Surface texture for fibrous boards

Claim 1

A fibrous board having a decorative, randomly textured surface on one face comprising: a water laid compressed mat of entangled fibers having one surface containing surface graders produced by a method comprising: a. forming a water laid lap of entangled fibers; b. substantially uniformly distributing a layer of discreet particles of a foamed synthetic organic thermoplastic resinous material on one surface of the water laid lap of entangled fibers such that most of the particles abut one another before pressing the wet lap; c. pressing the particles into the wet lap to embed the particles in the wet lap; and d. heating the wet lap to reduce the volume of the foam material and leave said craters in the surface which produce a unique random surface texture; with substantially all of said craters containing a small volume of said synthetic organic thermoplastic resinous material, and, said board containing in those areas where said particles did not abut, fibrous areas positioned between adjacent craters, the fibrous areas possessing a substantially rougher exterior surface than the walls of the craters.