Scavenger Chic

Curbside Find, Rolling Cooler Makeover

• By Joan
• June 30, 2021
• 11 Comments

Rolling Cooler Makeover

This lovely rolling cooler was found curbside on one of my daily walks. He had been put out for bulk pickup, or for me, whichever came first. 

With rolling coolers fetching anywhere from $200 – $250, this little guy was worth saving.

I did not wheel him home along the road, that would look silly,  but fetched my car and my next project was in hand.

The cooler needed help inside and out.  The inside was the easy part, it just needed a good scrubbing.

The metal bits were a different story.  The entire bottom shelf was one solid layer of rust.  The black paint was not able to save the metal.

At one time the cooler was closer to a red color than a pink color. 

Take off any extra accessories you can before starting your work.  The bottle cap opener still had to be taken off.

I was beginning to question my saving this guy from the dump. 🙄 

Take your sander to all the rusty parts and try to get the metal as free from divots as you can.

I had never used Flex Paste before and after all the “as seen on TV” ads I was anxious to give it a go. Especially since I had 2 large holes on the bottom tray. 

The Flex Paste goes on like a thick caulk.  It’s flexible, it dries quickly and you can paint over it.  It worked really well for the corner rusty holes especially here on the bottom.  The Flex Paste dries rubbery and won’t crack or shrink.  Those are the positives.

What I don’t like about the stuff is you can’t sand it.  The can says to “smooth to your desired finish or add designs to create artistic textures.” While it was great for the bottom shelf it was a little lumpy on the sides of the cooler even after working it as much as possible. After it dried it really was like sanding rubber which just wasn’t happening.

For a super smooth finish I would probably use Bondo all purpose filler if I had to redo the cooler. Though you only have a few minutes to work with the Bondo before it dries rock hard,  at least it is sandable.

Even with sanding and a fresh coat of black Rustoleum  the corrosion of the rust on the bottom tray was still very obvious.  The Flex Paste did do a good job of fixing the corners where the rust had created holes.

Some old wood flooring covers up all the rusty unevenness.  I found the wood flooring in a dump pile at the salvage yard…I do love FREE!

The wood flooring had been painted.  I partially sanded the flooring and finished it off with a coat of danish oil.

The rust had gone thru the top side of the cooler here.  The Flex Paste did fix the damage but it didn’t get that crisp smooth finish.  Pretty sure anybody grabbing a beer really won’t care.

Use painters tape to tape off the edges and you’re ready to paint.

If you like this color it is Rustoleum brand Vintage Teal in a satin finish. BTW, this is that same damaged corner.  It’s not too noticeable.

Wanted to show you this finish before I took this guy one step further.  Definitely feel free to stop here.

The inside just needed a good scrub to get rid of the dirt and mold.

I wanted a little design on the side of my  rolling cooler.  If I had any skill at graffiti art I would have probably have incorporated that.  Instead I took my inspiration from this old project, doodling on ceramics.

Just google flower doodles and you’ll be overwhelmed with fun little designs that may or may not be based on actual flowers.  Or design your own.

These were drawn on with a Sharpie Oil-Based Paint Marker, Medium Point, Black Ink.

If you hate your doodles, just re-spray paint and start over.

Just continue around your cooler varying the heights of the flowers but making sure they are all grounded.

If you’re missing the lid on your curbside find, the cooler  would make a great flower box, it comes with it’s own drainage hole.

You could even store your watering can or tools on the lower shelf.

And it still makes a terrific rolling cooler or bar cart.

Because of how advanced the rust was on the bottom shelf, the cooler should probably not be stored outside.  This rolling cooler destined for the dump could easily last another 25 years.

This is the back of the cooler with more unusual flowers  :), and that is the drainage hole in the bottom right.

Stay cool and stay inspired.

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