6 Charming Skoolie Exterior Paint Schemes

Get Community-Led Inspiration for Skoolie Exterior Paint Schemes

Skoolies, aka. schoolies, have become increasingly popular in recent years as a unique and creative way to live a mobile lifestyle. One of the most important decisions when it comes to skoolie conversions is choosing the perfect exterior paint scheme.

In this blog, I’ve compiled five charming skoolie exterior paint jobs with examples of skoolies that fall into those categories to inspire your own school bus paint schemes! 

I want to thank the lovely skoolie owners from the Skoolie Girls Facebook Group that volunteered to share photos of their skoolie exterior paint schemes for this blog. I’ve linked back to their social media and/or blogs, when provided.

Add your Skoolie Exterior Photo to this Blog

Do you love how your skoolie exterior looks? Share a photo of your skoolie and I may add it to this post. E-mail me at hello@destinationunknown.life.

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Table of Contents

Charming Skoolie Exterior Paint Schemes

Bohemian Dream

The Bohemian Dream paint scheme is perfect for those who want to express their artistic side on their skoolie‘s exterior. This school bus paint job typically features a mix of bold colors, patterns, and textures, creating a playful and eclectic look. For this exterior paint for skoolie, you can use bright yellows, pinks, and blues with earthy tones such as orange and brown. Adding a mandala or flower design can further enhance the bohemian vibe.

Rustic Charm

The Rustic Charm paint scheme is a classic option that gives off a cozy and warm feel. This exterior paint for skoolie typically features earthy colors such as deep browns, greens, and reds, creating a rustic cabin-like look. Adding wood paneling to the exterior can make the skoolie feel even more authentic. This school bus paint job is perfect for those who want to embrace the great outdoors and live a rustic lifestyle.

Coastal Cool

If you love the beach and want to bring that coastal feel to your skoolie‘s exterior, then the Coastal Cool paint scheme is for you. This school bus paint job typically features light blues and greens, sandy beiges, and whites. Adding seashell or wave designs can further enhance the coastal vibe. This exterior paint for skoolie is great for those who want a relaxed and serene atmosphere.

Wanda Bus: Thanks to Elizabeth for sharing a photo of her light blue shortie called Wanda Bus. Read about her skoolie adventures on her blog here.

Industrial Chic

The Industrial Chic paint scheme is perfect for those who love the look of industrial-style homes. This school bus paint job typically features shades of gray and black, with metal accents and sharp lines. Adding rivets or other metal details can enhance the industrial look even further.

This exterior paint for skoolie is great for those who want a modern and edgy feel.

Retro Revival

The Retro Revival paint scheme is perfect for those who love the vintage aesthetic. This school bus paint job typically features bright colors such as teal, pink, and yellow, with a playful mix of patterns and textures. Adding chrome accents can enhance the retro feel even further.

This exterior paint for skoolie is great for those who want to bring a touch of nostalgia to their skoolie.

Modern Simplicity

The Modern Simplicity paint scheme is for those who love prefer a more minimalistic design. This school bus paint job typically features a duotone palette like deep, saturated color paired with a neutral like soft white. Adding on-trend accents typically follow what you see in current home trends, like black or gold.

This exterior paint for skoolie is great for those who want to be outdoors while keeping their modern taste in mind. This palette is personally what we chose to go with for our rig.

The Beauty of Skoolie Paint Jobs

Despite the negative opinions that some people have about skoolies, those of us within the community understand the charm and character that these unique RVs possess. To showcase the beauty and creativity of skoolie paint jobs, we’ve highlighted five charming exterior paint schemes in this blog. Whether you’re drawn to the bohemian, rustic, coastal, industrial, or retro style, there’s a school bus paint scheme out there for everyone.

Share your School Bus Paint Color

If you have a skoolie with an amazing exterior paint job that you’d like to share, we invite you to add it to our Skoolie Exterior Paint Palette List. Shoot us a message at Hello@DestinationUnknown.Life with a few photos of your rig and some details about the school bus paint color and application method. We’ll be happy to include your skoolie and link back to you!

Additional Skoolie Paint Resources

I’ve detailed out some of my best skoolie painting tips and supplies in these blogs below:

• Best Exterior Paint for Skoolies
• How to Paint a Skoolie Exterior
• How to Paint a Skoolie Roof

FAQ

What is the best bus color for boondocking?

The correct answer to this question is whatever you choose! With that being said, if your goal is to blend into your surroundings while boondocking, then going with a color palette inspired by nature would be a good choice. If you’re parked in a wooded area, those colors could be deep greens. If you’re parked in a desert, beiges and tans would be a lovely pick. If you’re parked on a beach, a coastal vibe with teals, light greens and yellows would be great for a tropical vibe.

How much paint do I need to paint a Skoolie?

The amount of paint you’ll need to paint a skoolie will vary on several factors, such as paint type (oil versus latex), priming, condition of the old paint (if any), and the size of the vehicle.

With that being said, a handy paint calculator will give you a starting point on how much paint you’ll need to get the job done.

What is the best exterior paint for a skoolie?

The topic of the best exterior paint for a skoolie is highly debatable and personal. The best paint for you will depend on a number of factors like budget, time, and experience.

In our school bus conversion, we used an oil-based tintable exterior paint by Valspar. Other skoolie owners rave about using costly truck bed liner or affordable Rustoleum.

Read the Best Exterior Paint for Skoolies blog for more information when deciding the best paint for your rig.

Skoolie Paint Jobs are One-of-a-Kind!

In conclusion, selecting the right exterior paint for skoolie can be a fun and exciting way to express your personality and style. Whether you want to embrace the bohemian vibe, rustic charm, coastal feel, industrial look, or retro aesthetic, there is a school bus paint scheme out there that’s perfect for you.

So, don’t be afraid to get creative with your skoolie paint job and let it stand out!