Prepping the cooler:
- Sand your cooler. Start with a heavy grit paper and finish with a fine paper. Using an electric sander will save you time if you have one and will give you a smoother, even finish.
- If your cooler has grooves you can fill it with Spackle, sand off excess Spackle after it has dried to make the whole cooler smooth.
Pepping the cooler for primer:
- Tape off the inside of the cooler.
Priming the cooler:
- After sanding, prime your cooler before painting. Krylon Fusion in white is a great primer; white makes your colors more vivid and makes for a great surface to start painting. If you don't prime the cooler, the paint will still go on but is more susceptible to chipping.
Painting the cooler:
- Use acrylic paint, buy all the colors needed and to save money buy white and black paint to mix colors and create different shades.
- Paint pens, paint pens, paint pens. Don't freak about straight lines or touching up the masterpiece you just painted, because paint pens will be your saving grace. You can buy different size tips to be as detailed or blunt as you want.
- Be aware of the rules and restrictions of where you can and can't paint (i.e. dorms). Paint outside or in a garage if the weather is bad and put a tarp or plastic tablecloth down. It will save you clean up time and avoid paint spills!
Before you give your date the cooler:
- Remember to seal your cooler before you finish. Mod Podge is a great. Use the outdoor version to help with durability. (To find the finish you want after the Mod Podge dries, click here)
- To be on the safe side, spray a sealant over the Mod Podge. Any kind of Polyurethane Spray will work, but I prefer Minwax Polyurethane Spray.
Tips on painting and sealing the cooler:
- Use stencils, you can also print off images that you want to use and Mod Podge on the cooler.
- Use a pencil and trace on the cooler lightly before you paint.
- For fun fonts look at fontsquirrel.com or dafont.com.
- Use painter's tape to make straight lines or edges.
- If no ideas are coming to mind, get on Pinterest or Google, and you'll find tons of cool ideas.
Good luck and happy formal season!
