Processes for repairing articles having wood appearance formed from synthetic resins

A process for repairing damage to an article having a wood appearance, said article formed from at least one synthetic resin and having a substrate, a toner layer, a wood grain layer disposed between said substrate and said toner layer, and an outermost protective layer sufficiently transparent to allow viewing of said wood grain layer, said article further having a region of damage in at least one of said wood grain layer and said substrate, said process for repairing damage comprising:

• removing said region of damage from at least one of said wood grain layer and said substrate to form a region of removal;
• applying a coating of a gel coat material containing a base coat coloring dispersed throughout said gel coat material to said region of removal, wherein said gel coat material is a pigmented or colored, uncured, polymer-based material that when cured, forms a hardened gel coat layer of substrate;
• applying an air sealer material to said gel coat material in said region of removal, wherein said air sealer material is a polymeric material that forms a temporary, protective seal that prevents contact between said gel coat material and air;
• obtaining a stamp having an appropriate wood grain pattern on its stamping surface;
• impressing said wood grain pattern of said stamp into said gel coat material and air sealer material;
• maintaining said stamp impressed into said gel coat material until said gel coat material sufficiently hardens to thereby form a stamped wood grain pattern;
• removing said air sealer material from said gel coat material;
• applying an effective amount of a pigmented viscous paste to said stamped wood grain pattern, wherein said viscous paste is a polymeric, colored or pigmented material having a paste-like consistency;
• drying said pigmented viscous paste;
• applying a sufficient amount of a transparent polymeric material to said stamped wood grain pattern and said pigmented viscous paste disposed thereon to form a first surface of transparent polymeric material.