a method for coating laminate and composite wood products with a polymer coating . the method includes providing a wood substrate consisting of an engineered or composite wood product , applying a flowable but thixotropic polymer coating material to the surface of the substrate , distributing the polymer coating material evenly across the surface of the wood substrate to create a continuous smooth surface , and allowing the polymer coating material to bond to the surface of the wood substrate to form a hard smooth surface over the wood substrate surface .