Method for making polymer surfaced composites

A method for producing a composite having a decorative cladding as a first layer affixed to a porous substrate as a second layer by an intervening transition layer, the method comprising the steps of:

• A preparing the first layer as a mixture of a polymerizable resin binder solution, a solid particle filler mix including 10-50 weight percent ultraviolet radiation-blocking solid particles and 90-50 weight percent ultraviolet radiation-transmitting solid particles, an ultraviolet radiation cure promoting agent, and a thermal cure promoting agent;
• B applying the first layer to a face surface of the substrate, such that a resin-rich portion of the binder solution can migrate into pockets and pores in the substrate face surface to develop the transition layer;
• and
• C directing ultraviolet radiation at the mixture, thereby achieving an abrupt cure of that portion of the resin binder solution exposed to the ultraviolet radiation and leaving uncured resin binder solution to cure thermally over time as promoted by the thermal cure promoting agent.

A method for producing a composite having a decorative cladding affixed to a face surface of a concrete substrate by an intervening transition layer, the method comprising the steps of:

• A applying to the substrate face surface a first mixture of a first polymerizable resin binder solution including a lower concentration of a resin oligomer, a higher concentration of a resin monomer as a diluent, an ultraviolet radiation cure promoting agent and a thermal cure promoting agent, such that the first binder solution migrates into pockets and pores in the substrate face surface to develop the transition layer;
• B depositing on the substrate face surface as the decorative cladding overlying the transition layer a second mixture of a second polymerizable resin binder solution including a higher concentration of a resin oligomer, and a lower concentration of a resin monomer, an ultraviolet radiation cure promoting agent, a thermal cure promoting agent, and a filler including decorative solid particles that essentially block transmission of ultraviolet radiation;
• and
• C exposing the first and second resin binder solutions to ultraviolet radiation, thereby achieving a cure of portions of the first and second resin binder solutions exposed to the ultraviolet radiation and leaving uncured portions of the first and second resin binder solutions to cure thermally over time, as promoted by the thermal cure promoting agents.