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Final ice cooler, staged with drinks and fake ice
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PERSONLIZED ICE COOLER

Learn how to make a personalized ice cooler using your Cricut Maker, Explore, or Joy! These ice cooler decals are a fun way to make your cooler, well, cooler!
Keyword: Ice Cooler, Personalized
Author: Cori George

Equipment

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Upload the Ice Cooler File to Cricut Design Space
    We will start by uploading the SVG file to Cricut Design Space (see Uploading SVG Files to Cricut Design Space if you need help).
    Cricut Design Space: Ice Cooler Decals on Canvas
  • Choose which decal you want to use, and click the "eye" next to the other layers to hide them. Resize and recolor your decal to fit on your ice cooler. For this project the decal was made 8" across, but yours will be different to fit your unique ice chest.
    That's it! You're ready to make your ice chest! Click Make It in the upper right.
    Cricut Design Space: "it's Cold in Here" decal on Canvas, resized and colored white
  • Cut Your Vinyl for Your Ice Cooler Decal
    If you have a Cricut Maker 3 or Cricut Explore 3, you'll see a Mat Selection window. I chose Without Mat because I'm using Smart Vinyl, but choose On Mat if you're cutting using a mat. If you do not have one of these newer machines, you won't see this screen.
    Cricut Design Space: Mat Selection screen
  • On the next Prepare Screen, you'll see your image laid out on the mat (or just on the vinyl if using Smart Vinyl).
    On the Make Screen, you'll set your material to Smart Vinyl or permanent vinyl. Make sure you have your fine point blade in your machine and place your vinyl colored side up. Insert your mat or material and your Cricut will cut your project!
    Cricut Design Space: Prepare Screen showing decal on matless vinyl
  • Weed Your Vinyl
    Next we're going to "weed" the negative space from around each image. There is an extensive post about Weeding Adhesive Vinyl, which you'll want to read—tons of tips and tricks to making it easier.
    Hands weeding adhesive vinyl decal.
  • Use Transfer Tape to Adhere Your Vinyl
    Once all of your decal is weeded, it’s time to use transfer tape to adhere it to your ice chest. You can see an in-depth tutorial about Using Transfer Tape if you need it (plus troubleshooting tips if you’re struggling!).
    Start by cutting a piece of transfer tape the same size as your decal. Peel the backing sheet off the transfer tape and place the sticky side of the transfer tape down on your decal.
    Hands placing transfer tape on decal.
  • You can use your hands or a scraper to burnish the transfer tape down on top of the vinyl.
    Hands using scraper to burnish transfer tape on decal.
  • Then flip it over, and peel the backing sheet away from the transfer tape. Your decal should stick to the transfer tape—you can use your fingernail to catch anything that isn’t sticking cleanly.
    Hands peeling back carrier sheet on vinyl
  • Then flip it over and press it onto your ice cooler!
    Hands placing decal on ice chest.
  • Use the scraper to burnish the vinyl into the cooler.
    Hands using scraper to burnish the decal to the ice chest.
  • Then peel back the transfer tape and your vinyl should stick!
    Hands peeling back the transfer tape
  • If you'd like, you can personalize with your family's name to the other side using this same method! Now you have an even cuter way to keep all of your drinks cool this summer!
    Final ice cooler, staged with drinks and fake ice