Process for producing textured coatings

Claim 1

In a process for providing a textured coating on a substrate, which coating has a thickness of about 0.1 mil to about 10 mils, comprising the following steps: (a) applying a coating, which is curable with ultraviolet light, to the substrate, said coating having a viscosity, as applied, of at least about 50 centipoises; (b) changing the viscosity of the coating by exposing the coating to ultraviolet light, said viscosity being changed to a viscosity no higher than that at which the coating is capable of being textured in steps (c) and (d); (c) exposing the coated substrate to ultraviolet light having wavelengths in the range of about 1800 Angstroms to about 2750 Angstroms in an inert atmosphere for a period of time sufficient to initiate texturing at the surface of the coating; (d) maintaining the coated substrate from step (c) in a space essentially devoid of ultraviolet light for a period of time sufficient for the surface of the coating to texture; and (e) exposing the coated substrate from step (d) to ultraviolet light having wavelengths in the range of about 1800 Angstroms to about 4000 Angstroms in an inert atmosphere or air until the coating is essentially cured, the improvement comprising, (i) providing a coating, which is essentially devoid of pigment; (ii) providing for the substrate, a substrate, the surface of which is, in part, dark colored and adsorbent to infrared light, and, in part, light colored and reflective to infrared light; and (iii) after step (b) and before step (c), exposing the coated substrate to infrared light whereby the viscosity of the coating, which is above the dark colored part, is decreased to a greater extent than the coating, which is above the light colored part, whereby a relatively greater amount of texture is obtained in the coating, which is above the dark colored part than in the coating which is above the light colored part.