Aqueous coating compositions containing at least 2 polymer components which provide adhesion and improved durability as measured by improved gloss retention or dirt pick up resistance in dried coatings made from the coating composition are disclosed.

Formaldehyde-free aqueous synthetic resin dispersions are obtainable by single-stage emulsion polymerization of monomer mixtures containing (A) from 50 to 99% by weight of at least one monomer selected from the group consisting of the acrylic and methacrylic esters of C.sub.1 -C.sub.14 -alkanols, the vinyl esters of monocarboxylic acids having up to 5 carbon atoms, and styrene (monomer A), (B) from 0.5 to 40% by weight of at least one of the monomers acrylonitrile and methacrylonitrile (monomer B), (C) from 0.5 to 10% by weight of at least one monomer of the general formula I ##STR1## where R.sup.1 is hydrogen or methyl and R.sup.2 and R.sup.3 are each independently of the other hydrogen or C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 -alkyl (monomer C), (D) from 0 to 5% by weight of at least one monomer selected from the group consisting of the 3 carbon to 5 carbon .alpha.,.beta.-unsaturated mono- and dicarboxylic acids and their amides and anhydrides (monomer D), and (E) from 0 to 3% by weight of at least one further bifunctional monomer (monomer E).

A water soluble polymer binder for binding a fibrous substrate comprises from about 25 weight percent to about 85 weight percent of an unsaturated carboxylic acid/unsaturated carboxylic acid ester terpolymer; from about 5 weight percent to about 35 weight percent of a divalent ion inhibitor; and from about 10 weight percent to about 60 weight percent of a hydrophilic cross-linkable polymer. In a preferred mode of the invention the hydrophilic cross-linkable polymer functions substantially as a divalent ion inhibitor and promotes hydrophilicity of the treated fabric eliminating the requirement of a separate divalent ion inhibitor. The binder composition is soluble in an aqueous environment having a divalent ion concentration less than about 50 ppm and a monovalent ion concentration of less than about 0.4 weight percent. Also disclosed is a water dispersible fibrous fabric having an effective amount of the binder distributed on the fibrous substrate and a method of making a water dispersible fibrous fabric.

A method of making a microsphere-filled wet-laid veil involves forming a non-woven fibrous veil, contacting the veil with an impregnation binder composition having a binder and microspheres, and impregnating the microspheres of the impregnation binder composition into the veil to form a microsphere-filled wet-laid veil. The microsphere-filled wet-laid veils produced according to the method of the present invention are useful to make molded composite articles.

The present invention is directed to producing a smooth hard coating on a wood substrate. A layer of a foamed polymerized latex emulsion is applied on the surface of a wood substrate, such as an oriented strand board. The layer is dried, crushed and then cured to form the coating. If desired the cured coating may be provided with a post cure heat treatment to improve its hardness. The present invention is also directed to applying and drying the layer of the foamed polymerized latex emulsion on a mat of wood fibers or flakes and then crushing and curing the crushed layer and the mat into a hardboard having a smooth hard coating. The coating of the present invention is useful as a sealer coat on a wood substrate. By adding pigment to polymerized emulsion, the sealer coat can be used to provide a finish coat on the wood substrate.