Coating process

A process for the production of a multilayer protective and/or decorative coating upon the surface of a substrate, which comprises the steps of:

• (1) applying to the surface a basecoat composition comprising:
• (A) a film-forming polymer;
• (B) a volatile organic liquid diluent in which the polymer is dissolved;
• (C) polymer microparticles of diameter 0.01 to 10 microns which are insoluble in the solution of the polymer (A) in the liquid diluent (B) and are stably dispersed by steric stabilization therein in a nonflocculated state in an amount of from 3% to 8% of the aggregate weight of said film-forming polymer of (A) and said microparticles;
• (D) pigment particles also dispersed in the solution of the film-forming polymer in the liquid diluent;
• (2 ) forming a polymer film upon the surface from the composition applied in step (1);
• (3) applying to the basecoat film so obtained a transparent topcoat composition comprising:
• (E) a film-forming polymer;
• and
• (F) a volatile carrier liquid for the polymer;
• and
• (4) forming a second polymer film upon the basecoat film from the composition applied in step (1).