# Ice Chest Cooler Painting



## tx_brute_rider

Hey MIMB,
Does anyone have any experience/recommendations as to what you should paint the outside of an Igloo cooler with?:thinking: I'm thinking about spraying it with the Rust-O-Luem rattle can truck bed spray and spray painting "Kawasaki" on the back of it, to match my brute Did the truck bed spray on a set of rack and it has been holding up well. The ice chect cooler would go on my rear rack strapped down and would need to endure the occasional brush. The cooler would be all black and only "Kawasaki" would be Kawie Green.

Thanks for reading


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## LM83

I did the rattle can truck bed liner after sanding the poo out of mine then painted over the liner. Then cleared it with polyurethane. 


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## filthyredneck

I was going to suggest a good coat of adhesion promoter before applying anything else...I just use Krylon Plastic paint, and touch it up as needed. It sticks ok as far as riding in the mud and being somewhat scratch resistant, but doesn't like my pressure washer at all.
Although, the sanding idea doesn't sound bad. I've also considered mixing up some resin and applying it directly to a brand new igloo and mixing dye in with the resin before I start...but that might be biting off a bit more than I could chew lol.


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## Coolwizard

I've got a rattle can (for pastic) camo pattern on my cooler. It holds up pretty good but I re-do it from time to time ....also, bug spray will really mess up a painted cooler


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## jrpro130

I just did mine with krylon fusion for plastic, works great! I'll let you know how it stands to the torture test. It was 8.99 for the cooler so not too worried!


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## tx_brute_rider

-LM83, Just wondering why would you need to sand the cooler:thinking: Would it be to get rid of the textural surface or to juts buff it out a bit. Also, is the polyurethane just like a clear coat for the paint, to keep it away from debri?

-FilthyRedNeck, Yea I kinda figured it would need like a plastic primer to go first so it would apply better and stay on. Mine gets pressure washed after every ride, but I only do it because it is white you know. Comes back after a ride with the crosby mud stains and only gets off with the pressure washer.

Coolwizard, How did you go about finding out that bug spray messes up painted colors? Curious as to see how you found that out:33:

jrpro130, Yea let me know if it withstands the occasional drops/dings.

Was thinking about leaving the Igloo cooler white, but then I thought to myself I already modded out the brute... Why not on the Igloo cooler to match the brute too


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## Eastexasmudder

^^^ you would sand the cooler down to help remove its protective coating to help keep it from fading in the sun,(helps the paint adhere better or stick to the plastic) then a plastic primer and plastikote paint color of your choice and then you can clear it to help protect it even more.


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## tx_brute_rider

Eastexasmudder, Would you need to sand it with an electric sander or just manually? I could see using the electrical method be more efficient but may sand too much of the protective enamel that the coolers come with. How did you all do ya'lls?


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## filthyredneck

^mine isn't sanded...but may be the next time it comes off for paint lol.
But the idea is to get the "shiny" coat off of it, once its good n dull thats all you should need. I never thought about sanding it before, but thats the same thing you do for just about anything you paint...sand off the clear/protective coat.


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## Eastexasmudder

I manually sanded mine with a automotive sanding block, looks like a black sponge, one block will do, I don't remember the grit I used. Then I put several coats of primer on it letting it dry several hours in between coats. Then I used some metallic dark blue paint, several coats again and then cleared it. It needs to be warm when you spray it and very low humidity or it won't adhere properly.


I'd rather be riding instead I'm using tapatalk!


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## tx_brute_rider

Filthyredneck, I guess the extra effort is worth it huh, lol. Don't want to paint it and for a ride later for it to be peeling. I scotch-brighted my dads rack and sprayed them with truck bedliner then black gloss enamel and they look better then my Line-X racks.:bigeyes: My rear rack is bending and it's mud stained in the tiny Line-X holes.:34:

Eastexasmudder, I'll try scotch-brite. Have alot of different grits because my dad uses them at his job.:bigok: The weather and humidity seems perfect, for Houston Texas


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## tx_brute_rider

What brand of primer and clear coat do you all recommend that is good? I'm going to go with the Krylon Fusion Paint for plastic. Should I also go with the Krylon Polyurethane Clear Coat and the Indoor/Outdoor Primer? Being picky about this because i don't want to ruin my Igloo cooler and for it to look like crap after a few rides.:34:


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## Coolwizard

tx_brute_rider said:


> -
> Coolwizard, How did you go about finding out that bug spray messes up painted colors? Curious as to see how you found that out:33:


....standing next to the brute with the cooler on the rack while applying bug repelent. I guess the over spray got on the cooler. The paint became quite "tacky"


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## filthyredneck

Our company actually buys OFF bug spray just for us to remove stencil paint marks and permanent maker from our 55 gallon drums that we ship our clearcoat products out in....i never knew it worked for anything other than keeping the bugs away and leaving a bad taste in your mouth if you were standing down wind from somebody else putting some on lol. Now it scares me to think I voluntarily put that crap on my skin.....

-Killing Time Using Tapatalk-


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## NMKawierider

filthyredneck said:


> Our company actually buys OFF bug spray just for us to remove stencil paint marks and permanent maker from our 55 gallon drums that we ship our clearcoat products out in....i never knew it worked for anything other than keeping the bugs away and leaving a bad taste in your mouth if you were standing down wind from somebody else putting some on lol. Now it scares me to think I voluntarily put that crap on my skin.....
> 
> -Killing Time Using Tapatalk-


 
It should scare you. Also read about Deet, the main ingredient. That should realy scare you.


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## filthyredneck

Lol will do.

-Killing Time Using Tapatalk-


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## speedman

can yall post pics of the cooler on the back i been thinking of doing it but idk i have a little one that i strap down I don't know if you can see it but this is the only picture I got of it


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## filthyredneck

Heres a couple of mine, and one of the other half's on her red brute. None of the angles are great, but you kinda get the idea. These are the small marine ice chests from Academy, and I installed eye-bolts on the sides to hook turnbuckles to so I can snug em down on the rack good, and then just a rubber bungee cord over the top so the beer don't fall out on wheelies 


-Killing Time Using Tapatalk-


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## Polaris425

But anything w/o deet doesnt work as well.


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## jrpro130




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## filthyredneck

^ that looks nice

-Killing Time Using Tapatalk-


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## tx_brute_rider

filthyredneck said:


> Heres a couple of mine, and one of the other half's on her red brute. None of the angles are great, but you kinda get the idea. These are the small marine ice chests from Academy, and I installed eye-bolts on the sides to hook turnbuckles to so I can snug em down on the rack good, and then just a rubber bungee cord over the top so the beer don't fall out on wheelies
> 
> 
> -Killing Time Using Tapatalk-


Filthyredneck, I'm assuming the 2nd picture is Krylon paint without any sanding or protectice gloss, huh... The red brutes cooler looks sweet.:bigok: That is the exact same one as mine and the same concept as well... except the wording, Lol. Mine would say"Kawasaki 750 Dynoed" or just "Kawasaki"


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## filthyredneck

Both are Krylon plastic paint w/out sanding, but her's does have a layer of Krylon clear coat on it...it has proven to be quite a bit tougher than mine but still scratches some. I think next go around on both chests I'll sand em really good and spend more time. I would like to put something "filthy" related on mine, just don't know what yet. Hers willl be different next time too...I did hers the day before making a big ride up at River Run with alot of our friends.


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## tx_brute_rider

FRN, Thanks for the photos and help.:bigok: Was going to do mine yesterday now that I have everything, but it's too cold and humid where I'm at and don't think it'll bond well now. Now to wait:aargh4:


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## filthyredneck

No problem bud...weather is the same out in the woods where I live

-Killing Time Using Tapatalk-


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