dry then you can add the second coat; let that dry for the same length of time.   

Step three: draw your designs on paper. After you have decided on the designs you want to paint on the cooler, you can begin the drawing portion. Print out the logos, pictures and anything else you want to use, and begin tracing the designs on tracing paper or wax paper with a pencil. Figure out what goes where and if you need a bigger sized picture of the design you want.   

Step four: trace the art on the cooler. Place your tracing, or wax paper, with the image you drew onto the cooler and position it how you please. Press hard enough with a pencil or, if you are feeling ballsy, with a Sharpie so you can see where to paint. Something I did for the more complex pictures was print out the image I wanted, placed it on the cooler and Mod Podge it on there. It looked good and I didn’t have to worry about messing up by painting it. 

Note: Be sure you don’t put your drawing upside down or backwards! You can tape it to the cooler so it won’t move while you are tracing your picture onto the cooler. 

Step five: paint. This step is self-explanatory. Get all of the paint colors you need and begin filling in your sketches. Paint pens are super helpful for the more detailed drawings. Be sure to tape off the area you are not painting so you don’t blend anything. Also, make sure you paint one side at a time! Do one side, let it sit for the day; then, do the next side the day after. Make sure to also Mod Podge after each layer of paint. 

Note: Be careful using the Mod Podge because it can pull off the paint. Be as gentle as you can at this stage. 

Step six: time to dry. When you are finished with a side, let it fully dry. After it dries, apply one more layer of Mod Podge to make sure the paint does not chip. Make sure you also let the Mod Podge completely dry. 

Step seven: seal time. This is the step a lot of my friends like to skip, then regret after they do. It can be tiresome, but it is necessary. Make sure you allow the first layer of sealant to dry before you start on the second layer. Allow one day for each layer to dry. 

Now that you have some tips, go and paint the best cooler your date has ever received! If you still need an idea head over to The Cooler Connection to see the best coolers from all around the country!