In-line coated decorative wood-based boards

Process for manufacturing a decorative wood-based board, the process comprising the steps of:

• a) providing wood particles and/or fibres, in dry form or in form of an aqueous suspension,
• b) providing at least one dry or liquid coating composition comprising at least one inorganic particulate filler material and at least one binder, wherein the at least one inorganic particulate filler material comprises at least one inorganic particulate calcium carbonate-containing material having a median particle size d50 of 0.1 μm to 150.0 μm and/or a specific surface area of 0.5 to 200.0 m2/g, as measured by the BET nitrogen method;
• c) forming a wood-based mat having a first side and a reverse side from the wood particles and/or fibres provided in step a),
• d) pre-pressing the wood-based mat of step c) into a pre-pressed wood-based mat,
• e) applying at least one layer of the at least one dry or liquid coating composition of step b) on the first and/or reverse side of the pre-pressed wood-based mat obtained in step d),
• f) hot pressing the pre-pressed wood-based mat obtained in step e) into a solid wood-based board, and
• g) applying at least one decorative finishing on the first and/or reverse side of the wood-based board obtained in step f) by a step consisting of at least one of inkjet-printing, rotogravure-printing, and/or applying a decorative paper, a decorative foil or a liquid coating;
• wherein the at least one dry or liquid coating composition of step b) comprises the at least one inorganic particulate filler material in an amount from 80 to 98 wt.-%, and the at least one binder in an amount from 2 to 20 wt.-% based on the total dry weight of the at least one coating composition.