Abrasion resistant laminate

A print sheet for use in the preparation of decorative laminates of high abrasion resistance, comprising:

• a paper sheet substrate having a print design thereon, and
• an ultra-thin abrasion resistant coating over said print design, said ultra-thin abrasion resistant coating having a calculated thickness on the order of 0.02-0.3 mils and comprising a mixture of (1) abrasion resistant hard mineral of small particle size and quantity sufficient to provide an abrasion resistant layer without interfering with visibility and (2) binder material for said mineral, said binder being present in an amount sufficient to bind and stabilize said abrasion resistant mineral to said paper sheet so as to provide abrasion resistance without the necessity of an overlay sheet, said coating being impregnable by a laminating resin selected from the group consisting of melamine-formaldehyde resin and polyester resin.

A print sheet for use in the preparation of decorative laminates of high abrasion resistance in which a thermosetting laminating resin selected from the group consisting of melamine-formaldehyde resin and polyester resin is employed, and print sheet comprising a paper sheet substrate unimpregnated with laminating resin having a print design thereon, and an ultra-thin abrasion resistant coating having a calculated thickness on the order of 0.02-0.3 mils and comprising a mixture of (1) abrasion resistant hard mineral of small particle size and quantity sufficient to provide an abrasion resistant layer without interfering with visibility and (2) binder material for said mineral, said binder material being present in a lesser amount than said mineral but sufficient to bind and stabilize said abrasion resistant mineral over said paper sheet, said print sheet including said coating being impregnable with said laminating resin.