| abstract |
A flexible and stretchable sheet material that is capable of being stretched to conform to a three-dimensional substrate to form a protective and decorative coating thereon is comprised of a thin flexible support having adhered thereto a protective and decorative layer such as a paint layer comprising a colorant incorporated in a film-forming binder. Both the support and the protective and decorative layer are characterized by a very high degree of thickness uniformity and the sheet material exhibits a high level of surface uniformity, an ability to undergo substantial elongation, and a substantially uniform quality and appearance; whereby it can be stretched and bent in the process of bonding it to a substrate and still achieve a defect-free coating of uniformly attractive appearance. A process for the manufacture of the sheet material comprises the steps of: providing a flexible support sheet; providing a fluid protective and decorative film-forming composition; forming a laminar flow of the composition and directing the flow into contact with the surface of the support to form thereon a protective and decorative layer of substantially uniform thickness; and converting the protective and decorative layer to a dry and tack-free state. In one preferred embodiment, the protective and decorative layer comprises a film-forming binder, a colorant and generally flat light-reflecting particles which are effectively oriented by the laminar flow process to provide a layer characterized by a high degree of geometric metamerism. |